What are Guided
Reading Levels?
Guided Reading is a highly eective form of small-
group instruction. Based on assessment, the teacher
brings together a group of readers who are similar in
their reading development. The teacher supports the
reading in a way that enables students to read a more
challenging text with eective processing. Guided
Reading Levels reect a continuum of levels from
A–Z (grades K–8). Teachers continuously progress
monitor students to see how they’re moving along
the reading continuum.
What are characteristics of
Level W,X,Y, and Z Readers?
At levels W,X,Y, and Z readers have developed
knowledge of content, including scientic information
and historical events and apply prior understandings in a
critical way when reading ction and nonction texts.
What are characteristics of
W,X,Y, and Z texts?
Although many texts are long and have complex
sentences, they vary greatly because readers are
expected to understand and respond to mature themes
such as sexuality, abuse, poverty, and war. Complex
fantasy, myths, and legends oer added challenge and
require readers to identify classical motifs such as “the
quest” and to identify moral issues. Biographies oer a
range of individuals who may not be previously known
to readers and may not be admirable, requiring critical
thinking on the part of readers. In addition, readers
will encounter abstract special forms of literature, such
as satire and irony. Additional challenges may include
parody, allegory, or monologue. Themes and characters
are multi-dimensional, may be
understood on many levels,
and are developed
in complex ways.
Level W
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
by Russell Freedman
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
The Lost Colony of Roanoke by Jean Fritz
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
Mister Monday by Garth Nix
Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen
Level X
Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman
The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John
Over Sea, under Stone by Susan Cooper
The Matchless Six by Ron Hutchkiss
Oceans by Johnna Rizzo
How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell
Cool Stuff 2.0 and how it works by Chris Woodford
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Levels Y and Z
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Tracking Tyrannosaurs by Christopher Sloan
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Ultimate Guide to Baseball by James Buckley
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Parents Guide to Guided Reading — Levels W,X,Y, and Z
Parental Caution!
Books at the upper guided reading levels address
sophisticated and often mature themes. Even
though some accelerated readers are able to read
these levels in the early grades, the content
of these books may not be appropriate for
very young children.
Always preview the books your child is reading
and monitor the storyline. Our goal is not to race
readers through the levels, but rather to allow
advanced readers to dig more deeply into each
level along the way so the books they are reading
parallel their social-emotional development.
Talk About
It!
Young readers
must spend time interacting
with texts that are
“Just Right” for them.
Books Kids
Love
• Whatconnectionscanyoumakebetweensocial
or moral issues of today and those presented in
the text?
• Evaluatetheauthor’scharacterandplot
development. (i.e. believability, depth
• Whatnewinformationhasbeenaddedtowhat
you already knew about the topic?
• Afterreading,hasthenewinformationchanged
your thinking about the topic?
• Whatdescriptivelanguagedidtheauthoruseto
add to the enjoyment of the text?
• Whatdoyouthinkisthemostimportantpartof
the story? Why?
Inside Left (3 11/16)
Inside Middle (3 11/16)
Inside Right (3 10/16)
Parents Guide
to Guided
Reading Levels
W,X,Y, and Z
Strategies to Help
Develop Reading Skills
at Home
Encourage your child to:
Notice and interpret satire
and irony and how it adds to the
understanding of the text.
Recognize a full range of literary
devices (for example, ashback,
stories within stories, symbolism, and
gurative language).
Use reader’s tools such as
indexes, and embedded denitions
to understand content-specic and
technical words.
Recognize unusual text
organizations (ashback, ash
forward, time lapses).
Select a variety of texts in
dierent layouts and formats such
as plays, memoirs, graphic novels,
newspaper articles, manuals, etc.
A book is the most effective
weapon against intolerance
and ignorance.”
– Lyndon Baines Johnson
“Today a reader,
tomorrow a leader”
– Margaret Fuller
Adapted from
Martin County School District
“Parents are a child’s rst and
most important teacher.”
– Ran and Ramey
AACPS • Department of Instruction • Elementary Reading Oce • 2798/98j DPS/JH (New 1/16)
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Department of Instruction
Elementary Reading Ofce
Back (3 11/16)
Cover (3 11/16)
Back Left (3 10/16)
