Ten Questions to Ask about a Novel, by Richard Peck

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

2. Why is this story set where it is (not what is the setting)?

3. If you were to film this story, what characters would you eliminate if you couldn’t use them all?

4. Would you film this story in black and white or in color?

5. How is the main character different from you?

6. Why would or wouldn’t this story make a good TV series?

7. What’s one thing in this story that’s happened to you?

8. Reread the first paragraph of Chapter 1. What’s in it that makes you read on?

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

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

(I’m going to start asking these to my daughter after we read a book.)