Independent Reading Responses

One of your jobs as a reader is to respond to what is happening in your book in writing. One
important part of this assignment is to accurately reflect what you understand about your book,
and the other part is to explain your thinking about it.

Each time you write about your reading, you will answer at least one question. Use the prompts
or talk to me if there is a way you want to respond that is not listed below. Use the list of
criteria to further develop your answer and make sure that it is an accurate representation of
your reading comprehension AND your thinking.

Your Journals must include the following formatting:
--The due date of the journal must be in the upper right hand corner
--The title and author of the book must be at the top of the page
--The number of pages you read for the week must be included
--Include the number of the question you answer

Fiction Prompts

1. Is the main character similar to a character you found in another book? Describe the
similarities between the two characters.

2. Are there any connections between this book and your own life? How do these
connections help you understand the characters or the conflict?

3. Would you like to acquire a personality trait of a particular character? What is the trait
and why do you like it?

4. Is there an idea that makes you stop and think or prompts questions? Identify the idea and
explain your responses.

5. If your book took place in a different setting, how would that change the story?

6. How have you changed after reading this book?

7. What do you know now that you didn't know before reading this book? Why is this
important to you?

8. What questions about this book would you like answered?


9. Did the book end the way you thought it would? What clues did the author give you that
made you think that? Did you think these clues were important when you read them?

10. Did any characters change during the course of the book? How did they change? What
forces caused this change?

11. What is the mood or tone of the book? How does the author create that mood?

12. What other important characters are there in the book besides the main character(s)?
How are they important to the plot?

13. What do you think of a particular character's actions? Are they right or wrong? Why?

14. What were some of the events that created conflict in your book? What made these things
happen? Why?

15. What is the most important part of the book? Why?

16. What advice would you give a particular character? Why does s/he need this advice? Do
you think the character would accept your advice? Why or why not?

17. Do you think the author is asking you to judge one of the characters? What does the
author want you to think? What in the text tells you this?

18. Do you think the author is asking you to cheer on one of the characters? Why?

19. What was the author saying about life and living through this book? Explain.


20. If you could "jump" into your book right now, what would you do in the story and why?
Would your actions change anything that is happening?

21. What is the best thing about the main character? What is the best thing about the way
he/she dealt with the storys conflict/problem/issues? What is the worst thing?

22. What is the characters motivation for taking a specific action in the story? Do you agree
with this? Would you have reacted in the same way?

23. What can you learn from characters in your book and their experiences?

24. Assume the following are criteria of effective writing:
a. It captures your attention and hooks you
b. It makes you think even after you stop reading.
c. It paints pictures in the readers mind
d. It surprises the readerseems fresh, not predictable or clichd
e. It helps you reflect on your own life or world

Using these criteria, evaluate the quality of the book that you are reading
giving examples.

25. Copy lines from the book that you like or that stand out to you for some reason, and then
explain why the writing stood out to you.


Nonfiction Prompts

1. What information surprised you in your reading? How can you use this information in
your life?

2. What information do you question or think might not be correct? How might you check
it out?

3. What is the most important thing you have learned? Why is it important?

4. What techniques does the author use to make this information easy to understand?

5. Where could you look for more information on this topic? What else would you hope to
find out about the topic?