Today is rung 1 of 1 on this topic
How a book is put together
Can do: Names the cover, title, author, illustrator and page numbers, and knows what each one is for.
Why it matters
A child who knows an author is a person who decided things can ask why the author decided that — which is where comprehension starts. It is also how they find their way back to a page they liked.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Calls the person who drew the pictures the author, or cannot find the title on the front cover when asked.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Hand them any picture book. "Show me the title. Who wrote it? Who drew the pictures?"
Solid looks like: Points to the title and names both jobs, even if the names themselves are hard to read.
The full activity for this topic · 10 minutes
Book Detective
- 1On the first book, find the front cover, the title and the back cover together.
- 2Find the author's name and say the job out loud: the author wrote the words.
- 3Find the illustrator and say that job too. Often it is a different person — point that out.
- 4Open to the contents page if there is one, and use it to jump straight to a page.
- 5On the third book they do all four alone while you only watch.
If it's too hard
Two parts only — cover and title — until those are automatic.
If it's too easy
Add the spine, the blurb on the back and the page numbers, and ask what each one is for.
Say this
"The author wrote the words. The illustrator drew the pictures. Which one made this bit?"