Questions to Support Your Child's Understanding and Engagement

Plot

• What has happened in the story so far?
• What do you think will happen next?
• Is the plot fast or slow moving?
• Find some evidence in the text, which supports your view.
• If the author had included another paragraph before the story started what do you think it would say?

Character

• Who is your favourite character?
• Why?
• Who is the character you like least?
• Why?
• Do you think the author intended you to like / dislike this character?
• How do you know?
• Does your opinion of this character change during the story?
• How?
• Why?
• Find two things the author wrote about this character that made him / her likeable?
• If you met one of the characters from the story, what would you say to him / her?

Reader's Opinion

• Which part of the story is your favourite / least favourite?
• Why?
• Would you change any part of the story?
• How?
• Would you change any of the characters?
• How?
• Which part of the story was the funniest/scariest/ saddest/ happiest?
• Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
• Did this book make you laugh?
• Can you explain what was funny and why?

Purpose

• What is the purpose of this book?
• How do you know?

Layout

• Why is this page laid out in this way?
• Could you improve it?
• Pick three favourite words or phrases from this chapter.
• Can you explain why you chose them?

Setting

• Find two sentences which describe the setting.
   

Author and Genre

• Have you read anything else by this author?
• Is anything similar?
• Does this book remind you of anything else?
• How?
• When do you think this book was written?
• How do you know?
• Does it matter?
• What would it be like if it was written now?
• Do you think the title of the book is appropriate?
• What would you have called it?
• What is the genre of the book: sci-fi, mystery, historical, fantasy, adventure, horror, comedy? What are the features that make you think this?
• Would you like to read another book by this author?
• Why/ why not?