Ways to use this list
- Guided reading groups: after each chapter, set Winners to 2 for one quick recall card and one card that needs real thinking.
- Prove it: whatever the card asks, the answer must include a page number or a short quote from the book.
- Reading logs at home: students draw a card and write three sentences in their reading journal instead of only logging minutes.
- Partner reading in grades 2–3: one partner reads a page aloud, the other draws a card and asks the question.
- Book clubs in grades 4–5 and up: deal one card to each member, so the talk covers character, setting and theme in a single meeting.
- Read-alouds: stop at a cliffhanger, draw a prediction or inference card and give partners one minute to turn and talk.
Press Draw a card, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a wheel, duck race, hat and more.
The full list (40 entries)
- What do the title and cover tell you about the book?
- What do you already know about this topic?
- What do you wonder before you start reading?
- Who is the main character, and what do they want?
- Where and when does the story take place?
- What is the main problem in the story?
- How is the problem solved?
- What happened first, next and last?
- Retell the story so far in three sentences.
- Which part was the most exciting, and why?
- What do you predict will happen next, and why?
- What words would you use to describe the main character?
- Which character would you like as a friend, and why?
- Has something like this ever happened to you?
- Find a word you didn't know. What do you think it means?
- Would you recommend this book? Who to, and why?
- What would you say to the main character if you met them?
- What questions do you have so far?
- How did the main character change from the beginning?
- Why do you think the character made that choice?
- How is one character different from another?
- What can you tell about a character from what they do, not what they say?
- How do you think the character feels here? What clues tell you?
- What is the author not telling us directly?
- Who is telling the story, and how do you know?
- How would the story change if it happened somewhere else?
- Which words help you picture the setting?
- What is the most important event so far, and why?
- What lesson does the main character learn?
- What message do you think the author wants to share?
- Why do you think the author chose this title?
- Find a sentence the author wrote really well. Why does it work?
- What might happen after the book ends?
- Does this book remind you of another book? How?
- What is the main idea of this section?
- What are two new facts you learned?
- How do the pictures or diagrams help you understand?
- Why did the author write this text?
- Which fact surprised you the most?
- What would you like to find out next about this topic?
📖 Related guide: How to pick students at random, fairly
Questions people ask
Do these reading questions work with any book?
Yes. They use general words such as "the main character" and "the setting", so they fit picture books, chapter books, novels and short stories. The Nonfiction button has questions for information books and articles.
What is the difference between literal and inferential questions?
A literal question has its answer written in the text, such as where the story takes place. An inferential question asks readers to work something out from clues, such as how a character feels. Grades 2–3 starts mostly literal, while Grades 4–5 & up leans on inference.
How do I get full-sentence answers with evidence?
Teach a simple frame: turn the question into the start of your answer, give the answer, then add "I know this because on page … it says …". Model it with a read-aloud a few times before students use the cards alone.
How many questions should I ask after a chapter?
Two or three is plenty: one to check understanding and one or two that need deeper thinking. Ten questions turn reading into a test, and students start hunting for answers instead of enjoying the story.