A starting point for discussion in reading groups or for students doing reading assignments (fiction).
- Explain the title.
- What category or genre do you think it fits into?
- What do you think the author’s purpose was?
- Something you liked about it.
- Something you disliked about it.
- Describe the setting.
- Which character did you like most?
- Which character did you like least?
- Describe one of the main characters.
- What changes does a main character go through?
- Describe one significant episode.
- What techniques does the author use to tell the story?
- How did reading it change you, or your views?
- What would you say to persuade a friend to read it or not to read it?
- Summarise it in one written sentence or a one minute speech.
- What feedback would you give the author?
- How might you have written it differently?
- What do you think of the ending?
- What happens, or should happen, after the ending?
- What would you want to read about in a sequel or prequel?
Students can be asked to select which 5 questions to prepare answers for, to ask each other in turn or to be ready to answer any of these in a class discussion.
The idea is to encourage students to engage with a text from different perspectives and to share their responses to it without simply re-telling the story.
Eddie Playfair 
very helpful.
Thank you very much.
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I love these questions, I have to ask questions about the Secret Garden for school and needed ideas. I’m very glad I read this blog post.
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Thx so much needed help for my book talk.🤓🤓🤓🤓
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It will really help me alot. I’m grateful
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thanks
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It help’s me with my book report thanks!!!!
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These questions are really great. Thank you very much.
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same
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these question are great but some of the questions i dont understand but ill try my best and thank you!
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very helpfull!!!
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Thank you so much for the entire set of questions. It will definitely be of great help to the students how to write a more comprehensive review.
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I love the questions you help me with my school
work
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thank you …very thoughtful questions and will be useful to use with twins I am tutoring
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It might be interesting to bring a little personal creativity to the book reading after answering most of the questions, by asking each reader to write a four line poem about the main character–nothing to be graded, of course–simply another way to look at the reader’s attitude toward the main character of a book.
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Helpful questions and ideas thanks
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I used to teach at University level and would have used this format for my students who were reading plays in my survey course. Great questions, too bad I’m retired.
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