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Reading Response Journal
After reading, choose ONE of the following questions and write a response of at least 100 words. Use examples and explanations to support your thinking. Don’t forget to mention the title and author of your book.
1. How is a character in your book similar to a character in another book, story, or movie?
2. What does this book remind you of in your own life? Why?
3. What does this book make you wonder about? Why?
4. What just happened in your book, and what do you think will happen next? Why?
5. What character do you like most in this book and/or what character do you like least? Why?
6. What was one of your favorite lines (or sentences) in what you read today? Copy it down and tell why you liked it. (It can be more than a sentence if you like, but not too long�you still need to write 100 words of your own.)
7. Explain how the author creates suspense in this book.
8. How did what you read today make you feel? Why?
9. What do you think about a particular character’s actions? Was he/she right or wrong to do that?
10. What is confusing in this book? Why? (Be specific)
11. What advice would you give to a particular character? Why?
12. What do you wish could happen in this story? Why?
13. Do you think you would read another book by this author? Why or why not?
14. Which character would you like to be like? In what way? Why?
15. What other character(s) beside the main character is really important to the story? How and why?
16. Make up a motto that one of the characters seems to live by. How and why does this fit the character?
17. Which character would you like (or not like) to be your friend? Why?
18. If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be? Why would you change it?
19. What has surprised you in the book? Why?
20. What in the book upsets you or bothers you? Why?
Please note that one does not have to finish the book in order to respond to it. These are not necessarily “book report” questions. The questions focus on how a reader connects with or engages with a text. It’s how them make personal meaning of what they read. Also, although most of the questions best fit novels, some questions work just as well with non-fiction or informational texts (e.g., questions #2, #3, #6, #8, #10, #13, #18, #19, #20).
Response: How about some open-ended sentence starters:
I was surprised…
I wonder…
I wish…
I didn’t understand…
I learned…
Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?
What kind of person do you think would like the book you’re reading?
How does this book make you feel?
Is there anything about this book that you don’t like?
How did the author of your book get you interested in the story?
© 1998-
20102009200920082008 20072007 National Council of Teachers of English.
Joe Phan
Step 1
Begin your letter by identifying yourself. Your name and age are good starters.
Step 2
Tell the person how much you like his or her work. Be specific.
Step 3
Tell the person any special situations or stories from your life that relate directly to his or her work. For example, you could tell your favorite singer how his or her music helped you through a rough time in your life.
Step 4
Ask any questions you may have, but keep in mind that you may not get a reply if your celebrity is very popular.
Step 5
Conclude by wishing the celebrity luck or telling him or her how much you look forward to future work.
Step 6
Sign your name. Include your address if you’d like a reply.
Revolutionary War
- What is a revolution?
- What causes did people document for revolting?
- What happened as a result of the American Revolutionary War?
