Questions to ask when
reading with your child
A guide for parents
Introduction
Reading with your child is not only about listening to
them read. Reading should be a pleasure. Enjoy
making the time to share a book together.
As you listen, give them lots of praise. Sometimes,
you might read sections for them. Try to model good
reading: using lots of expression.
Discuss the text with them. Have they understood
the story? If not, re-read important sections and
explain it to them in your own words.
It can be hard to know what else to ask your child.
This booklet contains examples of questions similar
to those that they are asked in guided reading
sessions.
Hopefully, they will help you to talk about your
child’s reading with them.
The questions are arranged by colour book band to
help you to find ideas appropriate your child’s reading
level.
It is important to continue to discuss your child’s
reading as they develop into free-readers.
Please ask their teacher if you have any questions
about your child’s reading.
Questions to ask children reading
Pink, Red, Yellow or Blue texts
Fiction
Is this story like any other books that you have
read?
What happened in the story?
Why has the author included a picture? What does it
tell you?
(when reading a book with repeated phrases) What
comes next? Can you join in?
Have you ever been in a similar situation? What
happened?
What happened first/next/at the end?
What usually happens to baddies in fairy-tale
stories? What usually happens to the good
characters?
What do you think might happen next?
If (a character) does..., what do you think will
happen?
Non-fiction
Did you learn anything from this book? Can you tell
me a fact that you discovered?
What is this book about? How do you know?
What do you already know about this topic?
Why did the author choose this title? Does the title
help us know what the book will be about?
All texts
Did you enjoy this book?
What was your favourite part?
What does the author mean by...?
Is this like any other word you know? Does it sound
the same?
Did what you read make sense? Which word(s) might
you need to correct?
Questions to ask children reading
Green, Orange or Turquoise texts
Fiction
Can you choose a character from the story that
interests you, and say why?
What was happening at the beginning of the story?
Can you think of another way to begin this story?
Were you surprised by the ending? Is it what you
expected?
What happened in the story?
Who is telling this story?
Can you find a description of (a character/setting)
that you particularly like? Why do you like it?
Have you ever been in a similar situation? What
happened? How did you feel/behave?
Non-fiction
How is this book organised?
Can you find the contents/index/glossary? Why does
the author include these?
What do you already know about this topic?
All texts
What was your favourite part of this book?
What sort of book is this, and how can you tell?
Has the author put certain words in bold or in italics?
Why do you think they have done this?
Is this like any other word you know? Does it sound
the same? Does it mean the same?
Can you find any adjectives?
Can you find a powerful verb? Why has the author
chosen this verb?
Did that make sense? Can you work out what this
(unfamiliar) word means by reading the words around
it?
Questions to ask children reading
Purple, Gold, White, Lime or Brown texts
Fiction
What do you think (a character) will do next? Can you
find evidence in the text to explain why you think
this is?
How does the author show that (a character) feels
excited/worried/scared etc?
Does the author give us any clues to show that (a
character) is feeling sad/angry etc?
Using your understanding of what happened, can you
create a timeline of events?
What were the main events in this chapter?
Why do you think that the author used short
sentences here?
Non-fiction
How do the illustrations/choice of
type/italics contribute to the meaning?
font/bold
What is the text about?
Which subheading could you use instead of this one?
All texts
Have you read any other books in this series/by the
same author/about this topic? Did these texts share
any common features e.g. language or theme?
What type of text is this? How do you know?
Who would you recommend this book to? Why?
Questions to ask children reading
Grey, Black or Free-reader texts
Fiction
Based on what you know about (a character/event),
how do you think the author will develop the story?
Can you find words and phrases which show you how
the character is feeling?
What does... mean? Could you use a more emotive
word? What about a less emotive word? What effect
would this have on the story?
Do the events happen in time order? If not, why not?
Give examples of words chosen by the author to
describe (a character)? Are they effective? Why?
What impression does the author want the reader to
have of (a character)? How do you know?
What fiction genre is this book? What features of
the text tell you that?
Non-fiction
How is the information organised and presented?
Why do you think this order/these headings were
chosen?
Does the author have a viewpoint on...? How does
s/he show this?
How does the author feel about this subject? How do
you know?
Is the aim of the text to persuade or to inform? How
do you know?
Which word(s) does the author use to signal that this
is opinion, rather than fact?
Where would you look for information on...? How
could you use the contents/index/glossary to help?
All texts
Can you explain what effect the phrase has on the
reader? Which words create this effect?
Can you choose a section of the text that you
particularly liked? Why did you like it?
Is there a message in this book? What is it?
What do you like about this genre/author?