5 NEW Questions to Ask Kids About Books

Often, when our kids finish a new book, our first question is "Did you like it?"  or "Was it a good book?"

And our kids either answer "yep" or "nope" and that's it. We call it a day. 

But I'm a firm believer in nudging our kids with questions that get them thinking—questions that require more than a simple "yes" or "no" answer. Books are a great way to open the door to conversation with our kids, and often as parents we don't capitalize on them quite enough. 

So instead of asking our children the age-old questions about their books, let's mix it up a bit.  Let's really get crazy and ask them something different. 

Who knows where it could go. . . 

Here are five questions to ask your child the next time he or she finishes a book: 

1. If you could give the book another title, what would it be? 
2. Which characters would you like to meet in real life? 
3. What do you wish was different about the ending?
4. Would the book make a cool movie? Video game? TV show? 
5. What is one thing you could ask the author if you could talk to him or her?

And just for kicks, asking something like, 

• What do you think the author wants readers to remember most from this book?  Or . . . 
• Was there one big lesson you took away from this book?

Any way that we can get kids thinking in new ways about their reading is worth our time. 

I'd love to hear what opens the door for you and your children when it comes to talking about books. 

Please share your thoughts on the Scholastic Parents Facebook page, or find Amy on Twitter, @teachmama, and let's continue the conversation!

Read all posts by Amy Mascott.

Talking to your children about the books they read is one of the best ways to support your child’s literacy development. Your child needs to engage in critical thinking to discuss a book — a key skill for success in school as well as life. Here are some tips on how to start and sustain a book discussion with your child:

Before your child reads a book, ask:

• Why did you select this book?
• What makes you think this book is going to be interesting?
• What do you think the book is going to be about?
• Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve already read or seen?
• What kind of characters do you think will be in the book?
• What do you think is going to happen?

While your child is reading a book, try asking:

• Will you catch me up on the story? What’s happened so far?
• What do you think will happen next?
• If you were that character, what would you have done differently in that situation?
• If the book was a TV show, which actors would you cast in it?
• Where is the book set?
• If the main character in that story lived next door, would you be friends?
• What does the place look like in your head as you read? Would you want to visit there?
• Did you learn any new words or facts so far?

After your child has finished a book, ask questions like:

• What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
• Who was your favorite character? Why?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned from the book?
• Why do you think the author wrote this book?
• Would you have ended the book differently? Did it end the way you thought it would?
• Did the problem of the book’s plot get solved?
• If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be?