advertisement: aimed at adults
Illustrated books are often labeled as commercials or “adult directed” because they are typically read to a child, rather than read independently by a child. imagine a parent reading a book to a child on the couch, or a teacher reading a book aloud to the class. Although these books appear easy to read, some picture books can still present a challenging independent reading experience for an age-appropriate reader due to the difficulty of the text, book layout, or layout.
Take the example of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (HarperCollins Publishers), a beloved read-aloud book for preschoolers. however, it has a lexical text size of 740l, which is around the average reading ability for a child completing fourth grade. when you look closely at the text, you can see why it gets a “higher” lexile text measure than the intended audience. the sentences are long and contain fairly high-level vocabulary, such as “mischief”, “private”, “creaking”, and “fuss”. the parent or educator would help the preschooler to pronounce these words and unscramble these long sentences. therefore, the book is coded ad (directed by adults) and the measure is ad740l.
Also, picture books can have design elements that can make reading visually difficult for a child. Factors such as font size, typeface, page layout, readability, and the relationship between images and text can have a significant impact on reading comprehension. the story and illustrations of where the wild things are are perfect for young children. but the lines of the text are close together and the sentences are spread over several pages, often in long horizontal lines. these design elements can challenge a child’s ability to read the book independently, even if the difficulty of the text matches. initially, a more advanced reader may need to read the book with a child.
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See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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nc: not compliant
Sometimes gifted readers have trouble finding books that challenge their reading skills but still have age-appropriate content. the nc code helps identify these books, which have received a higher lexile text measure but are appropriate for a younger audience.
for example, seymour simon’s amazing plane (starfish books) has the code nc900l. his spine says “grades 1-3”, but his lexile measurement is higher than the typical ability range of an early elementary school student. This book may be difficult for most students in grades 1-3 to read, but engaging and challenging for students with above-average reading skills. therefore, the book is coded nc (non-compliant) and would be appropriate for a student in grades 1-3 with a lexile reading measure of 900l or close.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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hl: high-low
a text designated as “hl” has a lexile measure much lower than the average reading ability of the intended age range of its readers. Young adult books with disproportionately low lexile measurements are sometimes referred to by librarians and booksellers as “high-low” books, meaning “high interest” plus “low readability.” these books receive an hl code. HL fiction books are often helpful when pairing older readers (seventh grade and up) who are struggling or reluctant to read with text at both an appropriate difficulty level and a developmentally appropriate level.
despite their short sentences and basic vocabulary, hl books are designed to appeal to readers at a more mature level of development. for example, sticks and stones (orca soundings) by beth goobie is classified as a young adult book and measures 430 l, the average second-grade lexil reader size. the characters in the book are high school students struggling with the many challenges high school students face, such as dating and gossip. therefore, the book has the code hl430l.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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ig: illustrated guide
The ig code applies to books that consist of separate pieces or sections of text, such as in an encyclopedia or glossary. these pieces of text can be moved around without affecting the overall linear flow of the book. Nonfiction IG books are often used as a reference resource rather than read in their entirety like a storybook. its distinctive text features include:
- technical vocabulary, definitions and pronunciation guides in parentheses or contrast type
- integration of illustrations and diagrams in the text
- citations, factoids and other categorical marginals
- the presentation of each discrete topic in one or two pages
These text features do not necessarily affect reading comprehension or developmental appropriateness. instead, the ig code conveys an idea of the type of book and what it will typically be used for in the classroom or library
birds of prey by dr. Gerald Legg (Franklin Watts Library) is coded IG. separate paragraphs are arranged on the page, functioning more like multi-sentence subheadings. a particular reading order is not indicated by the design nor is it important to understanding. therefore, the size of the book is ig980l.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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gn: graphic novel
the code gn indicates that the book is a graphic novel or a comic. The text in the GN books appears primarily in speech or thought bubbles embedded in comic-style illustrations. graphic novels tend to contain a higher percentage of dialogue than most other book genres. they also often lack some of the text conventions required for dialogue, such as putting “she said” after a quoted sentence, because illustrations are used to indicate spoken text. the impact of picture support on reading comprehension is not captured in the lexical measure of a graphic novel. to dance: a ballerina’s graphic novel (aladdin), written by siena cherson siegel and illustrated by mark siegel, is encoded as gn610l.
See also this edutopia article on the educational value of using graphic novels and comics in the classroom.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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br: beginning reader
See Also: 10 Thought-Provoking Books Like The Giver – Capitalize My Title
initial reader (br) is a code given to readers and text that are below 0l on the lexical scale. in some cases, for readers, a br code is followed by a number and an l (eg, br150l). a reader lexile measurement of br150l indicates that the reader lexile measurement is 150 units below 0l. the lower the number following the br code, the more advanced the reader or text. the higher the number, the less complex the text or the less skilled the reader.
Note that the initial reader (br) is the only lexical code that applies to both readers and text. all other codes apply only to text. learn more about the novice reader code and recent enhancements to more accurately match novice reader to text.
goodnight gorilla by peggy rathmann (random house) is a br book with a lexile measure of br50l.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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np: no prose
some books do not receive lexile text codes because they are not prose. these books may feature poems, plays, songs, recipes, and text with non-standard or missing punctuation. the np code is for any book comprising more than 50% non-standard or non-conforming prose. np books don’t receive a lexical measure, just the np code.
An example of a np coded book is Alligators Everywhere (Harpertrophy) by Maurice Sendak. the text of the book is not in complete sentences and is completely devoid of punctuation. currently no lexical measure can be assigned to the difficulty of the text of that book.
See Also: Dr. Steven R Gundry – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
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Have more questions about finding the right book for your child?
Visit the lexile® find a book tool or our lexile support center.
See Also: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books : NPR