Here’s a list of Accelerated Reader levels by color. Find AR books according to your child’s reading level and purchase them for less here too!
Here’s an explanation of Accelerated Reader levels by color. It’s a great way they rank books according to a child’s reading level and comprehension, but better when YOU understand what they mean. (originally published 10/15, affiliate links present)
What is book level in Accelerated Reader?
Our school, as well as many others around, use a reading program called Accelerated Reader (AR we call it). I have three children and once they hit the second grade they were tested.
Then they were assigned a color according to their reading level, and chose books in that color (colors typically shown with a sticker on the spine as you see here).
Reading Levels Explained
Once they are done with their book they can take tests on the computer that test their comprehension of the book and if they pass they earn points, they love that!
Well as a parent when your first child comes home and says “I’m a yellow reader,” you aren’t quite sure what that means. Yes there are AR reading levels and each is associated with a book color.
After some time you learn a bit about AR, but being as though it is a school program it is hard to know what books you should be buying for your child to read at home (that was my question anyway).
There is more extensive information about the AR program here if you want to go into depth. I was curious to find books in my children’s levels so…….I went searching.
AR Reading Level Printable PDF Chart
- Here is a free printable ar reading levels sheet you can keep handy too.
Accelerated Reading Levels Chart
If you are curious, and haven’t seen an ar reading level color chart is shown above. The number correlates to the level reader they are. F
or example, my daughter is in the first grade yet she is a “yellow reader”, meaning she is reading at a 2.6-3.0 grade level (second grade in the 6th month of school to 3rd grade reading level).
Most children don’t participate in Accelerated Reading until the second grade so if yours are in Kinder or first you may not have encountered this yet but you will and you can keep this as a resource for yourself next year.
What do the AR reading levels mean?
Every book that has an AR reading quiz is given a point value. Points are based on the difficulty of the book, and length (number of words). AR points are ways of measuring how much reading practice children are getting.
How do I find the AR level of a book?
There are a few websites and APPs you can use.
- Lexile can help match readers with texts
- Accelerated Reading APPs
- Levelit and Literacy Leveler
- Level It Books can organize, level, and track books too
AR Reading
Teachers usually have libraries in their classrooms with rows upon rows of books with different colors so there are great choices for each leveled reader.
Each series is typically the same level. Such as, most Junie B. Jones books are in the yellow level (yes, I hear about this curious girl every day!), but some are not such as some of the Magic Treehouse books you see here.
Some are in the yellow category and some are in the pink level (slightly different).
- Here are some popular chapter book series in each level. Great for Christmas presents and stocking stuffers.
It’s always fun to get a new book and finding one in their reading level is best so they aren’t frustrated or choosing something that is below their ability.
Click on the box / book in the intended level to search books in that color and purchase. I hope this helps in your quest to find and understand AR reading levels or Accelerated Reader levels by color.
Then you can purchase appropriate books for your child. Starting at the correct level is important for them to feel successful. Slowly, have them work toward the higher levels as time and they progress.
- To make reading really fun create a reading nook at home. They’ll love it.
Accelerated Reader Levels by Color
- Light Blue Level .1-1.5
- Light Green 1.6-2.0
- Bright Orange 2.1-2.5
Click here to purchase
- Yellow 2.6-3.0
Click to purchase (almost all in this series are yellow)
- Pink 3.1-3.5
Click to purchase (most Magic Treehouse books qualify for the pink level)
- Red 3.6-4.0
Click to purchase (most of the books in this series are in the pink range)
- Orange 4.1-4.5
Click here to purchase (American girl is a series of books for this level)
- Dark Blue 4.6-5.0
Click here to purchase
- Dark Green 5.1-6.9
Click here to purchase
- Black 7.0+
Click here to purchase
You can search for more selections here on arbookfind.com and there is another resource here with lists of books at each level,.
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I am a school librarian and have been in two different districts at three different elementary schools…all have done Accelerated Reader. It is important to know that the dot range you are discussing in this blog and the colors assigned to your ranges are not from Renaissance (the AR company), they are per school. Each school I have been at has had different colored dots and different range increments assigned to those colors. It is totally up to the school….it has even been different within the district. One school may have big ranges….2.0- 2.9, whereas another may prefer to break it down even more…2.0-2.5. The important thing is that the parents and the students understand what those mean. The AR reading level per each title will not change in AR, but the manner in which the school helps students to quickly locate books in their reading range is different per school. Just thought that was important to point out. Also, parents/teachers/students can go to ARbookfind.com and find out what the reading level is for any book they might have.
Just curious, why is the color breakout not just BL 1-1.9, 2-2.9 and so on? I noticed one was 5.9-6.9. Why not just 6-6.9
A new librarian here researching different organization methods
Thx
You may want to double check some of the books that are placed in the Light Green category. Not appropriate.
I thought the same thing but than I realized that the link was not to a list of light green books, it was an Amazon link to the book in the photo below, 3 Little Fire Trucks.
I just came across your website and I love it!! I have been searching for books for my students, and here is your website with all of the information that I will begin to look and buy for the classroom.
I do not know how to thank you!!
What Color Is My Color Dot 4.9 – 5.4
whats hot pink
Are those standard color codes? Meaning do all school districts that use AR testing use the same color for the all the different levels.
My daughter who is in second grade is very upset because she has to read light blue books. She has always been in upper reading groups as a kinder and 1st grade. And has been reading chapter books at home to me, junie b and bad kitty. So I am just not understanding how she tested that low.
How do you come up with the tests?