Book,

Head, Heart Framework

Reading experts Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst introduce the Book, Head, Heart (BHH) Framework
in their book “Disrupting Reading: Why How We Read Matters”, as simple way to help student think
about what they’ve read and organize their responses to factual, intellectual, and emotional aspects of
a book (Book, Head, and Heart). It keeps them focused on where to begin (the facts of what they’ve
read) and where they end up (how it’s changing their world view). Learn more about guiding your
students through each section below and print out a poster to hang in your classroom to support using
this technique during independent reading.

In the Book

To start, students are asked to reflect on the factual aspects of the text they’ve read. These questions
give students a pausing point to make sure that they understand the content and context of the book.
It’s after this point that they are ready to expand upon literal aspects of the text to intellectual and
emotional interpretations and responses.

In Your Head

Kylene and Robert explain that “we want students to see how the text strikes them, and how what it
says fits with their own thinking. We want them to reflect on what they are finding in the text.” When
students discuss the questions included in this section they are connecting the content from the text
with what they already know from other experiences, memories, and events. This is the basis for
identifying text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.

In Your Heart

This section refers to the feelings and emotional reactions that can be sparked by reading a piece of
text. Kylene and Robert say that it might be easier to frame this section as “what you take to heart”
instead of “what’s in your heart” and encourage teachers to use the language that works for their
students.

Information and ideas gathered and synthesized from “Disrupting Reading: Why How We Read Matters” by
Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst; Scholastic, 2017.


Book Head Heart Reading

When you read, think about what is…
Ø IN THE BOOK
- What’s this about?
- Who’s telling the story?
- What does the author want me to know?
Ø IN YOUR HEAD
- What surprised me?
- What does the author think I already know?
- What changed or challenged my thinking?
- What did I notice?

Ø IN YOUR HEART
- What did I learn about myself?
- How has this text changed my thinking
about the world?
Information and ideas gathered and synthesized from “Disrupting Reading: Why How We Read Matters” by
Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst; Scholastic, 2017.