The Five Finger Rule...

I follow Emily Rosenbaum via her blog Wheels on the Bus. She tells it like it is and then throws in some great insight as to why and how you might be feeling the way you are in a situation. Love it.
Once again I read something that on the surface seems okay but then totally makes sense as to why I hate it.

Emily writes about a Five Finger Rule to identifying if a book is too easy, just right or too hard for you or your child to read. Pick a random page and read it to the bottom. Every time you come across a word that you do not understand or can figure out in context raise a finger (try not to raise the middle one please). If there are five fingers up at the end then the book is too hard. If none too easy.
Think about it. Pick up the book closest to you and see what you think. The book closest to me is a business book (boring I know) about The Influentials. I know all the words, I know all the context, so the book must be too easy, but if it is so easy why on earth can't I finish it. Because it's boring and not very new in thought and idea.
My Dilemma:
As a child I was continually encouraged to read at home being the youngest of three I read what was on the shelves and in the bookbags, parents bookshelves, siblings rooms etc. I read any and everything and I read far too much Lois Lenski, Judy Bloom, and Agatha Christie. I loved reading it was my world.

As a child and young adult I was continually encouraged to read but was completely and utterly limited continually about the subject matter of what I read at school. I remember hiding books (the idea!) from teachers because I would be in trouble for reading them. I am not talking about Flowers in the Attic or Forever. I'm talking about Hitler Stole Pink Bunny, The Last Empire, Blue Valentine, Zoo Boy. These were touching on things I couldn't possible experience or understand immediately but they exposed me. They made me want to know more. Most stuck with me later in life and to be honest there isn't a book I won't try.

As Wylie gets into elementary and middle school I want him to read. I want to encourage him to explore with his mind and take that learning and exploration with him through life as he learns and goes new places. I also want to be supportive in his school. Tough because as a child I read what I wanted and pretty much ignored what my teachers said were too hard.

So what do you think?


So what do you think? How do you rate a book