From the Mixed-Up Inbox: Hi-Lo Recs

Mar 30, 2011

Elissa Cruz

Uncategorized

Flickr photo by mike ambs

Jennifer H. contacted us and asked the following:

I have a dilemma. My student, Paula, is a sixth grade student but she is reading on a first grade level. I know what do to for her (no confusion there!), but don’t know what books to give her to read on her own! She needs some chapter books that are on her level, but most of what I can find is a little bit immature in terms of theme and characters. Junie B Jones is too young for Paula– she doesn’t want to read about a kindergarten student! Other books with appropriate heroines are too difficult for Paula to read on her own. Do you have any suggestions?

Paula definitely wants to become a reader, she just needs the right book. Thank you for any advice you can offer!

I asked the Mixed-Up Authors for their suggestions, but I wanted to share their answers with any other parents, teachers, or librarians who might be struggling with the same issue. Thanks to Jennifer for letting us post her question.

Our suggestions:

“The Ellie McDoodle books should be great for her, and Ellie is 11. The older books in the Mallory series has her at age 10.” –Mindy Alyse Weiss

“I suggest The Spiderwick Chronicles, Lunch Lady (and other similar graphic novels), and It’s Raining Cupcakes.” –Sheela Chari

“I was thinking Lunch Lady, too, and Babymouse. Nonfiction in whatever areas interest her….” –Laurie Schneider

“You know? This might be a good pick for this reader: Brains for Lunch, A Zombie Novel in Haiku by K.A. Holt. It’s funny and the Haiku format is easy to read, not too many words on the page.

Also, what about novels in verse? Sharon Creech? Love That Dog and Hate That Cat are middle grade but pretty simple text.” –Diana Greenwood

“Sounds like she might also be a good candidate for a Hi-Lo book–one written at an easier reading level with an older student in mind.” –Joanne Prushing Johnson

“Orca Soundings puts out books for the hi-lo reader. They are a Canadian publisher, not sure if you can get those in the States…

“Depending on her sense of humour she might like The Ghost Hunter books by Cornelia Funke (but the reading level might be a little too high).

“100 Dresses by Eleanor Estes? A little higher than grade one though, but a compelling emotional story that might draw her in.

“She might like some of the Stepping Stone books that are non-fiction, seems to me there is one about the Trojan Horse, another about Pompeii (the Step Into Reading, level five books would be good too).

“Beast Quest if she likes fantasy.

“Frannie K. Stein, she is a younger mc, but is funny silly comic book type in appearance. And there is a the series GO Girl (but mc might be too young?).” –Deb Marshall

“Recommended by my go-to person for questions like this — middle school librarian Chris Gustafson in Seattle: The Stone Arch books — they are high interest/low reading level and would appeal to a sixth grader. The Orca Soundings books recommended by Deb are great for YA and might be good options for this sixth grader if carefully vetted. They often deal with serious teen issues.” – Katherine Schlick Noe

“I guess I would suggest the hybrid graphic novels – Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rose Cooper’s Gossip From The Girls Room, Big Nate, Dork Diaries, Dear Dumb Diary, etc…

“And how about Judy Moody, Clementine and Clarice Bean?” –Amie Borst

And one last suggestion: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. It’s a higher reading level, but the book eases kids into reading, and half the story is told in pictures. So don’t let the thickness of the book scare you away.

Readers, do you have any other suggestions? If you do, please let us know in the comments below.

And good luck finding just the right book for Paula, Jennifer!

Written by: Elissa Cruz on March 30, 2011.on March 31, 2011.

13 Comments

Katie Schneider • Mar 30, 2011 @3:35 pm

I second the Stone Arch books – they have some good graphic novels. She might also want to check out the work of Patricia Polacco – her website gives a good description of her book “Thank You Mr. Falker” about the teacher who was finally able to teach her to read. (Polacco combines writing and text in her picture books.) Real life examples of others (including Avi, who talks on his website about having to go to a special school because of learning disabilities) who’ve had a harder than average time learning to read might be motivating.
Cathe Olson • Mar 30, 2011 @9:52 pm

This is very helpful . . . I have a similiar situation.
PragmaticMom • Mar 31, 2011 @3:05 am

I love Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Also books by Gary Paulsen (The Hatchet series). Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin and other books by her (Year of the Rat, Year of the Dog). My Side of the Mountain series by Jean Craighorn George (and any others by her including Julie of the Wolves series).

I would also do shared reading with her with both of you taking turns reading aloud.

hmmm….I’m not a librarian but that is what I’d try.
DSA • Mar 31, 2011 @2:00 pm

As a former sped teacher I taped age appropriate stories for my older, lower-level readers. I taped them at a slower than normal pace so that the students could follow them easily. I insisted that the stories be followed visually as the students listened. I taught them to use a pencil or pen (upside down) to track the words. I know how time consuming this is, but once you have a collection of tapes, you have them for others students and the tapes lasted a long time. Of course, I know that the technology has changed, but this still should be possible.
Tricia • Mar 31, 2011 @2:55 pm

I jsut read a wonderful novel written in free verse: “Inside Out and Back Again” by Thanhha Lai. The language is spare but poetic, witty and powerful, and the subject–immigration, feeling on the outside, coming to grips with loss–is universal.
Natalie Aguirre • Mar 31, 2011 @7:13 pm

I think the books you have are great choices.
Lizzie K. Foley • Apr 3, 2011 @11:31 am

How about the Boxcar Children series? They are slightly dated now (but that’s part of their charm), and I’ve seen them work well for struggling readers.
Lizzie K. Foley • Apr 3, 2011 @11:33 am

I’ve also had luck with the Bone series by Jeff Smith. They are graphic novels (which helps with the reading) and the story is enjoyable.
Bruce Frost • Apr 4, 2011 @10:34 pm

Another option to audiobooks, if the school is able, is to use an e-reader (specifically the Kindle) for text to speech. I hope to do this next year if my grant is accepted. Not only does the Kindle have pretty natural text to speech, it also highlights the words as they are being read.

Good luck! There are a lot of great titles listed above.
Jennifer@5 Minutes for Books • Apr 5, 2011 @5:40 pm

I also enjoyed the Field Trip Mysteries (specifically The Burglar Who Bit the Big Apple) and recognized that this would be a perfect audience for this book, because the characters are older elementary, the text is big, there are pictures, and they’re short. But definitely thematically interesting.
Laurie Beth Schneider • Apr 5, 2011 @9:13 pm

My 6th grade daughter suggests Lauren Myracle’s LOVE YA BUNCHES.
Barb Gross • Apr 24, 2011 @10:49 pm

The Mo Willems books are easy and funny, but if they are too babyish for her, I have some other suggestions. SmartReader books/cassettes are written for adults who are learning to read. There are also several series of books written for adults who are learning to read. Check your library. I know the Denver Library has many, such as The Man Who Stopped Time and Nightmare Snow (Adult Learner Series) or The Big Picture (Cambridge English Readers). There is also a book of suggestions that is called Light ‘n lively reads for ESL, adult, and teen readers: a thematic bibliography by La Vergne Rosow.
La Vergne Rosow • Jun 19, 2011 @11:12 pm

Thanks for that affirmation, Barb.

Here are some that are appreciated and recommended by my college pleasure readers:

WORDLESS PICTURE BOOKS

Clown by Quentin Blake

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

Flotsam by David Wiesner

TRUE and BASED ON HISTORICAL EVENTS
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting with images by David Diaz
(based on the real Watts riots)

Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
(predictable text with incredibly rich images and a story beneath the story as the mouse family under the floor enjoys all that falls through to them)

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
(a true story)

The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland, illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi
(historical references)

Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ronald Himler
(based on the true stories of Orphan Trains in America)

NOT SO SIMPLE STORIES
Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sis
(the true story of Galileo)

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
(an autobiographical introduction to the Cold War era of Czechoslovakia}

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From the Mixed-Up Inbox: Hi-Lo Recs

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