About The Program

A comprehensive leveled library for early readers
This classroom-tested collection of storybooks and workbooks are designed to help young children in grades K–1 develop early literacy skills. The storybooks give children practice reading connected text and the workbooks prepare them for unlocking unfamiliar words that they will encounter when reading the stories. Stories reflect the real world students live in and give delightful renditions of family and friends.


A sense of accomplishment…right from the start
This classroom-tested collection of storybooks and workbooks help children develop emergent reading skills. Ranging from whimsical to real-world situations, these stories engage beginning readers as they develop sight word recognition and build fluency and comprehension skills. Syntax, typography, and picture–text matching promote the use of visual, semantic, and syntactic cueing systems: all crucial to developing early literacy skills.

    Guided
Reading Level
Reading
Recovery® Level
 
Storybooks A
 
 
A-C 1-3
 
Storybooks B
 
 
A–D 1–5
 
Storybooks C
 
 
C–H 3–14
 
Storybooks D
 
 
E-J 8-18
 

Guided Reading Levels were assigned by EPS based on text characteristics from Fountas and Pinnell, Matching Books to Readers. Reading Recovery Levels for all Sets were assigned by Reading Recovery®, a registered trademark of Ohio State University.

Handprints benefits:

  • 120 readers ranging from Levels A-J (Guided Reading) and 1-18 (Reading Recovery)
  • Sentence structure, word choice, and pictures to encourage strategic reading
  • Use of repeated high-frequency words to build strong sight word vocabulary
  • Gradual progression from “natural language” to book language
  • Diverse and contemporary characters and themes
  • Recurring characters across the levels
Download the Research basis for Handprints (PDF)
Download the Program Overview (PDF)
Download the Handprints Storybooks reading levels (PDF)

Program Overview

Handprints

Sample Lessons

Handprints Storybooks Samples Set D1, At Grandma's House Sample Storybook

Research Paper

Research Paper
State Standards