Reading material that's easy

Children coming to the Pierce Library looking for books often tell me they need to get a book that's hard to read. "This looks too easy," is a common comment. Or from a first or second grader, "I only read chapter books." Parents, too, often tell teachers they want the books their children choose to be "challenging." It is natural for parents to want to push their children onto the next level up. However, current research from reading guru Richard Allingham informs us of what we now know about proficient readers. They have all read tons of stuff that's easy for them. Reading books below one's reading level builds fluency and confidence. Reading books on one's own, for a child, should be like eating popcorn. Even as adults, not many of us are toting War and Peace to the beach. So if your above average reading child comes home with a book that seems way too easy, encourage him/her to enjoy it.