Book Rooms

Every elementary school continues to develop and maintain a Book Room designed to provide both fictional and informational texts at every reading level to be used for various instructional purposes, but particularly Small Group Strategy Instruction. Book Rooms are one of the key essential components to developing a strong literacy program.

The Book Room Committee, or staff members coordinating the effort, are certain to balance the collection with both fictional and informational text. Intentional questions can guide future acquisitions to strengthen the collection:

• Do we have an adequate number of books at every reading level?
• How is our fiction to nonfiction balance?
• Are books leveled according to the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system?
• Does our collection contain a variety of publishers?
• Do we have big books to support content standards across the grade levels?
• Are science standards supported at each level?
• Are social studies standards supported at each level?
• Are the following N.C. Text Types represented?
  • narratives
  • poems
  • drama
  • various kinds of letters
  • logs
  • procedural
  • persuasive text
  • article feature story
  • report

Book rooms can be designed in a variety of ways. It is all up to the particular needs, resources, and imaginations of each school staff. Grade levels can meet in the book room for planning and selecting appropriate leveled text for small group instruction. Professional resources should be readily available for teachers to access.