Reading Prompts
Reading Prompts are designed to promote active engagement with the text. These prompts were created with a team of educators as conversation starters for students to interact with their peers. They serve to motivate and support children's knowledge and comprehension skills.
Below are a list of books used throughout Kayla’s Knook workshops, with accompanying reading prompt questions to ask while your student reads out loud.
Reader’s Theater is a repeated reading method and research-based strategy that has been shown to increase children’s fluency. More can be found on the Reading Rockets website. Scroll to the end for links to Reader’s Theater scripts used throughout Kayla’s Knook workshops.
It's Okay to Make Mistakes
- Todd Parr
Q1) Mistakes are how we learn and grow. Have you ever had an uh-oh moment? What is something you have learned from a mistake you've made? Q2) Has something good ever come from a mistake you made? Q3) Do you ask for help when you make a mistake?
I Went Walking
- Sue Williams
Q1) Have you ever gone on a walk? If so, what did you see? If not, what would you like to see on a walk? Q2) The little child saw a lot of animals on the walk. Which animal was your favorite? Q3) What kind of places can you walk to? Who goes with you on your walk? Q4) Do you see different things depending on where you are walking? Q5) Do you take any supplies or items with you when you take a walk?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Eric Carle
Q1) This is a story about a caterpillar. Caterpillars become beautiful butterflies, but first they have to do a lot of eating! What kinds of things do you like to eat? Do you ever get a tummy ache when you eat too much? Q2) If you could become a different animal, what would it be and why?
But Not the Hippopotamus
- Sandra Boynton
Q1) Why doesn’t the hippopotamus join the other animals? Is she shy? Is she scared? Do you think she wants to join them? How is she feeling? How do you know this? Q2) It’s nice to include everyone. Do you think the animals will now invite the armadillo to play with them? Why or why not? Q3) Do you think the hippopotamus will invite the armadillo? Why or why not?
It's Not All Rainbows
- Jessika von Innerebner
Q1) Have you ever woken up feeling different (woken up in a bad mood) like Kevin? Q2) What did you do after you woke up like that? Did you try to change your mood? Q3) Do you think it is okay if you don’t have a perfectly magical day? Q4) What can you do to cheer up yourself or a friend who might be feeling down?
Sleep Tight, Sleepy Bears
- Margaret Wise Brown
Q1) What do you like to do to get ready for bed? Q2) Have you ever had a sleepover like Big Bear and Little Bear? Maybe with family or friends? Q3) Do you remember any of your dreams? What do you dream at night about? Q4) If you could sleep anywhere where would you? In a tent? In a bear den? Next to a lake? In a big bed with lots of pillows?
Goodnight Moon
- Margaret Wise Brown
Q1) What do you do each night to get ready for bed? Q2) The rabbit says good night to many things in his room. What are some of your favorite things in your bedroom? Q3) Does someone sing or read a story to you before you go to bed? Q4) What’s your favorite bedtime story?
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- Laura Joffe Numeroff
Q1) Raise your hand if you like cookies! What do you like do drink when you eat cookies? This is a story about a mouse that likes cookies, but asks for a lot more than just a cookie! Q2) How does the boy feel at the end of the book? How many extra chores does he do? How would you feel if this happened to you? Q3) If you were the boy in the story, would you give the mouse a cookie? Why? Why not? Q4) How does the Mouse feel after getting all the things he asked for? Q5) Would you run around gathering up all the other things the Mouse asks for? Why? Why not? Q6) What do you think might happen the next time the Mouse asks the Boy for anything? Q7) Sometimes things we decide to do cause other things to happen that we didn’t expect or that surprise us. Can you think of an example of that in this book? How about one not in the book?
Naughty Little Monkeys
- Jim Aylesworth
Q1) Have you ever done any of the activities that one of the naughty little monkeys did? Q2) What is your favorite thing to do at home? Q3) Tell me about a time you did something you weren’t supposed to do/Tell me about a time you played a trick on someone. Q4) These monkeys have a lot of sisters and brothers. Tell me about your family. Do you have siblings? Who do you live with? Do you have a big or small family?
Ladybug Girl
- David Saman and Jacky Davis
Q1) Lulu thinks she can’t find anything to do! What do you like to do when you have to play by yourself? Q2) Raise your hand if you have older brothers and sisters. Do they ever say you’re too little to play with them? How does that make you feel? How does it make Lulu feel? Q3) Lulu has a dog! Who here has a dog to play with at home? What do you like to do with your dog? Q4) Think about what was in Lulu’s room. Could she have found something to do there? What do you like to do when you are indoors? Q5) Lulu has lots of fun outdoors. What do you think she liked best outside? What do you like to do when you play outside? Q6) How does Lulu feel after her morning of adventures outside? Why? Q7) Her brother tells her she is too little to play. Does she still feel she is too little? Why not?
Boomer’s Big Surprise
- Constance McGeorge
Q1) Have you ever gotten a new puppy or cat? Or maybe a new baby in your family? Q2) If so, how did you feel when that happened? If you haven’t, how do you think you might feel? Q3) Have you ever felt left out like Boomer? What could you, or Boomer, do to feel noticed? Q4) In the end, Boomer and Baby became friends, what are some things you like to do with friends?
My Name is Yoon
- Helen Recorvits
Q1) Yoon's father wants her to know the English alphabet and to learn to write her name in English, but she doesn’t like the way her name looks. Why do you think she doesn’t like the way her name looks? Do you think it would be hard to move to new country that has a different language? Q2) We see Yoon in school. How does Yoon feel about being in school? Do you think her teacher likes her? Why? How does she make a friend? Q3) How does Yoon feel about her name at the end of the book? Why does she feel that way? Q4) Yoon likes use her imagination. She imagines what it would be like be named Cupcake! Why does this seem like a fun idea to her?
A Loon Alone
- Pamela Love
Q1) Who knows what a loon is? Explain. (A Loon is an aquatic bird that can mainly dive in water, and has difficulty walking on land.) Q2) This is a story about a loon chick swimming with its mother and learning to be a chick. This little chick is also learning about some scary larger animals in the water. It must learn to be careful. What does the loon learn? How do children learn to be careful so they don’t get hurt? Q3) The mother chick is always right there to protect her chick. Just like your mommy or daddy. How do all parents protect their babies? Q4) What animals threaten the loon? (snapping turtle, otter, moose, raccoon). Q5) What would you feel if you were separated from your mom/parent for a few minutes?
The Hello, Goodbye Window
- Norton Juster and Chris Raschka
Q1) The little child said she sometimes is happy and sad, like when she is happy to be going home but sad to leave her Nanna and Poppy. Have you ever felt like this? Q2) Look at the pictures in the book. How do you think the author created it? Why do you think he created the pictures like that? Q3) The main character did many things with the grandparents Nanna and Poppy. What kinds of things do you do with your grandparents? Q4) The little girl wants a hello, goodbye window in her house when she grows up? Why do you think she wants one? What is something you want in your own house when you grow up?
Kitty’s Special Job
- Patricia Jensen
Q1) Have you ever been to a farm or have seen farm animals? Q2) What’s your favorite farm animal? Q3) Do you like to sleep late like kitty? Or do you get up early like rooster? Q4) Do you have a special job to do around your house? What is it? How does it make you feel?
Mooses’s Loose Tooth
- Jacqueline Clarke
Q1) Did you ever have a loose tooth? What did it feel like? How did it fall out? Q2) Did you have to pull it out like Moose? Q3) Did you put it under your pillow? Did the tooth fairy come to your house? Q4) Loosing teeth is a normal part of growing up – what else is part of growing up?
How I Became A Pirate
- Melinda Long and David Shannon
Q1) Did you ever hunt for treasure? Q2) The pirates didn’t have any bedtime rules like brushing your teeth. Do you have bedtime rules in your house? Q3) Jeremy had quite an adventure. Have you ever had an adventure? Q4) What would your parents (grown-ups) do if you wanted to spend the day with pirates? Q5) Do you play soccer or another sport?
Skippyjon Jones
- Judy Schachner
Q1) Do you have any pets? What are they? Q2) Skippyjon Jones liked to pretend to be different animals – have you ever pretended to be an animal for fun? If you were an animal, what would you be and why? Q3) Skippyjon Jones pretended to go on an adventure to Mexico – where would you like to go? Who would you take with you on your adventure? Q4) Skippyjon wants to be as strong and brave as El Skippito. Do you remember a time when you had to be brave? Q5) Have you ever gotten into trouble? Have you ever had a “time out” in your room like Skippyjon?
Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus - Mo Willems
Q1) Have you ever been on a bus ride? Where did you go? Q2) Would you have let the pigeon drive the bus? Why? Q4) What would you like to ride in the most - a car, bus, or plane? Why? Q3) Did you ever try to convince a grown-up to let you do something? What happened?
George Washington’s Socks
- Elvira Woodruff
Q1) Would you like to time travel? Why or why not? Q2) Matthew, Quentin, Hooter, Tony, and Katie are characters in this book. Which character is most like you? Why? Q3) Have you ever been lost? How did you find your way home? Q4) Have you ever been camping? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not?
Oh, the Places You'll Go
- Dr. Seuss
Q1) Where would you like to travel to? Q2) When would you like to go? Q3) Why do you want to go there? Q4) Who do you want to go with? Q5) What do you want to see? Q6) How do you want to get there? Q7) If you could see anything in the world (real or make believe) what would it be (ex: Unicorn, Eiffel Tower)? Q8) How do you feel when someone leaves you behind? Q9) Have you ever gotten lost? Did someone find you? Q10) Have you ever waited a very long time for something? What was it? Was it worth the wait? Q11) What makes you scared? Q12) What do you think the author means by moving mountains? (You will accomplish great things, don’t get stuck in place, keep moving forward)
A Dirty Job
This Reader's Theater copy is downloadable by clicking on the title! Grade 5 (Upper), 8 Characters
Is Your Mama A Llama?
This Reader's Theater copy is downloadable by clicking on the title! Preschool - Grade 3, 9 Characters
Meeting Mrs. Pierce
This Reader's Theater copy is downloadable by clicking on the title! Grade 5 (Early), 9 Characters
There's A Werewolf In Town
This Reader's Theater copy is downloadable by clicking on the title! Grade 2 - 3, 18 Characters