Children deserve great books and

they NEED better questions

Why?

A 2001 study examining the types of questions asked during elementary classroom lessons found that:

  • 93% of questions focused on literal comprehension, requiring students to simply recall information.

  • Less than 7% of questions asked students to interpret or analyze what they read.

  • Less than 1% of questions invited students to express attitudes, values, or feelings (Daines, 2001).

Recent studies (Blything, 2020; Josheph 2018; Soysal, 2024) indicates teachers still ask many factual/recall questions, with fewer questions that involve inference, interpretation, or evaluation.

High quality questions

As parents and educators, we can shift this pattern by intentionally planning high-quality questions that encourage students to think critically about text and evaluate ideas such as:

  • Perspective: Who is telling the story? Who else might tell it, and how might their version differ?

  • Bias: Are ideas presented fairly? What perspectives are missing or overrepresented?

  • Context: What can I learn about the time and place where the story takes place?

  • Connections to the present: How can this book help me understand the world I live in today?

  • Decision-making: How might this story help me make thoughtful choices about my own actions or views?

Good Books…Better Questions

This site provides sample questions that move beyond simple recall to promote critical thinking, analysis, and meaningful connections between text, self, and society. When using these questions:

  • Adapt them to meet your students’ developmental levels and instructional goals.

  • Provide time for reflection. Students accustomed to recall questions may need additional time to think deeply and respond thoughtfully.

  • Model curiosity and guide students in formulating their own high-quality questions. One of the most powerful outcomes of this work is when students begin asking better questions themselves.

Explore each picture book—you’ll find a short summary, a set of critical thinking questions, and a list of relevant Washington State Social Studies Standards to help you bring these powerful stories into your classroom.