Ten Questions to ask about a Novel

Ten Questions to Ask About a Novel

Text Book Reflection

There are 10 questions developed by Richard Peck to help librarians and teachers make students think and reflect about what they are reading. These questions may help a student diffuse stereotyping, point out setting as an author’s device, give consideration to tone, discuss the characters, the sequential nature of chapters, personal connections to the literature, and observing book covers and titles. These questions help really dig deep into the story and would be perfect reflection questions for book clubs. The questions are:

1.     What would the story be like if the main character were of the opposite sex?

2.     Why is the story set where it is?

3.     If you were to film the story, would you use black and white or color and why?

4.     If you could not use all of the characters, which would you eliminate and why?

5.     How is the main character different from you?

6.     Would this story make a good TV series? Why/ why not?

7.     What one thing in the story has happened to you?

8.     Reread the first paragraph of Chapter 1. What is in it to make you read on? If

nothing, why did you continue to read?

9.     If you had to design a new cover for the book, what would it look like?

10.  What does the title tell you about the book? Does it tell the truth?

These questions would also be great to share with teachers as they work on novel studies and literature projects with students.