Blended Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
3.8 out of 5, (6 ratings on Open Library)
Blended has 64 chapters · 314 pages
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Inside the journal: 64 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.
So far, what problem seems to be weighing most on Isabella, and what details show that it matters to her?See all 64 questions ↓
About the book
Piano-prodigy Isabella, eleven, whose black father and white mother struggle to share custody, never feels whole, especially as racial tensions affect her school, her parents both become engaged, and she and her stepbrother are stopped by police.
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Blended 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 64 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
So far, what problem seems to be weighing most on Isabella, and what details show that it matters to her?
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Chapter 2
In this chapter, how does moving between her mother’s home and her father’s home affect Isabella’s feelings or routines?
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Chapter 3
What detail about Cincinnati, Isabella’s school, or one of her homes helped you picture the setting clearly?
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Chapter 4
Describe a moment when Isabella seems caught between two sides. What makes that moment difficult for her?
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Chapter 5
What has Isabella said or thought so far about being biracial, and why might that feel complicated for her?
Example answer: I think Isabella feels like people want her to choose one side of herself, but she cannot do that because both sides are truly part of her. She has a white mother and a Black father, so her identity is connected to both of them. That could feel complicated because other people may not understand her whole story. I think she wants to be seen as all of who she is, not just one label.
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Chapter 6
What role does music or piano seem to play in Isabella’s life at this point in the story?
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Chapter 7
Which adult in Isabella’s life seems to understand her best right now? Use evidence from the chapter.
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Chapter 8
If you could ask Isabella one honest question after this chapter, what would it be, and why?
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Chapter 9
What do you predict Isabella might do the next time she has to switch between her parents’ homes? Explain your thinking.
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Chapter 10
Name one small choice a character makes in this chapter. What does that choice reveal about the character?
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Chapter 11
Compare the rules or expectations in Isabella’s two homes. How do they seem alike or different so far?
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Chapter 12
Choose a word or phrase from this chapter about family, race, or music. What do you think it means, and why is it important?
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Chapter 13
What emotions does Isabella show in this chapter, even if she does not say them directly?
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Chapter 14
How does Sharon M. Draper make Isabella’s voice sound like a real kid? Give one example from the chapter.
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Chapter 15
Which relationship in the story seems most complicated right now, and what makes it that way?
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Chapter 16
What kind of unfairness has Isabella noticed so far? How does the chapter help you understand it?
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Chapter 17
If you were Isabella’s friend at school, what kind of support would you offer her, and why?
Example answer: If I were Isabella’s friend, I would listen without acting like I already knew how she felt. I would also invite her to sit with me or talk when she needed a break from worrying about family stuff. I would not make jokes about her parents’ divorce or her race. A good friend should help her feel like she belongs.
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Chapter 18
What does this chapter suggest about how divorce can affect a child, even when both parents love that child?
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Chapter 19
How do differences in money, lifestyle, or space between the two homes affect Isabella’s thoughts or feelings?
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Chapter 20
What do you think Isabella wants most right now? Use clues from the chapter to support your answer.
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Chapter 21
Find a moment of humor, kindness, or warmth in the chapter. How does it change the mood?
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Chapter 22
How do scenes at school connect with what is happening in Isabella’s family life?
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Chapter 23
What does Isabella seem to be learning about speaking up or staying quiet?
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Chapter 24
Which character’s words or actions surprised you in this chapter, and why?
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Chapter 25
In what ways can the word "blended" mean more than just a family structure in Isabella’s life?
Example answer: The word "blended" can mean Isabella’s family because her parents are divorced and her life includes more than one home. It can also mean her identity because she is biracial and has more than one part of herself. I think it can even connect to music, because different notes can come together to make one song. For Isabella, being blended is not always simple, but it is part of what makes her who she is.
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Chapter 26
What prediction can you make about one friendship or family relationship? What clues helped you decide?
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Chapter 27
Describe one choice Isabella makes in this chapter. Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
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Chapter 28
What does this chapter show about the importance of listening carefully to other people?
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Chapter 29
How does Isabella react when people try to label her or put her into one group?
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Chapter 30
Choose an object, place, song, or piece of music that seems meaningful so far. What might it represent?
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Chapter 31
What is one conflict in this chapter, and why is it not easy to solve?
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Chapter 32
How does the author help you feel empathy for Isabella in this part of the story?
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Chapter 33
What new information did you learn about Isabella’s mother or father, and how did it affect your opinion of that parent?
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Chapter 34
How do stepfamily or extended family relationships affect Isabella’s sense of belonging?
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Chapter 35
Point to one detail that might become important later. Why did it stand out to you?
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Chapter 36
When characters disagree in this chapter, how do they handle it? What could they do better?
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Chapter 37
What lesson about assumptions appears in this part of the book?
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Chapter 38
Which setting in this chapter feels safest or least safe for Isabella? Explain your answer.
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Chapter 39
How are the choices made by adults influencing Isabella’s choices or feelings?
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Chapter 40
If this chapter had a title written by you, what would it be, and how would the title fit the chapter?
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Chapter 41
In what ways does Isabella seem to be changing from the girl she was at the beginning of the book?
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Chapter 42
What personal connection can you make to feeling between groups, places, or expectations?
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Chapter 43
What does the chapter teach about race or identity without sounding like a lecture?
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Chapter 44
Which character seems to need more understanding from others right now? Give reasons for your answer.
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Chapter 45
What would you write in a short note or text to Isabella after reading this chapter?
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Chapter 46
How does the tension rise or fall in this chapter? Describe the moment that changes it.
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Chapter 47
What important decision does someone make in this chapter, and what might happen because of it?
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Chapter 48
Describe the mood of this chapter. What words, actions, or events create that mood?
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Chapter 49
What does Isabella’s inner voice help you understand that other characters might not notice?
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Chapter 50
What question are you still wondering about after this chapter? Why does that question matter?
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Chapter 51
How does love show up in complicated ways in Isabella’s family?
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Chapter 52
What part of this chapter felt most realistic to you, and what made it believable?
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Chapter 53
If you could give advice to one adult in Isabella’s life, what would you say?
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Chapter 54
What does this chapter show about courage, even if the courage is quiet or small?
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Chapter 55
Pick one important word from the chapter. How does that word connect to a bigger idea in the story?
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Chapter 56
How is Isabella balancing what other people expect from her with what she wants for herself?
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Chapter 57
What possible theme is becoming clearer in this chapter? Use evidence to explain it.
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Chapter 58
How does the author use dialogue to show what characters are feeling or avoiding?
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Chapter 59
Which moment from this chapter would you want to reread, and what would you look for the second time?
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Chapter 60
How does Isabella’s view of family seem different now than it did earlier in the book?
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Chapter 61
What evidence shows that Isabella is learning more about herself or about other people?
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Chapter 62
How do serious topics and everyday kid moments fit together in this chapter?
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Chapter 63
What message about fairness, respect, or justice can you take from this part of the story?
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Chapter 64
After this chapter, what do you hope Isabella carries forward, and why would that matter for her?
Discussion questions for after Blended
Bigger questions for when the book is finished, each printed on its own ruled page at the end of the booklet.
- Across Blended, how does Isabella change in the way she understands herself, her family, and her place in the world? Write about the people, places, and experiences that help shape that change.
- What do you think Sharon M. Draper most wants readers to understand about identity, family, race, and belonging? Use moments from the whole book to explain your answer, and tell whether you would recommend the book to another reader.
More by Sharon M. Draper
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How to use this Blended 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, 64 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Blended. 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.
Browse: All books by Sharon M. Draper