Text Leveling System

Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers

RDQ:	191	Max Word/Sent	24	Total Words	675		Diff Words	233
Lex	380	Ave Word/.Sent	7	Hi Freq occurs	373	55.3%	Hi freq	95	40.8%
AR	1.9	Long Sentences	3.5	Low Freq occurs	8	1.2%	Low freq	7	3%

The Sick Day
Henry's big dog Mudge
loved Henry's sick days.]]
When Henry had a sore throat
or a fever
or a bad cough
he stayed home
from school in bed.]]
In the morning
Henry's mother brought him
orange Popsicles
comic books
and crackers.]]
Mudge got the crackers.]]
In the evening
Henry's father brought him
grape Popsicles
comic books
and crackers.]]
Mudge got the crackers again.
Mudge loved sick days.]]
But even though he loved 
Henry's sick days
no on ever thought
that Mudge would get sick.]]
No one ever thought
that Mudge could catch germs.
But he could
and one day he caught 
a lot of them.]]
When Henry woke up
and jumped out of bed
Mudge didn't move.
He didn't get up.
He didn't lick Henry's face.]]
He didn't even shake Henry's hand
and he always shook Henry's hand
in the morning.]]
He just looked at Henry
and wagged his tail a little.]]
Henry and Henry's mother
looked at Mudge and worried.]]
"Something's wrong" said Henry.
His mother nodded her head.
"Mudge must be sick" said Henry.
His mother nodded her head again.
"Mudge" said Henry are you
just wanting some crackers?"
Bud Mudge didn't want crackers.
Mudge was sick - 
and he didn't even read
comic books.]]
The Vet
Henry and Henry's mother
tried to put Mudge in the car
to go to the doctor.
But Mudge was tired.
He didn't want to go.]]
"Hop in Mudge" 
said Henry.
Mudge sat down on Henry's foot.]]
"Hop Mudge"
Henry said again.
Mudge yawned and drooled
on Henry's hand.]]
"Bath time Mudge" Henry said
and Mudge hopped right in the car.
They drove to the vet.]]
Mudge knew the vet -
and he didn't want to see her.
She made him nervous.]]
When they walked
into her waiting room
Mudge started to shiver
and shed.]]
He did this every time
he went to the vet.
He shivered and shed.
He always left a bunch 
of dog hair 
on her floor.]]
When it was his turn
to see the vet
Henry and Henry's mother
had to pull him
like a horse
into the room.]]
"Hi Mudge" said the vet.
Mudge shivered.
"Bad day Mudge?" said the vet.
Mudge shed.]]
"He's losing all his hair"
said Henry.
"I know" said the vet.
"I'd better hurry
or he may be bald
before you can get him home."
Henry's mother laughed.]]
But Henry couldn't laugh.
He was too worried.
He was too scared.]]
The vet looked at Mudge's wet eyes.]]
She listened to
Mudge's shivering chest.
She felt Mudge's
shedding stomach.]]
Then she rubbed
Mudge's big head.]]
"I need to check a few things"
she told Henry.
"Can you wait outside?"
Henry wanted to say no.
Henry wanted to say no way.
But Henry said "All right."]]
He went back to the 
waiting room with his mother.
He sat and wondered if Mudge
knew how to say "ah."]]
He wondered if Mudge
would be okay.]]
A Big Kiss
"Your dog has a cold"
the vet told Henry.
"A cold?" said Henry.
"I think so" said the vet.]]
"He has a fever 
his throat is red
he's very tired
and he keeps asking me
for some comic books."
This time Henry could laugh.]]
"You have to let 
him rest" said the vet.
Henry nodded.
"And give him his medicine."
Henry nodded again.]]
"And don't kiss him
until he's better"
the  vet said.
Henry frowned.
"Aw" he said.]]
When Henry and Henry's mother 
and Mudge got home
Henry fixed a sickbed
for Mudge in the living room.]]
It had Henry's old blanket in it
and five of Henry's dirty socks
and Henry's baseball mitt
and Henry's pillow
and a stuffed moose.]]
The next morning
Henry brought Mudge
some ice cubes
a rubber hamburger
and crackers.]]
Henry got the crackers.]]
In the evening
Henry brought Mudge
some ice cubes
a rubber hot dog
and crackers.]]
Henry got the crackers again.]]
But the next day
Mudge ate all of the crackers.
His sick days were over.]]
And Henry gave him a great big kiss.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Two speakers

Dialog: Broken dialogue

Vocabulary: Few decoding/definition issues

Language: Simple language

Sentences: Simple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Features

Character traits

Simple Plot

Topic

Dogs

Kindness

Caring/Hugs

*Animals

Health

Pets

Low Frequency Words

cough	drooled	medicine	popsicles	shedding
sickbed	yawned