Literacy Selections

Reading with your child at home helps develop their language skills, imagination, and love for stories. The following book suggestions come with questions for before, during, and after reading that encourage understanding and promote critical thinking skills.

"Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes" by Eric Litwin

Pete the Cat loves his new white shoes. As he walks along, he steps in various messes that change the color of his shoes, but he stays happy and sings about it.

Questions:

  1. Before Reading: What do you think this book will be about? Why do you think that? (Predicting)
  2. Before Reading: What do you think Pete the Cat will do with his shoes? (Predicting)
  3. During Reading: How does Pete feel when his shoes change color? (Connecting)
  4. During Reading: What happens to Pete’s shoes when he steps in different things? (Inferring)
  5. After Reading: Can you summarize what happened to Pete’s shoes? What was your favorite part? (Summarizing)

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff

A mouse asks for a cookie, which leads to a series of funny events as he makes more requests, creating a chain reaction of events.

Questions:

  1. Before Reading: What do you think will happen if a mouse gets a cookie? (Predicting)
  2. Before Reading: What do you think the mouse will want next after the cookie? (Predicting)
  3. During Reading: What does the mouse ask for after the cookie? How does that change what happens next? (Inferring)
  4. During Reading: How does the mouse’s request make you feel? (Connecting)
  5. After Reading: Can you summarize the mouse's adventures? What was the funniest thing he did? (Summarizing)

"The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats

This story follows a young boy named Peter as he explores his neighborhood on a snowy day, enjoying winter activities like making snowballs and footprints.

Questions:

  1. Before Reading: What do you think you can do on a snowy day? (Connecting)
  2. Before Reading: What do you see on the cover that makes you think it's about snow? (Questioning)
  3. During Reading: What is Peter doing in the snow? How does he feel about it? (Visualizing)
  4. During Reading: How does the snow change Peter's neighborhood? (Inferring)
  5. After Reading: Can you summarize what Peter did in the snow? What do you like to do in the snow? (Summarizing)

    Source:
    TeacherVision Staff. (2007, February 15). Questions Before, During, and After Reading. TeacherVision. https://www.teachervision.com/reading-comprehension/questions-during-after-reading