Levels in the library

Leveled reading, in which students select “just right” books based on their assessed reading level, has become a significant part of elementary reading instruction. However, libraries remain places where students can select books to read outside their reading levels. Based on observations of 1st-grade students, the author describes how the idea of reading levels has affected students’ perceptions of themselves as readers and what they should be reading. She argues for the preservation of spaces, like libraries, where students choose what, when, and how they read, without regard for reading levels.