AGES:  Prereaders, beginning readers, older readers

MATERIALS:  Paper, small pictures (magazine cutouts, stickers, drawings), crayon or marker

Read a younger child's book first, making a list of objects mentioned in the story as you go.  Be sure to include object referred to on the first and last pages.  Collect small pictures of these objects to paste on a piece of paper in the order they turn up in the story.  You can draw the pictures rather than collect and paste them, or you can write the names of the objects for children who recognize the words.

Give your children the picture list.  As they read, they circle each object as they encounter it in the book.  When they circle the last object, they will have finished the hunt and read the book cover to cover.

For older readers, make a list of interesting words (ones you think they will have to look up) and short descriptive phrases from the book.  Your children will then have to read carefully or risk missing some of the literary fragments on your list.