Hello, I'm asking for suggestions on beginning chapter books specifically geared for reading level 1st - 3rd grade. I need to update and add to our collections and with recent requests from parents/children, I need to focus on the 1st-3 grade reading level. I do have books in that interest range but have discovered quite a few tend to be a high 3 or in the 4 for accelerated reading level. I need to focus on more of the 2nd grade level and they have to be chapter books. When you are in a school district where students cannot read a book below their tested reading level (in some cases cannot read above it either) and are required to achieve a certain amount of points each marking period or their grade is lowered, I do at some times have to pay attention to the AR level. I had my first student in yesterday who left upset because a book he really wanted to read does not have an AR test so he said "I can't read it"; I really dislike Accelerated Reading! It's to the point where a book will go untouched if it's not an AR book or at the right reading level; we will hear non-stop until June "I can't read that book" by numerous students. Would you share what new series are popular with your 1st - 3rd graders? I would really like reviews from actual readers before selecting new series to purchase. BillieJo Bluemer Director Rauchholz Memorial Library 1140 N Hemlock Rd Hemlock MI 48626 989-642-8621 billiejo@rauchholzlibrary.org