Explicit reading instruction that helps students engage with complex texts has not been a priority in Norwegian upper secondary schools. Close reading is a potentially powerful tool for the reading comprehension of complex texts in which students examine the deep structures of a text through repeated readings, text-dependent questions, and conversations. In this study, we adapted a recognized close reading model described by Fisher and Frey (2012) to Norwegian classroom contexts. To determine whether close reading is a suitable instructional reading practice for Norwegian upper secondary students and identify potential modifications, we collaborated with a group of teachers to explore its implementation. A questionnaire and interview data from 13 teachers across university preparatory and vocational programs, along with 210 student responses from a survey, indicate that close reading, with some adjustments, is a beneficial reading practice for Norwegian students. Key findings highlight that teachers became aware of the importance of using texts that adhere to established criteria for complexity, as well as the significance of text-dependent questions. The students, in turn, expressed a positive attitude toward text-based conversations and the value of working systematically with a text to understand difficult content.