Leveled Books from Usborne Publishing
"Top teaching resource to support the curriculum"
Child Education
Plus, March 2009
Lexile Measures
The Lexile system is the most widely-used measure of readability around the world.
Uniquely, the Lexile system measures both a reader’s ability and the readability of a
book or other text, so that readers can easily find books they enjoy at a level they can
achieve. If your child's school utilizes Lexile Measures to match children with
reading material that meets and challenges their unique abilities, you can download a list
of Usborne titles with Lexile Measures.
First Reading series
Beginners series
Young Reading series
True Stories & Classics
Accelerated Reader
Many of our books are also leveled by Renaissance Learning for the Accelerated Reader
program - the world's most popular reading management software. Contact me for the most up-to-date listing of
our AR titles.
Usborne Reading Program: Seven levels
(Click on a cover to see all the titles available in the series.)
The books are graded in seven levels and from one level to the next, there is a gradual
but clear progression in terms of subject, style, narrative length, sentence structure and
vocabulary, giving children the satisfaction of mastering real books and making measurable
progress.
Download the Reading
Program Framework Chart.
Superb quality books
Each beautifully designed hardback book has a ribbon marker and combines vivid,
engaging writing with captivating full-color illustration on every page, featuring the
work of artists from around the world and superb contemporary or archive photography.
Supported by experts
The program has been developed in consultation with Alison Kelly, a leading expert in
the teaching of reading, who helped to draw up the seven-level framework. Non-fiction
titles also draw on the expertise of relevant specialists.
Video interview with reading consultant Alison Kelly.
Audio CDs
Young Reading audio CDs contain two readings: a dramatic listen-along version with
music, sound effects and superbly characterized readings, and a read-along version, with a
page-turn indicator, for the child to listen to while following the story in the book.
Hear audio clip of
the "listen-along" version of Stories
of Pirates.
Internet links
A number of titles have recommended websites packed with historical details, dramatic
reconstructions and puzzles and games. There are links to the recommended sites on the Usborne Quicklinks Website.
FAQ
"My child is in the first grade. What is the appropriate
reading level for her?"
It's not unusual for a classroom of twenty first graders to be reading at
a range of five or six levels, so it's very difficult to assign a grade level to books.
In general, a typical first grader would begin the school year able to read our
First Reading Level One and Two, with progression to Level Three and Four by the end of
first grade.
"What should I look for when selecting books for my child?"
Your child will have the most positive reading experience if you help him
select books that he enjoys and finds interesting; that he can read with with confidence
and competence; that will increase his content knowledge and the range of genres he
enjoys; and that will help him understand himself and the world.
For Children, For Parents, For Schools
