Reading Journal Questions

You are responsible to pick one question and answer it in your response journal. Once you have picked that question cross out the number next to the question. The next time you write in your journal you must pick a new (different) question. You may only use each question once. When all questions have been answered a new sheet will be provided. Write your answer in complete sentences.

Please put a heading on the top of each section in your journal.
Draw a line after each entry and use both sides of your paper.

Name_______________ Date_________________________

1. What is the title and who is the author of your story?
2. Titles can give clues about important ideas in a story. What clues do you notice in this story?
3. Describe the setting of the story you have read.
4. What is the main goal of the character or characters?
5. How does the character in this story reach their goals?
6. How is the character different from you? How is the character the same as you?
7. Does this story have a happy ending?
8. Retell the ending of the story?
9. Who was your favorite character?
10. The character I liked best was______. I liked this character because______.
11. What is the problem in this story and how is it solved?
12. Write a one paragraph summary of the story.
13. Is your story fiction or nonfiction? How do you know?
14. Would you like to be friends with the main character? Why or Why not?
15. What prediction can you make for the next chapter?
16. Choose one word that was new to you and write it down. What do you think it means? Give clues from the story.
17. Name one fact that you learned from reading a nonfiction story.
18. List 3 character traits of a character in your book. What details in the story make you describe the character that way?
19. Would you recommend this story to a friend? Why or Why not?
20. I was surprised when…
21. I didn't think…
22. I would have…
23. I noticed that…
24. I wasn't sure what the author meant when he/she wrote…
25. I didn't understand when…
26. The part that troubled me most…
27. I liked when the author wrote…
28. I was amazed…
29. The passage that had rich, colorful language…
30. I wanted to know more about…
31. I wonder why…
32. I wanted to continue reading because…
33. I was reminded of something in my life as I read…
34. As you were reading, what ideas went through your mind?
35. Has the author changed your mind about anything?
36. Which part of the reading seemed exciting?
37. I agree with…
38. I disagree with…
39. I feel sorry for…
40. Now I realize why…
41. I can't believe that…
42. What is the writer trying to say?
43. Explain a similar situation that happened to you…
44. Has a place in the story reminded you of a place you've been to?
45. Does a particular character annoy you?
46. Do you identify with a particular character?
47. Do you know any people similar to the characters in the reading?
48. Do you feel sorry for a particular character?
49. Did a character do anything outrageous?
50. I hated when the character said…
51. I admire a character for saying or doing something…
52. Explain how a character made a good choice.
53. Explain about a time when you changed your point of view about an event or character.
54. Could this story have taken place in another place?
55. Explain how a character made a poor choice…
56. Describe something that happened in the book that you would like to happen to you.
57. Describe a place in the book that you would like to visit.
58. Does this book remind you of another book you have read? In what ways are the books similar?
59. Write a poem that summarizes the story.
60. What do you notice about the author's style of writing?