Reading Comprehension - Fiction

Here are some questions you can ask your child about their reading; choose a few each night to engage in conversation with your child about their nightly independent reading.

Before reading:

• Looking at the title, cover and illustrations/pictures, what do you think will happen in this book?

• What makes you think that?

• What characters do you think might be in the book?

• Do you think there will be problem in the story? Why?

• What do you already know about the topic of this book?

• Does the topic or story relate to you or your family? How?

• Do you think it will be like any other book you’ve read? If  so, which one, and how do you think it will be similar?

During reading:

• What has happened so far in the story? Can you tell me using sequence words? (first, then, next, after, finally, etc.)

• What do you predict will happen next?

• How do you think the story will end?

• Why do you think the character did ____________?

• What would you have done if you were the character?

• How would you have felt if you were the character?

• When you read, what pictures did you see in your head? How did you imagine it looked like?

• What are you wondering about as you read? What questions do you have?

• Think about the predictions you made before reading; do you still think the story will go that way? Why or why not? How do you think it will go now?

After reading:

• Why is the title a good title for the book/story? If you had to give it a different title, what would be another good title for it?

• Were your predictions correct? Where did you have to fix your prediction as you read?

• If there was a problem, did it get solved? How did the character try to solve the problem?

• What happened because of the problem?

• Did any of the characters change through the story? Who changed, and how did they change?

• Why do you think the author wrote this?

• What is the most important point that the author is trying to make in his/her writing?

• What was your favorite part? Why?

• If you could change one part, what would you change?

• If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask?

• Can you retell the story in sequence order (use your fingers and sequence words: first, second, then, next, etc.)

• Is there a character in the story that reminds you of someone you know? If so, who are they like, and why do you think that?

• Does this book remind you of another book you know? Does it remind you of something you’ve experienced in real life?