Marty Talefox journal
10 Questions to Ask After Reading a Picture Book Together
Simple open questions that keep a shared reading experience alive after the last page.
Questions to return to
Which character made the bravest choice? When did listening change what happened? Why can telling the truth feel difficult? Who helped someone feel safe?
Questions for close looking
What detail did you notice this time? What would you have done differently? Which character did you understand best?
Keep a little mystery
Every future project begins with more questions than answers. We will reveal each new storyworld one small light at a time.
Use questions that open the book instead of testing memory
Questions such as “What colour was the door?” can be fun, but they mostly check recall. Open prompts create more language: What surprised you? Which character changed their mind? What detail did you notice in the picture? What would you want to ask someone in the story? There is no need to use all ten questions at once; one good question can be enough for a whole rereading.
Let the child ask the next question
After you ask something, follow the direction of the answer. A child who points to a tiny object in the illustration may be starting a different conversation from the one you planned. That is useful, not off-topic. Try “What makes you notice that?” or “What do you wonder about it?” Shared reading becomes richer when the adult is not the only person deciding what is worth discussing.
A related storyworld
Continue reading
How to Choose Picture Books for Children Ages 3–7
Why Children Want to Read the Same Picture Book Again and Again