In fourth grade, students learn to select books that will help them advance as readers. We call these texts just right books. Students are taught the five finger rule to help them select just right books.
When selecting a book, before getting lost in the story, students use the five finger rule. They open up to a random page in the middle of the book and read. Every time they come to a word that is challenging to sound out or that they do not know the meaning of, they put up one finger. At the end of the page, they notice how many fingers are up. They repeat this as they read 2-3 pages. If the student put up 0-2 fingers, the book is probably too easy and not going to help them advance as a reader. If three fingers are up, the book is probably just right. It will challenge them while still being able to hold onto the complexities of the text. If 4-5 fingers are up, the book is likely too challenging. These books should be set aside and tried again at another time.
Many students love particular books that do not challenge them as readers. These texts are fine to read, though they should be saved for independent reading at home, after the 20 minutes of nightly reading is completed.