READING RESOURCES

• NEW: Find Books & Lexile Levels
• School District 159 & 162 students check for Accelerated Reader books and points here.        
  • Important!  Read the infomation below first!
  • Because School District #159 & #162 have selected the web based testing service for Accelerated Reader, students may now take any test that Accelerated Reader offers. 
    • Tests may ONLY be taken at school.
  • To see if there is an AR test for a book, as well as its reading level & point value, click on the link above and type the title in the search box.  (Always keep the orange "ALL" selected.)  
  • When you get your results, keep clicking on "next" until you find the title you want or you run out of titles.  If your book is NOT listed with a box in the red "RP" column, a test does NOT exist (but before you give up, try retyping the title or searching by author - see below - just in case).
  • You may search by author, but must change the box that says "title" to "author".Please note that this web page is actually intended for teachers & librarians who are purchasing AR tests for their school.  However, you can use it to find out if an AR test exists.
• Guysread.com author John Sciezka gives boys ideas for great books 
• Authors and Illustrators from the American Library Association
• International Children’s Digital Library books to read online, plus other interesting info
• Kidspace at the Internet Public Library
• Caldecott Award Winners best illustrated pictures books for children 
• Newbery Award Winners best fiction books for children and young adults
• Coretta Scott King Award Winners yearly awards to children’s books written and illustrated by African-Americans
• Magic School Bus Page
• Starfall.com A systematic phonics-based series of reading activities and games targeting first graders but could be used with Pre-K through 2nd grade.
• Literacy Center Education Network K-Gr 3

Elementary writing skills, numbers, shapes, colors, and beginning keyboarding come together in a wonderful selection of game-like practice tools.

• Myths and Fables from around the World The Afro-American Newspaper Co. K-Gr 5

Sixteen short stories with readable texts and colorful, pleasing graphics will have children clicking to learn how coyote stole fire and how monkey looked for trouble, among other pourquoi tales. The myths originate from Japan, India, Trinidad, Native American cultures, and a number of African nations.

• Planet Tolerance   Southern Poverty Law Center  K-Gr 5

Children will discover how assimilation and tolerance help create a multicultural society full of acceptance. They can read stories from various cultures, discover what our language would be like without the richness of foreign words, and create a personalized story where the main character makes a new friend.

• The BookHive

Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County  K-Gr 5

This buzzing niche delivers the literary goods with video clips of storytellers and their wonderful Zinger Tales, librarian-recommended book lists, kid-recommended selections, and even a DIY story section.

Just One More Book

A Web site that features podcasts devoted to children's books.  "Just One More Book" solicits feedback from all comers in its stated mission to build "a lively, interactive community" connecting children's book authors and illustrators with readers, both parents and children.  Podcasts are both charming and informed. Posted three times a week, they form the backbone of the site. Interviews with children's book creators are also available.  A highlight of the site is listener feedback.

AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS

• Dav Pilkey's Web Site O' Fun
• Jan Brett Enjoy lots of coloring and activity pages.

• Daniel Pinkwater  Pinkwater is a man with a penchant for stories larger than life. His Web site is devoted to all things Pinkwater, including a detailed biography, interviews, & a podcast. The P-Zone is as irreverent as his writing, and as much fun.