One of the best ways to engage little readers on a cold, blustery day is to work on their reading comprehension. By picking out a good book that sparks their interest, and incorporating a few questions about the content, you will start to see the wheels turning and your child think more critically about what they’re reading.
The example below is a story I personally know and enjoy, but feel free to pick any book you or your child really likes to work on comprehension! You can use the questions below as a base to create your own.
Anna and Otis Reading Comprehension Activity
Anna and Otis by Maisie Paradise Shearring
Anna and Otis are a pair of friends that I’m sure your reader will like to meet, and hopefully they can be found at a library nearby. This sweet story tackles the challenge of what it is like to be on the “outside” socially.
Anna’s friend Otis is a snake who spends a lot of time with her. Anna wants Otis to come into town with her, but both are concerned how others will treat them. When their fears are confirmed, they try a new tactic to make friends.
Read the story together and then use the questions below to get the conversation going with your reader!
- Can you think of a time when someone was nervous around you? Or nervous around somebody you knew?
- Why do you think people were mean to Otis?
- It’s easy to see how different Otis was from the rest of Anna’s friends. Can you tell me how he was the same as the other friends?
- Would you like to have a friend like Otis? Why? Why not?
Stay warm and happy reading!
