Reading Questions

Here are some questions you can ask you 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 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?