ABOUT THIS SERIES: In order to meet today's higher standards, students need literacy instruction that focuses on the close reading of complex texts. These literary text passages are organized around high-interest topics connected to the curriculum and to key comprehension skills. The readings are specially formatted to provide practice with text marking-a proven, powerful tool for building comprehension skills. Targeted skills include describing characters, setting, key events and details, and story structure; identifying points of view; determining the meaning of key vocabulary and figurative language; and making inferences. KEY FEATURES: . Gets students ready for college and careers . Ready-to-use literary passages help students read closely, interact with text, and improve their reading comprehension . Text-dependent comprehension questions to help prepare students for standardized tests.

Lexile levels provided for each passage . Teaching tips to help students navigate complex texts.