FOR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS & ONE-MORE-STORY GROWN-UPS
You don’t need an actor’s voice or a different accent for every character. Pick one small thing to try, follow your child’s lead, and enjoy the next page.
Try it tonight
START SMALL
Use a favorite book you already own. These practice lines are original examples, so you can play with them on their own, too.
Try a slow, sleepy bear. Or a quick, curious mouse. Change the pace or tone, rather than pushing your voice louder or lower.
YOUR PRACTICE LINE
“Excuse me. Is this your sandwich?”
Say it as both characters. Ask your child which one should get the sandwich. The voices don’t need to be convincing to be fun.
When something unexpected is coming, leave a little space before it arrives. Give your child a chance to look at your face or the picture.
YOUR PRACTICE LINE
“Then, behind the door… a squeak.”
Read it straight through, then with a pause. Which version makes your reading partner lean in? Keep the suspense playful.
On a repeated line, read it yourself first. Next time, pause and invite your child to finish. They can say it, make a gesture or let you carry on.
FROM MY DAD THE WEREWOLF
“Suspicious. Very suspicious.”
They might want the big character voice. They might want to turn the pages. Either is a perfectly good part.
BEDTIME HAS ITS OWN VOLUME
A whispery monster can be just as much fun as a roaring one. Try a sleepy animal voice, a raised eyebrow or a slow look around the room.
Ask, “Silly voice or quiet voice tonight?” Keep sounds comfortable, skip surprise scares and let your child opt out. Preview a spooky story before choosing it for bedtime.
And on a tired night? Your ordinary voice is enough. This is time together, not a performance to get right.
LET YOUR CHILD SET THE PACE
Stop and look. “Show me what you noticed.” You don’t need a question ready for every page.
Offer them a familiar line, or let them choose who does a voice. You can also read it exactly the same way.
Let them. Joining in is an option, not evidence that the reading is working. You don’t have to turn the story into a lesson.
FOR THE “WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE?” MOMENT
Point to a safe everyday object. Make one guess about what it could be for, then a different one. Draw your ideas, tell them, or make each other laugh.
If your child wants a page of their own, the free Werewolf companion has read-aloud prompts and a detective case file. The activity works without the book, too.
Or bring home a very hairy “what if?” with the free Werewolf Dad coloring page. Color him together, try the little detective prompt, then come back for a fresh copy whenever you like. This friendly werewolf is an imagined extra, not a new story ending.
Get the free storytime companion2-page PDF · Ages 5–7 · Guide + drawing sheet · No signup required
Print page 2 for the activity. US Letter: actual size; A4: “Fit.”
No printer? An ordinary piece of paper works just as well.
OPTIONAL BOOK NEWS
Occasional book news and publication updates from C. J. Tell him how you read so future notes can be more useful. The ideas and downloads here stay free.