What objects (such as books, records or photographs) can one of the characters peruse? (What do they add to the scene?)
What electronics (such as a TV or radio) can be switched on? (What station will be on?)
What smells are in the air? (Pleasant, foul, natural, man-made, etc).
What sounds can be heard? (Harsh, soft, brick-like silence, water, wind, etc).
What can be touched and felt?
What is the nearest object that can be picked up?
What is the most dangerous object nearby? (If a character went nuts what could be used as a lethal weapon?)
What kind of weather does the sky suggest?
What effect does the current temperature have on the characters and the setting?
What imperfections are visible? (No matter how well-kept the setting something must be imperfect).
What evidence of people not present in the scene are around?
How easy would it be for someone to spy on the scene?
How permanent is the setting? (Can you imagine how it will be destroyed?)
Compare and Contrast Questions
Have you read other similar books?
Have you read any books by the same author or with a similar theme, or set in the same time period? (Be careful with this topic not to stray too far into other books, otherwise the majority of the group may find themselves out of the loop listening to a small number of discussing the relative merits of books that the rest haven't read.
Questions About Structure
What is the genre of your book? Give examples that support your decision.
What literary techniques did you find? Flashback? Foreshadowing? Figurative language? Find examples of two of these techniques, and share.
Did the author create different moods? Find passages in the text that reveal two different moods, and share. Point out the words, phrases, and actions that helped create the mood.
Questions About Theme and Reader Engagement
How does the title relate to the story?
Discuss some points that the author is making about family, friends, feelings, nature, life experiences, or an historical period. Use details from the story that back up a point you’re making.
Does the book have a central theme? If so what? Does it have many themes? If so how do they interlink? Is one theme more dominant than others? Do the themes blend naturally with the storyline or do you feel the author is using his/her characters to labor a particular point?
Is the book's theme about a life lesson if so which one? Explain your position
Find the theme: Sum up the book with one word Then stretch the word into a message
What moral or ethical issues does your story raise?
Discuss what the author might have been saying about family relationships and offer support from the story to back your position.
What did you think the book was about?
Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations?
Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?
What are some of the book's themes? How important were they?
How are the book's images symbolically significant? Do the images help to develop the plot, or help to define characters?
Did the book end the way you expected?
Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friends?
What passage from the book stood out to you?
Did you learn something you didn ’’t know before?
Do you feel as if your views on a subject have changed by reading this text?
Have you had a life changing revelation from reading this text?
What major emotion did the story evoke in you as a reader?
At what point in the book did you decide if you liked it or not? What helped make this decision?
Name your favorite thing overall about the book. Your least favorite?
If you could change something about the book what would it be and why?
How does the title reflect the book?
Why was this book selected for discussion?
Would this book make a good movie? (cast the film)
What makes the book distinctive?
How does the language of the book help convey the theme?
Did the plot pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?
What feelings did you have as you read the story? Find some places that make you feel that way. Share and discuss these.
What passages strike you as insightful, even profound? Perhaps a bit of dialog that's funny or poignant or that encapsulates a character? Maybe there's a particular comment that states the book's thematic concerns?
Has this novel changed you—broadened your perspective? Have you learned something new or been exposed to different ideas about people or a certain part of the world?
Do you feel 'changed' in anyway? Did it expand your range of experience or challenge your assumptions (for example did it take you to a place you haven't been before or help you see a place you know in a different light?) Did reading it help you to understand a person better, or even yourself?
Is it possible to find a book interesting without 'enjoying' it?
If you didn't like it, why not, what what sort of person do you think would?
Do you think you might have enjoyed it more or less if you'd read it when you were younger or perhaps waited to read it when you were older?
Did you have expectations of it? If so did it live up to them?
Had you read reviews before reading it? If so, do you find yourself agreeing with the 'official' reviewers or not? Do you think the book jacket synopsis and jacket illustration do a good job of indicating the type of book it it?
Would you give it as a gift? If so, who would you give it to?
Can you see yourself reading it again?
Is this book a 'keeper' - if you had to halve the size of your book collection would this be one of the books that stayed or went?
What did you remember most?
What confused you most?
What do you want to know more about?
What surprised you?
When did you get distracted? (This is a good one, people will often have become distracted at some point. It might be your fault. If they can't answer this try)
What made you think about something outside the story?
What seemed least relevant?
Talking about a book no one liked
At what point did you decide to give up on the book and why?
What made you keep reading to the end?
Which character did you dislike the most?
Are any of the situations in this book realistic?
Does the dialogue sound natural?
What could the author have changed to make this a book you would have enjoyed?
Would this book have been better in another format? (i.e. as an audiobook or film)
Questions from passages read aloud
Select and read to the group a passage that you found meaningful. Explain why.
How did the story change your thinking? Or can you show how it validated or affirmed your thinking?
How did the story change your thinking? Or can you show how it validated or affirmed your thinking?
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