Q: What are Book Levels in Book Taco: Cool, Spark, and Fire?

A: Cool, Spark, and Fire are Book Taco’s reading level groups. They are based on the BT Level (Book Taco Level) scale, which maps closely to U.S. school grade levels. These labels appear on book cards and as filters in the Top 100 Books section to help teachers and students find books at the right reading level.

 ❄️ Cool — BT Levels 1–2 

For early readers getting into the groove. Cool books have a BT Level below 3, which corresponds roughly to grades 1 and 2 reading difficulty.

 ✨ Spark — BT Levels 3–5 

For readers building their curiosity and confidence. Spark books have a BT Level between 3 and 5, which corresponds roughly to grades 3 through 5.

 ? Fire — BT Levels 6–8+ 

For readers ready for bold ideas and bigger challenges. Fire books have a BT Level of 6 or higher, which corresponds roughly to grades 6 and above.

 Where do BT Levels come from? 

BT Levels are based on the AR (Accelerated Reader) grade level assigned to a book. When an AR level is not available, Book Taco estimates the level using Amazon catalog data or AI. Not all books have a BT Level assigned — if a level is unavailable, the Cool, Spark, or Fire label will not appear on that book’s card.

 Where do these labels appear? 

The reading level group appears on the hover details of each book card in the library and search results. You can also use the Cool, Spark, and Fire filter pills in the Top 100 Books section to browse popular books by reading level.

BT Levels are not the same as Lexile scores. Lexile measures are shown separately on the book card and in student reports.