Reading level 1 – this level is for kids who have learned about 100 characters and are just starting to learn zhuyin.
Reading level 2 – this level is for kids who have learned about 200~300 characters and are comfortable with zhuyin blending.
Reading level 3 – this level is for kids who have learned about 500~700 characters and have mastered with zhuyin blending.
The reading levels I’ve outlined are based on my observations of my own kids and are meant to serve as a reference for families who aren’t sure which books to pick. I categorized these levels considering factors like font size, picture-to-word ratio, vocabulary difficulty, and our overall reading experience.
Every child and family is different—some kids might move quickly from Level 1 to 3, while others may spend more time at one level. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it! My goal is simply to provide some reference points to help overseas families navigate their Chinese reading journey more easily.
Below chart is for reference only.
| Taiwan Textbook | Mei Zhou Chinese | Word counts | |
| Reading Level 1 | Kinder-garden | Level 1 | 0-100 |
| Reading Level 2 | 1st Grade | Level 2 | 100~300 |
| Reading Level 3 | 1st/2nd Grade | Level 3/4/5 | 300-700 |
| Reading Level 4 | 2nd/3rd Grade | Level 6/7 | 700-1500 |
Bao & Bun's Bilingual Journey 