Welcome to Kids Chapter Check-Ins, a space where we pause, think, talk, and write about great books together. Books are better together. So grab your book and let's check in. Hey readers, I'm so glad you're here today. Today is a choose your own check-in episode. That means that you can use this episode to think through any book that you might be reading right now. You don't need a specific novel, you just need your book and your brain. Some of you might want to write down a few things as you listen today. If that's the case for you, feel free to grab a scrap of paper or a few sticky notes. Let's get started. Today you're going to become a question collector. Strong readers don't just read the words on the page. They wonder as they read. They pause and think. Things like, what just happened? Why did that happen? What could that mean? What might happen next? It's kind of like having a conversation in your own head. Questions like these help you to keep your brain active as you read. The goal is not to have an answer for every question. The goal is to think, think, think. Let me show you what I mean. Imagine that you're reading a story where a character suddenly stops talking to their best friend. The author doesn't explain why. A question collector might think, I wonder if something has happened that I haven't seen yet. I wonder if they're feeling jealous. I wonder if this is going to create a bigger problem later on. I wonder why the character did that. Do you notice what's happening? When you're a question collector, you're not just reading, you're thinking and making connections. Now it's your turn. Open your book to wherever you've left off. As you read today, I want you to pause when something surprises you, confuses you, makes you feel like it could be important at a later part of the story, or just makes you curious. When that happens, stop and finish this sentence. I wonder. You can write down these questions or just keep them in your head. If you're feeling stuck, try this. On your paper, write down the five W question words. Who, what, where, when, and why. You can also write down the question word how. You can use these question words to help guide you in your question collecting. Challenge yourself to collect at least three questions as you read today. You can pause the episode right here if you'd like to try this out right now. Let's try and level up your thinking. Once you've collected your questions, I want you to look over your questions and ask yourself, which question do I think matters most to the story? Which question do I think I might get an answer to really soon? Which question might there never be an answer to? If you've chosen to write down your questions, keep them close by you while you're reading. It can be really fun to look back at the things that you were wondering about as you keep reading. Before we finish, let me ask you a question. Would you rather know exactly what's going to happen next in the book that you're reading? Or would you rather read a book that keeps you guessing and wondering until the end? You can think through this in your head or share out your answer with someone nearby. If you're reading or thinking with someone today, share a question that you've collected today. You might notice something interesting. You'll notice that different readers wonder different things. That's what makes reading so powerful. I am so glad that you've checked in with me today. More guided check-ins are coming soon, including episodes that are focused on specific novels. I'll see you next time. Thanks for checking in with me today. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow along so you don't miss our next check in. And remember, keep reading, keep thinking, and keep talking because books are better together.