Text Leveling System

The Flat Man

RDQ:	396	Max Word/Sent	28	Total Words	845		Diff Words	303
Lex	610	Ave Word/.Sent	6	Hi Freq occurs	543	64.3%	Hi freq	113	37.3%
AR	2.4	Long Sentences	0.8	Low Freq occurs	18	2.1%	Low freq	13	4.3%

At night when it is dark
and I am in bead
and I can't get to sleep
I hear noises.]]
I hear tap tap tap.
I know what it is.
It's a tree blowing in the wind.
It taps on the glass.
That's all.]]
But I like to pretend
it's The Flat Man trying to get in.
His long bony finger
taps on the glass.]]
"Let me in" he whispers
Tap tap tap.
I like scaring myself.
It's only a game.]]
I hear rattle rattle rattle
I know what it is.
A train is going by.
It makes the whole house shake
and the windows rattle
as if its teeth are chattering.
That's what it is.]]
But I like to pretend
it's The Flat Man squeezing himself
as this as he can
through the crack.
"You can't keep me out" he whispers.
Rattle rattle rattle.]]
I hear sh sh sh sh sh sh.
I know what it is 
It's my baby brother
making noises in his sleep.
It sounds as if the sea's coming in.]]
But I like to pretend
it's The Flat Man
sliding around the room.
"I'm coming" he whispers.
Sh sh sh sh sh sh.]]
He keeps his back
close against the wall.
He clings like 
a stretched out skin.
And I know why.]]
I know The Flat Man's secret.
He's afraid of the light.
He hates open spaces.
That's why he creeps in corners
and drifts in the dark]]
One flash of bright light
and he would shrivel up
like a crumpled piece of paper.
The slightest breeze
could blow him away.]]
So he slips and slides
in the shadows
until he is near my bed.
Then silently
he waits for his chance.]]
Now I can't hear a sound.
I know what that means.
There is no one there.
No one at all.]]
But I like to pretend
The Flat Man is holding his breath
He is waiting
without a sound.
Listen . . .]]
When everything is quiet
and everything is still
he will dart over
and slide onto my bed.]]
I feel a chill down my back.
I know what it is. 
There is a little gap
close to the floor
where the wind blows in.
That's all.]]
But I pretend
it's The Flat Man
coming closer
and closer
breathing his icy breath on me.
It makes me shiver.]]
I pull the covers up 
and hold them tight
under my chin.
This is to stop The Flat Man
from creeping into bed with me.]]
But then I think to myself
he's so thin
he could slide in the smallest crack.
He could creep in 
right now . . .
without me knowing.]]
He could be lying there
already
by my side 
cold and flat.]]
I lie there afraid to move.
An icy feeling is spreading
all the way up my back.]]
Someone or something
seems to be wrapping itself
around my chest]]
I can't breathe!
I try to think
but my brain is racing around my head.
It won't stop.
There must be something I can do.
Suddenly I remember . . .
The Flat Man's secret!
He doesn't like to be out in the open.
He's afraid he might blow away.]]
I throw back the covers.
I flap them up and down
like a whirlwind.
"I'll get rid of you" I say.
Flap flap flap.]]
The Flat Man flies up in the air.
He is carried
struggling
across the room.]]
Next I jump out of bed.
I shine my flashlight at him.
"Take that . . ." I say.]]
I switch on the lamp.
" . . . and that . . ."
I turn on the bedroom light
". . . and that!"
Flash flash flash.]]
I can hear The Flat Man
cry out in pain.
He starts to shrivel up.
He curls at the edges
and floats towards the window.]]
I rush to get there first.
I throw it open.
He drifts out on the wind.
He disappears into the black sky.]]
I close the window
so tight
not even The Flat Man can get in.
SLAM!]]
"Good riddance" I shout
and I make a terrible face
just in case
The Flat Man is looking back.]]
Suddenly my bedroom door opens.]]
A deep voice says
"What on earth
do you think you're doing?"]]
It's my dad.
He looks at me
making a face.
"For goodness sake
close those curtains" he says
"and get into bed."]]
I creep back.
"I was playing" I say.
"Playing?"  says Dad.
"Scaring myself" I say.
"Scaring yourself?" says Dad.
"It's only a game" I say.
"Hmmm" says Dad.
"Well I'll scare you in a minute
and that won't be a game."]]
He turns off the light.
He shuts the door
and goes downstairs.]]
Now it is really quiet
and dark again.
I lie in bed.
I screw up my eyes
and I can see shapes.]]
I can see a big black dragon on the wall.
I know what it is.
It's the kite
my Grandad brought me from China.
It hangs from the picture hook.
That's all.]]
But I like to pretend
it's The Flying Vampire
ready to swoop down on me . . .
Wheeee!]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Two speakers

Dialog: Broken dialogue

Vocabulary: Few decoding/definition issues

Language: Many descriptive words

Sentences: Simple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Inferences: Some implications

Concept: Fanciful

Features

Character traits

Topic

Monsters

Imagination

*Feelings, Behaviors

Night

Pretend

Low Frequency Words

curls	curtains	edges	knowing	riddance
sake	scaring	shrivel	sliding	towards
whirlwind	whispers	wrapping