How to Choose Your Book Box
- Choose book box 1 if your band colour includes or is between lilac and turquoise
- Choose book box 2 if your band colour includes or is between purple and black
Lilac
Wordless, alphabet, beginning phonics and sing-along books designed to encourage and develop speaking and listening skills through creating and telling stories as well as encourage pre-reading skills.
Pink
Designed for those starting to read as it is the first level with words. Children are learning the basics of how a book works as well as beginning to recognise and name familiar letters and words. Usually less than 10 pages long with up to 5 words per page.
Red
Children are reading with a little more confidence. There is an increase in the number of pages (8-12) and words (usually a sentence on each page) with illustrations on every page to support the text.
Yellow
Books at this level have more complex stories that require greater attention to understand. Sentence structures are more varied and children are beginning to take note of and use punctuation. Around 15 pages long with 1-2 sentences and illustrations on each page.
Blue
As the children grow more confident when reading, the storylines, sentence structures and punctuation becomes more varied and complex. Number of words, length of and amount of sentences increase on each page (2-3 sentences) but the books remain around 15 pages long.
Green
Children read fluently with attention to punctuation. Books increase in length (about 20 pages long) as do the amount of sentences per page (3-4 sentences). Stories have a wider range of characters and events.
Orange
At Orange level, there is a greater number of pages to challenge the reader as well as encourage reading stamina. Children are developing into more confident readers. Books tend to be about 20 pages long with 4-5 sentences on each page.
Turquoise
Children are able to read extended stories with longer and more unusual words. They take account of a range of punctuation and read with increased fluency and accuracy. Usually about 20 pages long with 4-5 sentences per page.
Purple
Children are beginning to read with more independence and the books are getting longer. Books, at this level, may have short chapters to challenge and encourage reading stamina. Story features are developed {e.g. plot, character and setting). Books are roughly 25 pages long with 5-10 sentences per page.
Gold
Children are reading longer books with fewer illustrations, often silently or quietly with good pace and fluency. Longer chapters for sustained reading with around 25 pages and 5-10 sentences per page.
White
Children are reading longer books with fewer illustrations, silently most of the time. Texts are longer (usually 30 pages) and children may prefer to read one section or chapter at a time. Punctuation is more varied to encourage intonation and each page has approximately 10 sentences.
Lime
Longer chapters for sustained, silent reading with few illustrations. There is an increased variation in sentence structure with more sophisticated word play and puns. Usually more than 30 pages long.
Brown
Most books are subdivided into sections or chapters for sustained reading. Children will most probably prefer to read silently and are interested in longer texts from which they can take a break and return. They are able to interpret more sophisticated word plays and puns.
Grey
Books are divided in sections of chapters for sustained, silent reading. Children are able to explain a character’s motives as well as discuss the character’s or narrator’s point of view. Books continue to become longer, text size decreases as does the number of illustrations.
Dark Blue
Children reading at this level will be required to gather information from more than one place in the text. Books are written in a much more subtle way requiring the reader to fully engage in the reading process.
Burgundy
Children reading at this level will be expected to synthesise information from different places in the text. They are able to tackle challenging texts rapidly, accurately and with confidence.
Black
Children reading at this level will be expected to synthesise information from different places in the text. They are able to use texts to support reading purpose as well as using inference and deduction with confidence.