1. CHARACTERISTICS AT EACH
LEVEL

2. Guided Reading Levels K-6
6 T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
5 Q-R-S-T-U-V-W
4 M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T
3 J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q
2 E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N
1 A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I
K A-B-C-D

3. Levels A/B
Plot and Setting
 Familiar settings close to reader’s experience
 Stories implied by pictures
Character
 Mostly nameless “flat” characters
Language and Theme
 Repeating language patterns
 Familiar themes and ideas

4. Levels C/D
Plot and Setting
 Familiar settings close to reader’s experience
Character
 Amusing one-dimensional characters
Language and Theme
 Repeating language patterns
 Very familiar themes and ideas
 Simple dialogue assigned by said in most
texts

5. Levels E/F/G
Plot and Setting
 Many light, humorous stories, typical of
childhood experiences
Character
 Amusing or engaging one-dimensional
characters
Language and Theme
 Simple sequence of events
 Simple and split dialogue, speaker assigned

6. Levels H/I/J
Plot and Setting
 More episodes and less repetition
 Narrative texts organized in predictable ways
Character
 Amusing or engaging one-dimensional
characters
Language and Theme
 Greater variety in themes, going beyond
everyday events
 Full variety in presentation of dialogue

7. Levels K/L/M
Plot and Setting
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Overall Book structure is either stories across chapters,
undefined scenes within the book, or episodic chapters
Series books are common
Problem/solution plotline is common
Settings usually familiar to reader
Settings change chapter to chapter, but not usually
within a chapter
Dialogue may be unassigned. Often untagged dialogue
is a continuation of the dialogue that came before it, with
a dialogue tag in between

8. Levels K/L/M
Character
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Traits, thoughts, and feelings of the main
characters are usually stated in the text or
illustrated in the pictures
Characters rarely change, though they may
show another side of themselves or change
their feelings about something by the end of the
story
Main characters usually learn a clear lesson
Secondary characters move plot but don’t have
a major effect on main character.

9. Levels K/L/M
Vocabulary & Figurative Language
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
Some unfamiliar vocabulary and phrases that
are usually essential to the understanding
Unfamiliar vocabulary and phrases can be
figured out with support of pictures
Themes & Ideas
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
Easily accessible to readers
Sometimes explicitly stated or easy to infer
from the problem and solution to the story

10. Levels K/L/M
Plot and Setting
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

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Overall Book structure is either stories across chapters,
undefined scenes within the book, or episodic chapters
Series books are common
Problem/solution plotline is common
Settings usually familiar to reader
Settings change chapter to chapter, but not usually
within a chapter
Dialogue may be unassigned. Often untagged dialogue
is a continuation of the dialogue that came before it, with
a dialogue tag in between

11. Levels N/O/P/Q
Plot and Setting
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Each chapter has many events told in detail
Plotlines become complex, driven by the character
wants and follows character’s internal and external
journey
More than one aspect of the main problem
Some new plot-structure elements may start
Time passes quickly in some sections of narration, and
the time-changes between chapters may be less overt
and obvious
Illustrations are spare and often show one small part of
a scene

12. Levels N/O/P/Q
Character
 Main characters are more complex. They may
demonstrate different aspects of their
personality and have traits, thoughts, and
feelings that conflict
 Main characters change and learn lessons
 Secondary characters may be complex
 Secondary characters affect the main
character

13. Levels N/O/P/Q
Vocabulary & Figurative Language
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
Vocabulary may be unexplained by context. Dialogue
tagged with a variety of verbs and adverbs
Metaphors, similes, and words and phrases that are
used figuratively and/or have connotative meanings,
appear and become essential to understanding
characters, plot or setting
Themes and Ideas

Might deal with important human problems and social
issues

14. Levels R/S/T
Plot and Setting
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Plotlines are complex often driven by character wants. The internal
journey of the character helps a reader understand the external
plot. The main character faces multiple conflicts and/or obstacles,
both internal and external.
Unfamiliar settings should be expected and must be understood.
The setting(s) may be distant time or place. Setting has an impact
on plot and characters.
Specific descriptions of setting require visualizing
Challenging plot-structure elements such as flashbacks, subplots
and multiple plotlines.
Stretches of narration give the back-story on character and/or move
the story through time

15. Levels R/S/T
Character
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A reader can develop an interpretation of a main
character by synthesizing multiple traits and characters’
perspectives.
To understand secondary characters, the reader needs
to see them from multiple perspectives. The main
character’s view of them may change across the course
of the story.
Relationships between main characters and various
secondary characters are important.
Main character changes and learns lesson
Secondary characters may be complex

16. Levels R/S/T
Vocabulary & Figurative Language
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
There is a heavy load of complex vocabulary that may relate to
unfamiliar settings or topics.
Metaphors, similes, and words and phrases that are used
figuratively and/or have connotative meanings, appear and become
essential to understanding characters, plot or setting
Themes and Ideas
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

Might deal with important human problems, social issues, and/or
cultural diversity
Symbolism may be used and can offer insights into the story’s
characters and/or themes
Some themes require emotional maturity on the part of the reader.

17. Levels U/V/W
Plot and Setting
 Plotlines are more complex
 Specific descriptions of setting require
visualizing. Setting may help communicate the
mood or tone of a scene.
 Challenging plot-structure elements such as
flashbacks, flash-forwards, foreshadowing, and
subplots and multiple plotlines.
 Stretches of narration give the back-story on
character and/or move the story through time

18. Levels U/V/W
Character
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Main characters are complex. They may demonstrate
different aspects of their personality and have traits,
thoughts, and/or feelings that conflict. A reader should
often question a character’s motivations and value
system.
Main characters change and learn lessons.
To understand the secondary characters, the reader
needs to see them from multiple perspectives.
Relationships between main characters and various
secondary characters are important.

19. Levels U/V/W
Vocabulary & Figurative Language


There is a heavy load of complex vocabulary that may relate to
unfamiliar settings or topics.
Metaphors, similes, and words and phrases that are used
figuratively and/or have connotative meanings, appear and become
essential to understanding characters, plot or setting
Themes and Ideas

Some themes are easily accessible to middle-grade readers.

Some themes require emotional maturity on the part of the reader.

Symbolism is prevalent and offers insights into the story’s
characters and/or themes.