If you haven’t heard the news, Book Wizard has had an exciting new update! The search and leveling tool now includes a host of brand new features that make it easier than ever to explore books and their leveling information via your desktop.
Ideal for both new and experienced teachers alike, Book Wizard makes discovering, leveling, and buying books for all students a breeze. Here are five reasons why every teacher needs Book Wizard.
1. It’s Free!
Book Wizard is a valuable tool that costs absolutely nothing to use. Carla Rosene, a middle school teacher in Missouri, uses the tool up to two or three times a week to quickly find “just-right” books for her students.
“As much as I try to have suggestions about what to read next, sometimes my ideas fall flat,” Rosene says. “Book Wizard is a great tool to find the next great book to read.”
For Shannon Langston, a fifth-grade teacher in Ohio, using the free tool allows her to easily search when she wants to purchase from The Teacher Store.
“Book Wizard allows me to be more focused when looking for books,” Langston says. “The Teacher Store is a fantastic site with many deals on groups of books. If teachers are in need of many books, they can quickly find and purchase them.”
2. It’s Easy to Use
The new Book Wizard makes discovering books even easier with its enhanced quiz feature. Plus, you can still create and save wish lists of books to share or purchase at a later date.
“Book Wizard is versatile and easy to use at any grade level,” Langston says. “You want or need to know the level of a specific book? Done! A parent requested a book list at their student’s reading level? Here you go! A student can’t decide what to read next? Let’s see what pops up based on interests.”
3. It Provides “Just-Right” Recommendations
Book Wizard helps you build a diverse library filled with a wide range of genres and topics.
“If I am looking to expand the selection of books in a certain genre, I can utilize Book Wizard to discover titles to add to our classroom library,” Langston says. “If a student or class is passionate about a certain topic, I can quickly use Book Wizard to find more books for the group that will spark interest.”
Rosene also relies on the tool to discover new titles her class will enjoy — as well as books that are appropriate for students at different reading levels.
“It helps me find titles that I might not have heard of before or that are similar in style,” Rosene says. “For instance, a student was looking for an Alan Gratz book, which we discovered we did not have. When I looked on Book Wizard, I discovered another author with a very similar style of writing.”
4. It’s Suitable for Teachers of All Grades and Experience
Whether you are a first-year teacher or have been teaching for years, Book Wizard can help you find books by level, grade, subject, genre, and more.
“As a novice first-grade teacher, I used Book Wizard weekly to develop a leveled library, recommend 'just right' books for my students, and become more knowledgeable about children’s books,” Langston says. “Now as a veteran fifth-grade teacher, I use it to help my students find books that will build and shape their reading lives.”
She recommends taking time to explore Book Wizard, and if you are a new teacher, use it to search books at individual reading levels. This allows you to become familiar with the characteristics of various levels and to build your library with grade-appropriate books.
5. Students (and Teachers!) Love the Results
The best feature about Book Wizard? Students love its recommendations, and so do teachers!
Rosene says she always feels great when students read a title she found via Book Wizard: “It makes my reading heart happy,” she says.
To enhance the success of your Book Wizard search, Langston recommends asking students to complete an interest and reading inventory in class to learn what books they have read. Use the information from the class survey to search for books that match class interests and to drive decisions on what books to purchase.
“The excitement of students when you share new books based on their interests is unmatched,” Langston says. “Students feel valued and that their opinion matters. It gives students more ownership of their reading and, as a result, will create lifelong readers.”
Start using the updated Book Wizard today! Take the new Discovery Quiz to get book recommendations that are just right for your class, and easily stock up on the over 26,000 titles and products at The Teacher Store.
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