You’ve heard about the benefits of book sharing – that it supports later literacy success and fosters positive interactions between children and caregivers. But let’s be honest – sometimes book sharing can feel repetitive and a bit boring for caregivers. You might find yourself reading the same old stories again and again, especially if you have a kid who goes back to the same book too many times to count. If this sounds familiar, you could consider going beyond the words in the book to creating an active conversation during story time, encouraging your child to engage deeply with the story, and allowing them to become the storyteller.
The idea is simple: the child becomes the teller of the story, while the adult takes on the roles of listener, questioner, and audience. Think of it like learning to play a sport: you don’t get better just by watching; you need to play and practice. Similarly, kids learn language best when they are actively involved in the process of reading, not just listening.
Below are a few strategies you can use at story time with your child.
| Book sharing strategy | Definition | Example |
| Sentence completion | This involves leaving a blank at the end of a sentence, and the child fills it in. This is great for books with rhyme or repetitive phrases. | While reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, you might say, “What do you see, I see a ____.” Your child can fill in the blank with “red bird.” This helps children with language structure and hearing the sounds in words. |
| Recall | This involves asking about events that have already happened in the book. This is useful for reinforcing the plot and helping children understand sequencing. | If you're reading a story about a little mouse on an adventure, you could ask, “What happened when the mouse went into the big house?” This encourages your child to recall key events and practice telling them back to you. |
| Open-ended questions/ comments | These focus on the pictures in the book. They’re perfect for books with rich, detailed illustrations and encourage children to express themselves. | In a book with a picture of a park, you might ask, “What’s happening in this picture?” Your child might describe the people playing, the dog running, or the swings moving. These cues help children expand their descriptive vocabulary and engage with the story’s visual details. |
| Wh- questions | These are great for encouraging your child to think critically about the book and learn new vocabulary. Wh- questions are ones that begin with What, Where, When, Why, or How. | For example, while reading a book with a picture of a tree, you could ask, “What is the tree holding in its branches?” This teaches your child to focus on details and helps them develop new vocabulary like “branches” and “leaves.” |
| Real life connection | This connects the book to your child’s real-life experiences. This helps children relate what they’re reading to their own world, deepening their understanding of the story and making it more meaningful. | If you’re reading a book about farm animals, you might ask, “Do you remember when we visited the farm last summer? Which of these animals did we see there?” This helps children connect what they’re learning from the book to their own experiences, and it encourages them to practice story-telling skills as they describe real-life events. |
How to use these strategies
The key is to make the book your child’s book – let them take the lead, explore the pictures, and respond in their own words. For younger children, sentence completion and open-ended questions might be especially helpful, while recall and real-life connection supports are great for older children. Remember that not all these strategies will feel comfortable for all children. For example, some neurodivergent kids may prefer a more open-ended approach to questioning, e.g. “I wonder what is going on here…?” Reading together is not a test, so keep it fun, light, and follow your child’s lead when they are communicating that they’ve had enough.
The great thing about using these strategies is that they work with almost any children’s book –whether it’s one with detailed pictures, a repetitive text, or a rich storyline. And it might make reading the same book 400 times a little more bearable.
If you would like more support with book sharing, CliniKids will be offering a short program launching in 2025. Please reach out to our team via clinikids.reception@thekids.org.au if you would like more information.
References
Lonigan C. J., Purpura D. J., Wilson S. B., Walker P. M., Clancy-Menchetti J. (2013). Evaluating the components of an emergent literacy intervention for preschool children at risk for reading difficulties. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 114, 111–130.
Whitehurst G. J., Arnold D. S., Epstein J. N., Angell A. L., Smith M., Fischel J. E. (1994). A picture book reading intervention in day-care and home for children from low-income families. Developmental Psychology, 30, 679–689.
Whitehurst G. J., Falco F. L., Lonigan C. N., Fischel J. E., DeBaryshe B. D., Valdez-Menchaca M. C., . . . Caulfield M. (1988). Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Developmental Psychology, 24, 552–558.