Finding read-aloud, rhyming picture books that are just right for the kiddos in your life can be a tricky process, but professionally established tools such as Lexile® and F&P (Fountas and Pinnell Literacy) help take out the guesswork.

Penelope Pipp Publishing submitted the two picture books I’ve co-authored with Dr. Sam to get their reading levels analyzed, and the results are below!

Before I list them, it may be worth mentioning that reading levels and the intended age range for read-aloud books are not really the same thing. Why? Because books like EscapePeas and Theodore, The Sloth Who Wants to Race are designed to be read out loud by an older audience (adults) to a young audience (five years and up). It’s part of the intent behind the rhymes, somewhat advanced vocabulary and some “Easter Eggs” within illustrations–we want to adults to chuckle along with the kids!

But what if a child wants to take up a book to read on their own? Or if a teacher or librarian wonders what books might fit with certain age and classroom ranges? That’s where Lexile® and the F&P Text Level Gradient™ come in! Both companies analyze the text within books using different methods, and both produce reading level scores that are used by schools and libraries.

So without further ado, I present the newly-minted reading scores for EscapePeas and Theodore, The Sloth Who Wants to Race!

EscapePeas Reading Levels:

Lexile^® text measure 550L

F&P Text Level Gradient™ Reading Level M*

*(Also commonly referred to as “Guided Reading Level M”)

Where to find EscapePeas on Lexile’s Find A Book Database:

Paperback- https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/details/9798991058940/

Hardcover- https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/details/9798991058933/

Theodore, The Sloth Who Wants to Race Reading Levels:

Lexile^® text measure 660L

F&P Text Level Gradient™ Reading Level M*

*(Also commonly referred to as “Guided Reading Level M”)

Where to find Theodore on Lexile’s Find A Book Database:

Paperback- https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/details/9780988236974/

Hardcover- https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/details/9780988236981/

So What Do These Reading Scores Mean?

Lexile and F&P are both industry standards for measuring text reading levels, and the links below provide more detail on how they are analyzed and used. But the short answer is that BOTH Lexile^® scores (i.e. EscapePeas and Theodore) indicate a general reading range for primary school readers between 2nd and 3rd grade. Same for the Guiding Reading Level M!

So while our picture books are still meant to be read aloud to the young ones, it’s nice to know that the text complexity is also appropriate for educational content focused on primary school readers between second and third grades (ages 7 to 9).

Both books are now listed both with Lexile and F&P!

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Here’s a helpful link to Lexile’s Reading Level Information: Resource Center – LEXILE HUB

These titles have been officially leveled by using the F&P Text Level Gradient™ Leveling System.

Here’s a helpful link to F&P resources: Fountas and Pinnell Information and Teacher Community