Can’t find good books at the right reading level for your kids?
Look no further. Colorado Commissioner of Education Robert Hammond and the Colorado State Library are urging educators and families to help students retain and develop academic skills by reading and using the free online “Find a Book, Colorado” search tool (http://www.lexile.com/fab/colorado).
The online tool gives parents and children a way to quickly and easily search books that match a child’s reading level and interests as well as to locate the local library carrying each title.
“Developing early literacy skills is a priority in Colorado. We must work together to encourage children to read throughout the summer,” said Commissioner Hammond. “Summer reading is a key to building knowledge and to preventing students from losing hard-earned progress gained during the school year.”
Users of the search tool can also find appropriate books with a Lexile measure or without through a search using the child’s grade level and comfort with the typical reading materials at that grade level. A Lexile measure indicates the reading level of an individual or book. The search utility will produce a starting Lexile range that can be further refined. “Find a Book” also offers a Spanish option that allows users to search all of the titles with Spanish Lexile measures.
Librarians, who have long promoted summer reading, are also encouraged to use “Find a Book, Colorado.” Library staff can assist parents and students with the “Find a Book” utility to help them find appropriate books that children will really enjoy reading over the summer.
“Many of our Colorado libraries have outstanding summer reading programs, and the `Find a Book’ search tool complements those efforts by locating books that children might be interested in reading and directing them to local libraries that carry those titles,” said Eugene Hainer, executive director of the State Library.
For more information on “Find a Book, Colorado” and other summer reading programs, visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/index.html.
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