th
Bands of Text Complexity

R, S, T Characteristics

Plots are issue or theme based, not just a character facing a problem

Several subplots or story lines that are connected to the main story line

Character traits are not explicitly stated

Characters are gray-good and bad-more than one way

Minor characters become important. Reader needs to pay attention to how the minor characters influence and teach the reader about the main character. Minor characters come and go for a reason.

Characters change based on other characters actions and reactions.

R, S, T (continued)

Setting plays an important role; can be considered a character-setting influences the characters

Reader needs to learn content

Tricky chunks, passages and chapters-sometimes require the reader to read on to figure it out

May be personification, humor, satire, exaggeration, or symbolism-including the title

Story line is not always linear-flashback and flash-forward


Have I heard of this problem/issue before? What do I know about it already? What am I learning about the issue the character is facing? What does that make me think about this issue?

Are you meeting any new characters as you read?

Tell me about their relationship with the main character. How does this character influence, impact, change the main character?

Why did the author include this character?

How would you describe this character’s personality? How else?
How do you know? Is he/she always this way?

More Questions-R,S,T

How would you describe this character’s personality? How else? How do you know? Is he/she always this way?

Tell me about the setting. How does it impact the character or them problem/issue he/she is facing?

Why is the setting important in this book?

Have you noticed any repeating objects or ideas?
What are they? What do they mean? Why are they there? (symbolism)

U,V,W Characteristics
-Readers may encounter CHUNKS or WHOLE
CHAPTERS that are CONFUSING. It’s okay-read on and try to PUZZLE THROUGH your confusion.
-Readers must pay careful attention to SETTING (Time and place) and how it contributes to the MOOD.
Setting can reflect how a character is feeling.
-Characters are MUCH MORE COMPLEX
-say one thing and mean another
-act different ways in different settings
-act out of sync with your expectations

U, V, W (continued)

More sophisticated FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE. Readers must pay attention to:
-titles and chapter titles
-metaphors
-idioms (i.e. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch)

U,V,W Continued

More than one plotline. They may not seem important at the time, but readers must hold onto them and think about how they
CONNECT as you read.

Structure Changes




Who is Narrating? Does it change?
Are there parallel stories that connect?
How is time passing?
Are ports of the story told in different ways
(journal entries, interviews)


Think about changing the phrasing from “Are you understanding what you read?” to “You’re reading a pretty sophisticated book…Has anything been confusing for you so far?”

“Tell me about the setting...Why did the author choose to describe the setting in this way? What mood does it create?”

Plot Map

How has your interpretation of the title changed throughout the book?
Do the chapter titles have any significance? What is it?


Why does the author choose to include ______? (journal entry, flashback, etc.)
Put the book down, jot some thoughts, come back to it later with a fresh outlook.

X, Y, Z Characteristics

Reader must notice and reflect on unusual story structures when present. Consider how the structure of the story goes with some o the big ideas the reader has and/or the character is having.

In fantasy and sci-fi especially and realistic fiction sometimes, reader must recognize characters that represent the struggle between good and evil as well as character archetypes.

Reader must use prior experiences, particularly prior reading experiences to think critically about themes in books.

X, Y, Z Continued

May contain archaic words or words with unusual or invented connotations.

Contains irony and satire and reader must recognize this and make sense of it.

Text addresses multiple themes that the reader must interpret.


What themes do you see in this text so far?

How are the themes evolving across the text?

How are the themes in this text like or unlike those in other books you have read?

How does the author develop this theme?

How does this compare to how ____ author of ____ book developed the same theme?

More Questions for X, Y, Z

When the author wrote ____ (irony, satire), what do you think he/she meant or was trying to show? Why did he/she write it this way?

How does the author structure this story? Why do you think he/she made this choice?

How does this structure go with the ideas you are having?
With those of the character?

Have you encountered any unusual words or phrases?
What do you think they mean? Why do you think the author chose to say it that way rather than another way?

Q & A
.