How to find that “just right” book?
Your teacher can help but a good rule of thumb is to count unknown words on a random page. If there are 5 or fewer words you don’t know, it’s a “just right” book! If there are more than 5 unknown words, it’s a “not right now” book.
Looking for a book to read in the language you’re learning?
- Try a graphic novel!
- Read a book you’ve already read in your dominant language.
- Look for a book a few years below your grade level.
- Read informative or nonfiction articles or books
- Read about a favorite hobby, but in the language you are learning
Book Recommendations Lists:
- Try out some of these books recommended by Mistral Students in 2021.
- Or these booklists from the Mountain View Library, including this new list of recommended Spanish-language books.
Where to find books in person:
- The Mountain View Library: Anyone (even kids) can get a library card, check out books, and use library services! Apply for a library card here or by visiting in person. Need to speak to someone in Spanish? Ask at the front desk and someone will be able to assist you. Spanish books for kids can be found in the Children’s section under “World Languages.” Search the library catalogue and select Spanish as a Language or pick Children’s Languages for Shelf Type.
- The Mountain View Public Library Bookmobile visits campus during the school year. Check out the bookmobile calendar.
- The Mistral School Library: Each classroom at Mistral visits the library weekly. Students spend 30 – 45 minutes in the library, listening to the librarian read stories and choosing the books they will be checking out for the week. Older grades are able to take their books home with them. The School library has an extensive bilingual section.
Where to find books online:
- Learning A to Z on Chromebooks: Learning A-Z delivers a leveled reading library for your child. It is available on your child’s school Chromebook. You can ask your child’s teacher to adjust the reading level if you think it is too easy or difficult. Books are available in Spanish and English.
- Britannica School and Britannica Escolar on Chromebooks: a safe, up-to-date and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle and High School available for free on the internet or through your student’s Chromebook.
- Mountain View Public Library: The MV library offers access to e-books and other digital resources through Libby (Overdrive), Hoopla, and other services. Visit this site for more information: https://library.mountainview.gov/borrow/ebooks-eaudiobooks
- Epic! (http://getepic.com) is a kids subscription-based reading and learning platform available both on mobile and desktop devices. It offers access to books and videos (can be disabled) for children ages 12 and under. The main advantages of this application in comparison to competitors is two fold. First there is a wide selection of books that kids can easily explore to pick a book, and second some books have a “read to me” feature that both reads and pages through the book, making the experience more enjoyable especially for younger readers. As your teacher if they have a log-in code you can use.