We don’t “MONKEY” around with READING!

Ideas for Reading at Home   

Before Reading

• Look at the title/pictures on the front cover/beginning page. . .What do you think is going to happen in this book?
• “Picture walk” through the book first and talk about what is happening in the pictures.  (Use in some of the easier books with lots of pictures, but don’t feel like you have to do it all the time.)
• Read the title, author, and illustrator.  (I like to talk about the copyright date and discuss how many years ago it was written.)
• Take a peek at the back to see if there is an author’s note and/or a photo of the author.  (Share this with your child.)

During Reading

• What do you think is going to happen next?
• How do you think the character is feeling now?
• What would you do if YOU were the _____ in our story?
• Does this story remind you of any other stories we’ve read lately?  Which one?  In what way?  How is it different?
• Why did ____ happen?
• What is the big problem in the story?  How would YOU solve it?
• Reading choices:  Child can read.  Parent can read.  Child and parent can alternate reading.

After the Story

• Why do you think the author wrote this story?
• What lessons does this story teach us?
• Did you like the story, characters and/or the ending?
• What was the funniest, saddest, most interesting part of the story?
• Have the child tell the story back to you in his/her own words.
• If the author wrote a NEW book about the same characters, what would happen?  What would the story be about?

Stories show talking about stories builds comprehension.

Thank you for being a literacy connection for your child!

Report Cards Rubrics can be found on our LINK page.