A Monster Calls Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
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A Monster Calls has 32 chapters · 224 pages
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Inside the journal: 32 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Written for this book Questions about this story, good after any chapter.
What is Conor dealing with at this point in the story? Explain which problem seems biggest to him and why.See all 32 questions ↓
About the book
A brilliant, graphic novel written by young but promising Patrick Ness. This is the story about 13 year old Conor and his mother who is dying of cancer. Conor has to face the cruelty of real life and learn to let his close and dearest go. When no human can help him Monster appears...
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A Monster Calls questions by chapter
We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. One question per chapter, across all 32 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
What is Conor dealing with at this point in the story? Explain which problem seems biggest to him and why.
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Chapter 2
How does Conor react to something strange or upsetting in your reading so far? What does his reaction tell you about him?
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Chapter 3
Based on what you have read, what might Conor do next? Use a detail from the story to explain your prediction.
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Chapter 4
Which detail about Conor's home or the places around it helps you picture his world? Explain how that detail affects the mood.
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Chapter 5
What have you learned so far about Conor's relationship with his mother? Choose a detail that shows why their relationship matters.
Example answer: I think Conor loves his mother and worries about her a lot. Her illness affects his life at home, and he pays attention to how she is doing. This shows me that her health is not just an adult problem to him. It matters because he wants her to be well and wants their life together to feel normal again.
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Chapter 6
How does the monster seem different from a monster in another story you know? Use only what you have learned about it so far.
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Chapter 7
Which feeling does Conor seem to have trouble putting into words? Explain what makes you think so.
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Chapter 8
What question would you ask Conor about something he has said or done so far? Explain why you want to know the answer.
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Chapter 9
Choose a word from your reading that helps describe fear or worry. What do you think it means, and which nearby words helped you understand it?
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Chapter 10
What might the yew tree mean to Conor beyond being just a tree? Explain your idea using what you know so far.
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Chapter 11
Where do you notice a difference between what Conor says and what he seems to feel? Explain the clues you found.
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Chapter 12
Who seems able to help Conor at this point? Explain what kind of help he might need from that person.
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Chapter 13
Which moment in your reading so far feels most real, even though this book includes a monster? Explain why.
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Chapter 14
How are other people's choices affecting Conor? You might discuss his mother, his grandmother, or another character you have met.
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Chapter 15
What do you think Conor wishes other people understood about him right now? Support your idea with a detail.
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Chapter 16
Find a word or phrase that creates a strong picture in your mind. Explain what you picture and how it shapes your view of Conor's world.
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Chapter 17
What does the story suggest so far about being brave? Explain whether Conor's actions fit your idea of bravery.
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Chapter 18
How does Conor respond when he cannot control what is happening? Describe what his response helps you understand.
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Chapter 19
What would you predict about Conor's next conversation with someone close to him? Explain how an earlier conversation gives you a clue.
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Chapter 20
Which character's behavior is hardest for you to understand so far? Explain what you would need to learn to understand that person better.
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Chapter 21
What have you noticed about loneliness in Conor's life? Explain how being alone might be different from feeling alone.
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Chapter 22
If you have reached a scene at school, how does it compare with Conor's life at home? If not, what have you learned about his life at home that might affect his school day?
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Chapter 23
Choose a word that seems important to understanding Conor or the monster. Explain its meaning in the story and use it in a sentence of your own.
Example answer: I chose the word 'monster' because it makes me expect something dangerous and frightening. In this story, the monster makes me wonder whether being scary always means being bad. I think the word helps create mystery because I do not know what to expect from this creature. My own sentence is: The monster's huge shadow covered the garden.
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Chapter 24
What seems fair or unfair in Conor's life so far? Explain your opinion using a specific detail.
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Chapter 25
How does the author make you want to keep reading? Discuss an unanswered question, a surprising detail, or a tense moment involving Conor.
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Chapter 26
What advice would you give Conor right now? Explain why that advice fits what he is facing.
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Chapter 27
How has your view of the monster developed from its first appearance to your current reading? Explain what has shaped your view, even if it has not changed yet.
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Chapter 28
What does Conor seem to hope for at this point? Explain how hope affects something he says, thinks, or does.
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Chapter 29
Do you think Conor would benefit from sharing more of his feelings with someone he trusts? Explain your opinion using what you have read so far.
Example answer: I think talking to someone he trusts could help Conor feel less alone. He is dealing with worry about his mother as well as frightening experiences. Sharing those feelings would not fix everything, but someone could listen and support him. I also understand why talking might be hard when he does not know how to explain what he feels.
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Chapter 30
Which relationship would you like to understand better as you continue reading? Choose someone connected to Conor and explain what you hope to learn.
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Chapter 31
What idea about truth is beginning to stand out to you? Explain how something Conor experiences makes you think about that idea.
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Chapter 32
Give your latest reading a short title of your own. Explain how your title connects to Conor's experiences or the mood of the story.
Discussion questions for after A Monster Calls
Bigger questions for when the book is finished, each printed on its own ruled page at the end of the booklet.
- How does Conor change from the beginning of A Monster Calls to the end? Explain which experiences and relationships help you understand those changes. Use details from different parts of the book, and discuss something about him that stays the same.
- What do you think A Monster Calls is really saying about love, fear, and telling the truth about our feelings? Explain how Conor's experiences and the monster's stories work together to develop your idea. Include details from the whole book and describe what the story helped you understand.
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How to use this A Monster Calls reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 32 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for A Monster Calls. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Questions about this story, good after any chapter. We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.