Hi-Lo Books that Offer Appropriate and Meaningful Text

It is often a challenge to find Hi-Lo books that offer appropriate and meaningful text for the High School grade level. What does it mean for a book to have “appropriate and meaningful text”? As a teacher, I encountered texts that drew plot lines around cliché themes for teens. Themes that seemed age appropriate, but lacked meaningful content. Reluctant readers desire to connect to what they are reading, but often give up if the connection is not made quickly. The characters and plot line must feel real and authentic to the reluctant reader. They need to care about what happens.

I, however, do not think caring and connecting is enough. I would argue that appropriate and meaningful texts need to offer the reluctant reader an opportunity to draw strength from the story. Or, at least be engaged enough in the plot to care about the outcome. Fluent readers are more tolerant of books that leave them down or obscurely introspective. However, I believe a reluctant reader needs to be positively impacted by texts in order to read other texts.

In my experience, teens are drawn to my L.B. Tillit books because they offer that connection. They identify with the characters and their struggles. These meaningful connections matter to reluctant readers. When they are finished reading there is a sense of hope, in spite of the challenges the characters face. Check out my new series, The Way I See It, where appropriate and meaningful text is a key focus! https://www.lbtillit.com/the-way-i-see-it-series/

My Easy Read Books creates books that offer timeless stories, where “reading levels” fall to the background as the characters and plots effortlessly engage the readers.https://www.myeasyreadbooks.com/

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