GUIDED READING LEVEL CHARACTERISTICS
AND SUGGESTED AUTHORS
LEVELS O – P – Q
Characteristics of text at these higher levels include: greater number of pages
(100+), lots of text per page and few if any pictures, smaller print and narrower
word spacing, wide variety of texts with complex language structures and
sophisticated vocabulary, highly detailed and descriptive and present abstract
concepts and themes, subtleties of these texts require more background
knowledge, greater variety and number of primary and secondary characters.
Many of the same authors write books for young adult readers at these higher
levels. There are fewer series books and many more individual titles by the same
author.
O
Joanna Hurwitz (Aldo Applesauce series and other stories)
Dean Hughes (Angel Park series)
Beverly Cleary (Henry, Beezus and Ramona series)
Betsy Byars (Blossom series)
Parker Hinter (Clue Jr. series)
Childhood of Famous Americans series
Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking series)
Jean Betancourt (Pony Pals series)
Ann Martin (Stacey series)
P
John Erickson (The Case of . . . series)
Roald Dahl stories
Gary Paulsen stories
Donald Sobel (Encyclopedia Brown series)
Joanna Cole (Magic Schoolbus series)
Jean Craighead George (One Day . . . series)
Louis Sachar (Wayside School series)
Jon Scieszka (Time Warp Trio series)
Q
American Girl series
Lois Lowry (Anastasia series)
Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew series)
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor stories
James Howe (Bunnicula series)
Jackie French Koller (Dragon series)
Laura Ingalls Wilder stories
Judy Blume (Fudge series)
Jean Van Leeuwen (Hannah –Pioneer Daughters series)
Todd Strasser (Help I’m Trapped . . . series)
Kay Moore, Ann McGovern, Ellen Levine (These 3 authors write a type of If You
Lived in the Time of . . .series)
Susan Shreve (Joshua T. Bates series)
James Herriot stories
Sandra Markle (Inside and Outside series)
Marvin Miller (You Be the . . . series)
Books Arranged by Guided Reading Level
These trade books are available at many public libraries as well as bookstores.
If you don’t know your student’s guided reading level, scan the titles until you find books
your student can read independently and try other books at the same level.
Guided Reading Level O
The Adventures of Ali Baba Bernstein by Johanna Hurwitz
Aldo series, Johanna Hurwitz
All about Sam by Lois Lowry
Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad by Marlene Brill
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? By Jean Fritz
Angel Park Soccer Stars series by Dean Hughes
Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros
The Arctic Ocean by Anne Ylvisaker
The Atlantic Ocean by Anne Ylvisaker
Aunt Clara Brown: Official Pioneer by Linda Lowery
Baseball Fever by Johanna Hurwitz
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
Baseball’s Best, Five True Stories by Andrew Gutelle
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Benjamin Banneker by Ginger Wadsworth
The Blind Pony by Jeanne Betancourt
The Blossoms Meet the Vulture Lady by Betsy Byars
Borreguita and the Coyote by Verna Aardema
The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude C. Warner
Bugs by Nancy Parker
Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George? by Jean Fritz
The Case of the Dirty Bird by Gary Paulsen
Charles Lindbergh by Lucile Davis
Chocolate Fever by Robert Smith
Class Clown by Johanna Hurwitz
Corn Is Maize by Aliki
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Cowpokes and Desperadoes by Gary Paulsen
Davy Crockett by Kathy Feeney
Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl
Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar
Dragon Bones by Paul Hindman
Earthworms by Kevin Holmes
Einstein Anderson, Science Detective series by Seymour Simon
Eleven Kids, One Summer by Ann M. Martin
Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Lucile Davis
Face-Off by Matt Christopher
The Finch’s Fabulous Furnace by Roger Drury
Flossie and the Fox by Patricia McKissack
Foolish Gretel by Jennifer Armstrong
The Fortune-tellers by Lloyd Alexander
Frederick Douglass by Margo McLoone
George Washington’s Socks by Elvira Woodruff
The Ghost Pony by Jeanne Betancourt
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
Good Grief Third Grade by Colleen McKenna
Gorgonzola Zombies in the Park by Elizabeth Levy
The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz
Gymnastics by Christin Ditchfield
Happily Ever After by Anna Quindlen
The Haunting of Grade Three by Grace Maccarone
Henry Huggins series by Beverly Cleary
Her Seven Brothers by Paul Goble
Herbie Jones series by Suzy Kline
Here Comes McBroom by Sid Fleischman
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Jason and the Aliens Down the Street by Greg Greer
The Key to the Playhouse by Carol York
The King’s Equal by Katherine Paterson
Lake Huron by Anne Ylvisaker
Lake Michigan by Anne Ylvisaker
Lavender by Karen Hesse
The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie DePaola
Like Jake and Me by Mavis Jukes
Lions by Kevin J. Holms
Lucretia Mott by Lucile Davis
Ma and Pa Dracula by Ann Martin
Make a Wish, Molly by Barbara Cohen
Malcolm X by Lucile Davis
Martial Arts by Bob Knotts
Mary McLeod Bethune by Margo McLoone
Maxie, Rosie and Earl – Partners in Grime by Barbara Park
McBroom’s Wonderful One-Acre Farm by Sid Fleischman
Mieko and the Fifth Treasure by Eleanor Coerr
Moons by Gregory Vogt
Moonwalk – the First Trip to the Moon by Judy Donnelly
The Most Beautiful Place in the World by Ann Cameron
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
A Mouse Called Wolf by Dick King-Smith
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald
Much Ado about Aldo by Johanna Hurwitz
Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
Mystery on October Road by Alison Herzig
The Night Crossing by Karen Ackerman
No One Is Going to Nashville by Mavis Jukes
The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Pacific Ocean by Anne Ylvisaker
Patrick Doyle is Full of Blarney by Jennifer Armstrong
Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lindgren
Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
Ramona series by Beverly Cleary
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Socks by Beverly Cleary
Sojourner Truth by Margo McLoone
Spider Kane and the Mystery Under the May Apple by Mary P. Osborne
Stay away from Simon! by Carol Carrick
The Story of Benjamin Franklin by Margaret Davidson
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
Susan B. Anthony by Lucile Davis
The Swamp of the Hideous Zombies by Geoffrey Hayes
Talk about a Family by Eloise Greenfield
Ten True Animal Rescues by Jeanne Betancourt
They Led the Way: 14 American Women by Joanna Johnston
Tornado by Betsy Byars
Track and Field by Bob Knotts
Tyrannosaurus Rex by Daniel Cohen
The Vicar of Nibbleswick by Roald Dahl
Virtual Fred by Vincent Courtney
Wall of Names: The Story of the Viet Vets Memorial by Judy Donnelly
Walt Disney by June Preszler
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? by Jean Fritz
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
Wingman by Daniel Pinkwater
Wrestling by Christin Ditchfield
Guided Reading Level P
Against the Odds by Joe Layden
All About Sam by Lois Lowry
Amazing but True Sports Stories by Phyllis Hollander
Attaboy Sam by Lois Lowry
Baby Island by Carol R. Brink
A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Book of Black Heroes from A to Z by Wade Hudson
The Bicycle Man by Allen Say
Bunnicula by James Howe
The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown by Betsy Byars
The Canada Geese Quilt by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
Circle of Gold by Candy Boyd
The Daring Rescue of Marlon the Swimming Pig by Susan Saunders
The Dragon series by Jackie Koller
Eddie and the Fire Engine by Carolyn Haywood
Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary
Emily’s Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary
Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald Sobol
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Felicia the Critic by Ellen Conford
Felita by Nicholasa Mohr
Finding the Titanic by Robert Ballard
Five Brave Explorers by Wade Hudson
Five Notable Inventors by Wade Hudson
The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key
George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz
George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
Gerbilitis by Stephanie Spinner
The Ghost Fox by Laurence Yep
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl
A Girl Called Al by Constance Greene
A Head Full of Notions: A Story about Robert Fulton by Andy Bowen
Helen Keller by Stewart Graff
Hot Fudge Hero by Pat Brisson
Howliday Inn by James Howe
The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon B. Mathis
Hurricanes: Wild Weather by Lorri Hopping
If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln by Ann McGovern
If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War by Kay Moore
If You Lived With the Sioux Indians by Ann McGovern
If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island by Ellen Levine
The Indian School by Gloria Whelan
It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang by Mordecai Richler
Jazz, Pizzazz, and the Silver Threads by Mary Quattlebaum
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Walter and Mildred Pitts
Koi’s Python by Miriam Moore and Penny Taylor
Koya Delaney and the Good Girl Blues by Eloise Greenfield
Last Chance for Magic by Ruth Chew
Last Look by Clyde Bulla
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Bulla
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland
The Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole
The Magic Squad and the Dog of Great Potential by Mary Quattlebaum
Martin’s Mice by Dick King-Smith
The Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds
The Minpins by Roald Dahl
Mixed-Up Max by Dick King-Smith
A Nose for Trouble by Nancy Wilson
Odds on Oliver by Constance Greene
Oh, Brother by Johnnice Wilson
One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest by Jean C. George
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
The Private Notebook of Katie Roberts, Age 11 by Amy Hest
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
The School Mouse by Dick King-Smith
Shoebag by Mary James
The Skates of Uncle Richard by Carol Fenner
The Spray-Paint Mystery by Angela Medearis
Stone Fox by John R. Gardiner
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell by Margaret Davidson
The Story of Harriet Tubman by Kate McMullen
The Tales of Olga da Polga by Michael Bond
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
A Taste of Blackberries by Doris B. Smith
Time Warp Trio series by Jon Scieszka
Tornadoes! by Lorraine Hopping
Tut’s Mummy: Lost and Found by Judy Donnelly
Twisters and Other Terrible Storms by Will and Mary P. Osborne
The Twits by Roald Dahl
The Wall by Eve Bunting
Wayside School Is Falling Down by Louis Sachar
Who Stole The Wizard of Oz? by Avi
Wild and Woolly Mammoths by Aliki
Witch’s Cat by Ruth Chew
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear by Lensey Namioka
Guided Reading Level Q
Addy series (American Girls) by Connie Porter
The Airplane by Julie Sinclair
The Alamo by Tom McGowen
Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville
All about Deer by Jim Arnosky
All about Owls by Jim Arnosky
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Amazing but True Sports Stories by Phyllis Hollander
Anastasia Krupnik series by Lois Lowry
And Still the Turtle Watched by Sheila MacGill-Callahan
Animal Ark series by Ben Baglio
Antarctica by David Peterson
Australia by David Peterson
The Automobile by Julie Sinclair
Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
Beetles Lightly Toasted by Phyllis R. Naylor
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Lovelace
The Bicycle by Larry Hills
The Big Wave by Pearl Buck
Black Diamond: the Story of the Negro Baseball Leagues by Patricia McKissack
Black-Eyed Susan by Jennifer Armstrong
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura I. Wilder
Canada by Elaine Landau
The Cat who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth
Centerburg Tales by Robert McCloskey
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Class Trip to the Cave of Doom by Kate McMullan
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Erosion by Becky Olien
Farmer Boy by Laura I. Wilder
Felicity series (American Girls) by Valerie Tripp
Florence Nightingale by Lucile Davis
Fourth Grade Wizards by Barthe DeClements
Franklin D. Roosevelt by Steve Potts
Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume
George Washington by T.M. Suel
The Ghost on Saturday Night by Sid Fleischman
Grandpa’s Face by Eloise Greenfield
Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson
Hannah of Fairfield by Jean Van Leeuwen
Harry’s Mad by Dick King-Smith
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
India by Elaine Landau
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Jim Ugly by Sid Fleischman
John Adams by Muriel Dubois
Josefina series (American Girls) by Valerie Tripp
Junebug by Alice Mead
Just Juice by Karen Hesse
Kirsten series (American Girls) by Janet Shaw
Langston Hughes by B. A. Hoena
The Lemonade Trick by Scott Corbett
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura I. Wilder
Little House on the Prairie by Laura I. Wilder
The Long Winter by Laura I. Wilder
The Lost Flower Children by Janet T. Lisle
Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories by Rosemary Wells
Medieval Feast by Aliki
Mixed-up Max by Dick King-Smith
Molly series (American Girls) by Valerie Tripp
Mostly Michael by Robert K. Smith
The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires
Native American Stories by Joseph Bruchac
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura I. Wilder
On the Banks of the Bayou by Roger MacBride
Onion Tears by Diana Kidd
Outside and Inside Bats by Sandra Markle
Outside and Inside Kangaroos by Sandra Markle
Outside and Inside Sharks by Sandra Markle
Outside and Inside Snakes by Sandra Markle
The Pennsylvania Colony by Martin Hintz
Peru by Elaine Landau
Peter Tchaikovsky by Mike Venezia
Picasso by Mike Venezia
Prairie Songs by Pam Conrad
A Rain Forest Tree by Lorien Kite
The Roar of the Crowd by Bill Wallace
Sacagawea by Barbara Wittman
Sierra by Diane Siebert
The Solar System by Gregory Vogt
Soup by Robert Peck
Superfudge by Judy Blume
The Supreme Court by Patricia Quiri
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Technical Foul by Bill Wallace
The Telephone by Marc Nobleman
There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar
There’s an Owl in the Shower by Jean C. George
The Toilet Paper Tigers by Gordon Korman
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Whose Side Are You on? by Emily Moore
You Be the Jury by Marvin Miller