by Charlee Bee
If you worry about your child’s reading, story time can start to feel like a quiz. A short chat after reading aloud keeps it friendly. Start with a moment your child already wants to talk about, such as Gus sharing a cookie, Flossy hearing a hurtful comment, or Emery finding herself left out. Each scene gives you a different way in, and one good question is plenty.
For an easy first conversation, choose Kindness is Magic. Pick Flossy Stands Tall to talk about hurtful words and what a friend could say. Reach for Lulu’s Lesson if your child is curious about who gets left out of a game and what an apology can change.
Matching each story to the conversation you want
| Story | What you can talk about |
|---|---|
| Kindness is Magic | Small ways to notice someone and share. |
| Flossy Stands Tall | What to say when someone is teased about how they look. |
| Lulu’s Lesson | What it feels like to be left out and what can happen after an apology. |
Bubbly Books publishes these books. Purchases through their Amazon listings may earn book royalties.
Kindness is Magic: a shared cookie as the starting point
Gus starts this rhyming story with a frown. A squirrel has a message for him, and before long there’s a cookie to share with a friend. The cookie is a concrete place to start, something real your child can picture. Children can look at what Gus does and wonder what it means to the friend.
Try asking: “If Gus didn’t have a cookie to share, what else could he do to make his friend feel welcome?” You might get an answer as simple as making room beside him. Give your child time to come up with their own idea.
Flossy Stands Tall: what a friend can say when someone is teased
Flossy is a tall giraffe who enjoys school, spending time with friends and picking out outfits. When children at school make unkind comments about how she and her friends look, those words affect how she sees herself. There’s an apology in the story, and Flossy comes to feel proud of being herself.
Try asking: “If you were standing beside Flossy when the teasing started, what could you say to her?” A quiet “Want to sit with me?” can be as useful to talk through as speaking up in the moment. Your child can stay with Flossy’s story without having to share anything personal.
For more ways into that conversation, read the Flossy Stands Tall parent guide.
Lulu’s Lesson: how an apology can lead back to playing together
When Lulu is away, Emery misses her friend. The rabbit sisters taunt Emery and refuse to play with her. After Lulu returns, a spell gives the sisters a chance to feel what being left out is like. The sisters eventually apologise, and the story leaves room for readers to imagine what playing together could look like after that.
Try asking: “If the rabbits saw Emery by the stream the next day, what could they do to show they meant their apology?” If your child is more interested in the spell, follow that thread: what might have helped Emery before Lulu returned?
When your child picks a different book than you expected
Go with the one they want to open. A child who likes rhymes might pick Gus. One who notices outfits or wants a school story might pick Flossy. A child drawn to forest adventures might want to see what Lulu does. After reading, ask one question and see what your child brings up. In a classroom, children can talk about what a character might do without describing a classmate or a real incident.
For more books to share, browse Bravery, Wonder, and Kind Hearts or Tales of Emery the Skunk. The discussion prompts above are suggestions to try after reading.