Picking the Right Book

On the first day of school we did a demonstration to help the students think about picking just the right book for them.  Three eager volunteers stepped up to try on 3 t-shirts.  One was way too big, one was way too small, and one was just right.  Books are the like that too.  We talked about how it may be uncomfortable to wear a shirt that is too big or too small, just like it may be not so fun to read a book that is too hard or too easy.  That being said, it's also true that there are times when reading an easy book feels fabulous and we can get a lot out of a book that may be too hard to read ourselves, but we enjoy the illustrations.  But, when the student's intention is to find a book they can read, I hope the t-shirt demo sticks with them when they make their choices!