Resource Room Home > Older Learners > Hi-Low Resources updated 9/05

Hi-Low Reading

 

Where can you find books that will hold the interest of older readers who are still learning to read? What follows are lists of books which librarians & publishers have gathered 'for reluctant readers,' and sites with books specifically written with "hi-low" readers in mind.

Keep in mind that a book for the "reluctant reader" audience may be aimed at a student who is reluctant to read standard topics, but has good reading skills. Also keep in mind that your readers' skills may not be as good as you think they are - take a listen to their reading before you hand them books and say "enjoy!" The only thing worse than having a book that's too hard to read is having an "easy" book that's too hard to read handed to you.

• Literacy Library for adults -- Easy and excellent literature for new readers. Inspiration, romance, legends, or archaeology -- there will be something of interest here for new readers.

• "High Interest Low Vocabulary Books " This is a list of books *about* high/low books, including many with lists. It might be right down the street or the hall in the library!

• Globe Fearon Educational materials with easier reading levels in content areas and fiction.

• High Interest Publishing Canada-based fiction with U.S. links; 3-4th grade reading level, for ages 10-16.

• High Noon Books
  High-interest, low reading level novels. Sample chapters of books are on the site.

• Start-to-Finish books by Don Johnston -- come in three formats, computer (with highlighted text and speech option), paperback, and audiocassette. For ages 9-17; written at 2nd-3rd grade reading level.

• Capstone Press - nonfiction very high-interest easy-to-read books; current topics and content area.

• F.A.S.T. Learning - K-8 Reading Resources for Struggling Readers

• Jamestown Publishers -- books and supplemental reading materials. Their print catalog has much more information than their site (and easier to find), including adapted classics, and is worth asking for. Some of my favorite materials have come from these folks.

• "Kids In Between" These hi-low books are 5x7, have either 48 or 64 pages and have single plot themes." Worth visiting the page for the cute cartoons about teachers' budgets.

• "Mari, Inc. " High-interest nonfiction; there are also other remedial reading resources at this site.

• Orca Soundings - Canadian publisher with readable stories for teens and adults.

• Oxford University Press - Materials for 'English Language Teaching' for older learners. (UK and Ireland)

• Peoples Publishing Group - Includes "Barrio Ghosts" and "Tales with a Twist"

• Perfection Learning Corporation -- programs for reluctant readers. Many choices at lower levels in their catalog.

• ProLiteracy.org:: New Readers Press Books for adults learning to read through Laubach Literacy and Literacy Volunteers.

• Remedia Publishing high-interest reading including life skills, fiction and nonfiction.

• Saddleback Educational, In. - full range of high-interest materials from adapted classics to adult ed, content areas, and videos that go along with written materials.

• Steck-Vaugh Adapted Classics
  Books such as Call of the Wild, rewritten to a 4-6th grade reading level.

• Wieser-ed"an extensive line of high-interest instructional materials specifically designed for their appeal to remedial and special needs students in grades 5 through adult."

• Random House Their contribution -- a list of fiction titles that are likely to appeal to reluctant readers. The reading levels of these books are not necessarily accessible to many struggling readers, though.