journal 59 book choice

Something that I've really been working on is writting my students back when they work on writing about reading. I've figured out a great system that allows me to write them back on a daily basis. They love to hear back from me...or so they say. I've been really interested in what they write about especially looking at what books they choose. Now that we have the MOY data from DIBELS and TRC I've begun telling my students a different just right choice for their book bags.  Something that I noticed when reading their response journals is that they aren't taking my suggestions and getting the harder books.  It's a struggle to get third graders to want to read long long books even if they are at their instructional level.  Just like the most struggling kids don't want to pick picture books, the most gifted students don't want to pick the harder books in fear of being different from their peers.  I especialy see this with one of my little girls and when I asked her why she was so reluctant she said, "my friends don't read those books so I don't really want to."  Which got me to thinking-as adults we are social about our reading with books clubs and book talks and blogs about books.  Yet, we as teachers are so focused on giving students just right books for them that may take them away from the their friends which takes away the ability to be social about their reading.  Part of why adults love reading is because of the social aspect.  At least I know that's the case for me.  So when choosing the read to self books for my students even though there is a read to someone book that can be at any level do I still stick with their instructional level even if this means they can't chat later in the day or gasp at home about their reading?