Squished Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
Squished has 12 chapters · Grades 3–5 · 256 pages
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Inside the journal: 12 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 have you learned about Avery Lee’s life in her crowded family home? Explain how living with many siblings affects her day.See all 12 questions ↓
A printable reading journal for Squished: one question per chapter, with example answers.
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Squished 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 12 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 have you learned about Avery Lee’s life in her crowded family home? Explain how living with many siblings affects her day.
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Chapter 2
Based on what you have read so far, why does Avery want more space for herself? Explain what her wish tells you about her needs.
Example answer: I think Avery wants more space because being around so many siblings can feel tiring. She wants a place where she can have some quiet and make her own choices. Her wish shows me that she needs privacy, not that she dislikes her family. I can care about people and still need time alone.
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Chapter 3
From your reading so far, how would you describe Avery’s personality? Choose one action or line of dialogue that supports your description.
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Chapter 4
Looking at the pages you have read, how do the pictures help you understand Avery’s feelings about her busy home? Describe a detail that words alone might not show.
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Chapter 5
Which word or phrase in your reading best captures what life feels like for Avery? Explain its meaning and why it fits her situation.
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Chapter 6
At this point in the story, what do you predict Avery will do next to handle a problem she faces? Use a clue from your reading to explain your guess.
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Chapter 7
What does Avery’s interest in art help you understand about her so far? Explain why having something of her own to enjoy might matter to her.
Example answer: I think Avery’s interest in art shows that she is creative and has ideas she wants to share. Art gives her a way to express herself. In a big family, it might be easy to feel like just one person in a crowd. I think making art helps her feel like her own person.
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Chapter 8
Thinking about your reading so far, how do Avery and a member of her family see a situation differently? Explain what each person seems to want.
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Chapter 9
What message about family or personal space do you notice developing so far? Connect your idea to something Avery says, does, or feels.
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Chapter 10
Which of Avery’s choices in your reading do you agree or disagree with most? Explain your opinion and what you might have done in her place.
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Chapter 11
How well does the title Squished fit what you have read so far? Explain how it could describe both Avery’s home and her feelings.
Example answer: I think Squished is a good title because Avery’s home has many people sharing space. The word makes me picture everyone being squeezed together. It also fits how Avery might feel when her own wishes get crowded out by other people’s needs. To me, the title is about needing room for both your body and your feelings.
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Chapter 12
After your latest reading, what question would you ask Avery about her life or wishes? Explain what made you curious and how you think she might answer.
Discussion questions for after Squished
Bigger questions for when the book is finished, each printed on its own ruled page at the end of the booklet.
- How does Avery’s understanding of her own needs and her family change across the whole book? Compare her thoughts or actions near the beginning with those later in the story. Explain which experiences help her grow and what you learned from her.
- What do you think Squished is really saying about belonging to a family while also being your own person? Use moments from Avery’s story to explain your answer. Discuss how her love of art and her wish for personal space help develop that message.
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How to use this Squished 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, 12 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Squished. 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.
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