Three types of questions you could use in book discussions…
Factual – A factual question has only one correct answer, and can be found directly in the text.
Inferential – These questions require you to “read between the lines” or even “beyond the lines.” Making an inference requires the reader to combine prior knowledge and experience with passage information. Making an inference calls for using information that is explicit in a passage, determining which ideas are relevant to answering a particular question, and determining something that is implied by the information at hand.
Evaluative / critical– An evaluative question asks the reader to decide if s/he agrees with the writer’s ideas or point of view. The answer to an evaluative question depends on the reader’s prior knowledge, experience, and opinions. It can ask the reader to go beyond the text and apply their knowledge to answer “what if” or “should” scenarios.
Examples of questions you can use…
- Did the illustrations help you understand the story better? Can you show me an example?
- How did the pictures help you understand the mood of the story, or how the characters felt?
- Did you like the way the artist created the illustrations? Why/ why not? Which was your favorite?
- Does this book remind you of any other texts you have read? In what way?
- What do you think the author is trying to teach us?
- What was the problem in the story, and how was it solved?
- Imagine you had to come up with another solution for the character’s problem. What would it be?
- If this story had a sequel, predict for me what would happen. Why do you think that?
- Characters often change in books because things happen to them during the story. In the book youread, can you name a character that changed? Why and how did they change?
- Why do you think the author wrote this book?
- Some books have illustrations and other do not. How do you think illustrations support yourunderstanding of the story? (If your story had illustrations, did it help you? In what way? If it did not, can you identify a spot in the text where illustrations would have helped or added to your enjoyment of the story?)
- Did you agree with the way the author ended the story? Why or why not?
- Are you like the main or supporting character? Do you know of anyone who might be?
- What lesson(s) did a character learn in the story? Were you able to connect to that character based on the lesson they learned?
- What made you gravitate towards reading this book? Did you have any background knowledge (schema) about this text?
- As you were reading, did you ever find yourself surprised at the way a character acted or at an event the happened? Why was it surprising?
- Was there ever a point in the story where you could guess what was going to happen next based on the way the author was describing the setting or character actions?