What kind of books does an elementary schooler read to be considered reading at a high school level?

HighIQ, the answer may depend upon whether one is looking at a reading level measurement, such as as a Lexile Level, or whether one is considering the topic, concepts, genre, emotional maturity of the books.

Some links which may be of interest:

- Lexile levels - https://lexile.com/parents-students/measuring-growth-lexile-measures/college-and-career-trajectory/

- The Recommended Resources forum (here on Davidson Gifted BB) has crowd-sourced lists of books by age. These lists are created by forum members, including parents, teachers, gifted individuals. Feel free to add to them.

This particular list is for ages 9-12 -
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....recommendations_age_9_12.html#Post193027

This list is for ages 13+ -
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....k_recommendations_age_13.html#Post193028

- This list contains books for adults -
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted..../198136/books_for_adults.html#Post198136

According to a couple of lexile charts, I was reading at the 11th-12th grade level as a third grader. I was mainly reading astronomy and U.S. President books, but I don't tend to take myself so seriously as I didn't do very well on the SAT as I had hoped (Missed 11 questions on reading and 1 on writing. Quite mediocre for someone who was reading at such a high level as an elementary school kid). I assume that my obsession with a certain Star Wars game when I was 10-14 caused me to go dumb, and I had no one to actually stop me from playing that game over and over for 10-11 hours. I pretty much blame my environment for having me be like this. Depressing.

Indigo makes some excellent points. Interest level, lexile level, and emotional maturity do not always align. For example, "Of Mice and Men" is a classic high school text, on the reading list for a wide range of educational philosophies. Yet its lexile level is only 630, which is often described as on the lower end of the middle grades reading range (grade 3-5 or so). Some of the chapters, taken by themselves, don't even make it into the grade three range. But I don't think anyone is claiming that Steinbeck is too easy for sixth graders. Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, is also a typical tenth- or eleventh-grade literature selection. And it's above a 1300 lexile. These are both -- nearly unanimously -- considered classic high school readings.

And fwiw, the Redwall fantasy series, popular among many middle grade readers, goes up above 1000L, with scores inching up more-or-less the further you progress in the series.

@HighIQ - I believe I see the connection between this thread and a post here.

Personally, I find a child choosing to read about US Presidents (lexile 1000) in 3rd grade to be off the charts. Unfortunately, many/most teachers may find it difficult to have a meaningful conversation with a child on the facts they were reading... and classmates, even more so.

It has been said that the optimal IQ is 124-132 (although ranges vary, for example I've also seen that some say 115-124 and I'm sure there are other versions as well).

You may know that IQ tests have various parts, each with their own score, reflective of the fact that some parts of a person's brain may be stronger/quicker and other parts no so much. The same overall IQ score may look different on different people... some may have a very even score profile, others may have one or more pronounced strengths and one or more relative weaknesses. Additionally, an IQ test score is just one snapshot in time. That said, some parents, and some teachers, have decided (wrongly, IMO) to withhold information about a pupil's IQ score(s) from the pupil, rather than having frank and open discussions about benefits and challenges. Nonetheless, people often/usually figure it out, to some degree. I will venture a guess that you were/are gifted.

Eh. I find it cringe to believe that, but I appreciate your words.

I feel that my Lexile level is around 1900-2000 now at the age of 21. I easily went from 1286 to the maximum of 1600 on totalreader.com in less than a day. Are there any books with Lexile level of 2000? The highest I was able to find is at 1890, and I bought that book today.

LOL, HighIQ, do not cringe! Here's the thing. There is IQ (or call it native intelligence, or ability, or potential) and there is opportunity (or call it support, encouragement, nurture, timing, lucky breaks, being noticed).

We all live at the intersection of those two forces, nature and nurture.
- The smartest, most gifted person around still needs to be nurtured, to maximize their intelligence.
- The person with abundant opportunity still needs some intelligence, to maximize the opportunities.

I am familiar with schools which tend to ration opportunities by perceived wealth of the students' families. They have plainly stated that the students able to travel internationally, attend more expensive camps, and apply to elite schools may make a better name for the K-12 school... therefore they "invest" in those pupils. It is unfortunate, IMO.

This where the concept of "grit" comes in. The people who've always had to work hard for what they get tend to develop more inner drive, persistence, perseverance, stamina, resilience... and gratitude. They do not tend to be jaded, take things for granted, or have a sense of entitlement which those mentioned earlier may have developed by always being favored, catered to, and coddled as "most likely to succeed." In short, those with grit may work hard for less extrinsic reward... the work itself, and the personal growth which it stimulates, are an intrinsic reward.

This is where I'll refer to the children's tale of the tortoise and the hare: Slow and steady usually wins the race. Life is not a sprint.

I'll look for some higher lexile levels.

@HighIQ -

1) Unfortunately, the go-to high-level lexile list is not as great as I thought...
https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/search
Enter range 1500 to 1825 (the max it will allow).
When you get the results list, slide the selection criteria higher: 1850 - 2200. Click "Apply Filters"
See 167 results.
The Emancipation Proclamation has the highest lexile level in this database: 2040.


2) This archived Lexile Map shows 1700 as the highest entry in its database: (copy/paste entire link)
https://web.archive.org/web/20130228070655/http://www.lexile.com:80/m/uploads/maps/Lexile-Map.pdf

A different angle on the question of high-lexile books is to remember that this is but one measure of reading level (and much more hotly debated within the field than it might appear from the marketing machinery). HighIQ, you are obviously a very capable reader, with access to essentially anything you want to read--so read by interest and curiosity, rather than lexile! Lexiles were developed as programmatic and instructional aides for teachers working with the K-12 population (and don't forget, selling their assessment and instructional tools!). The goal line for both Lexiles and Quantiles is college-readiness. You are well past that stage at this point, with ample tools for reading comprehension, so lexiles are really not functionally relevant for you personally (or for pretty much any of the adults on this forum!).

Read because you are interested in the content, or the artistry of the language, or because you want to stretch yourself with a variety of perspectives, or just because it's pleasurable. But don't feel like you have to "challenge yourself" with regard to reading level.

I agree with what you said, but I intend to challenge myself by reading books with high lexile levels. I never knew what my lexile levels were in school. I have read a portion of an 1890 level book, and I understood it all easily. A typical undergraduate student should have no problems in comprehending 1900 level books.

Understanding that
- there are various systems for determining reading levels,
- various passages of books could have different reading levels,
- the specific application/use of reading levels in education may be flawed...

... I am also familiar with corporate environments which require all documents produced to be within a prescribed range of reading levels...

... and I think it would be GREAT if more / many / most books and/or online resources displayed their reading level, or reading level range.

Although the specific formula developed/used by some organizations may be proprietary, reading level ranges and readability index which I am familiar with are determined by some combination of:
- words per sentence,
- syllables per word,
- syllables per sentence.

Individuals can assess reading levels of materials using online tools.

Reading books of a certain level and/or assessing the reading level of a number of books, could be goals which one sets for themselves in working toward achieving a portion of the requirements in earning the Congressional Award for youth (for which the cutoff is the individual's 24th birthday).