The Breadwinner Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
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The Breadwinner has 15 chapters · 170 pages
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Inside the journal: 15 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.
After reading this chapter, what have you learned so far about Parvana's life in Kabul, Afghanistan? How is her daily life different from yours?See all 15 questions ↓
About the book
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, 11-year-old Parvana has rarely been outdoors. Barred from attending school, shopping at the market, or even playing in the streets of Kabul, the heroine of Deborah Ellis's engrossing children's novel The Breadwinner is trapped inside her family's one-room home. That is, until the Taliban hauls away her father and Parvana realizes that it's up to her to become the "breadwinner" and disguise herself as a boy to support her mother, two sisters, and baby brother.
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The Breadwinner 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 15 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
After reading this chapter, what have you learned so far about Parvana's life in Kabul, Afghanistan? How is her daily life different from yours?
Example answer: I learned that Parvana lives in a place where the Taliban's rules control many parts of daily life. Her family has to be very careful about what they do and where they go. This is different from my life because I can go to school, leave my house, and speak more freely. Parvana's world feels much more dangerous and unfair.
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Chapter 2
So far, how do the Taliban's rules affect Parvana and her family? Use details from the chapter to explain your thinking.
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Chapter 3
What is one difficult choice Parvana or someone in her family makes in this chapter? Why do you think that choice is hard?
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Chapter 4
What does this chapter show about courage? Choose one character, such as Parvana, Mother, Father, or Nooria, and explain how that character shows bravery or fear.
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Chapter 5
Choose an important word or phrase from this chapter that helps you understand the setting or the characters' lives. What does it mean, and why is it important?
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Chapter 6
How are Parvana and Nooria alike or different so far? Use one example from the chapter or from earlier in the book.
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Chapter 7
What moment in this chapter made you feel worried, hopeful, angry, or surprised? Explain what happened and why it affected you.
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Chapter 8
What is the biggest problem facing Parvana or her family at the end of this chapter? What do you predict they might try next?
Example answer: The biggest problem is that Parvana's family needs to stay safe while also finding ways to get what they need to live. I predict that Parvana will keep trying to be brave, even when she is scared. I also think her family will have to work together and make careful plans because one mistake could be dangerous.
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Chapter 9
How does the setting, such as the home, streets, or market in Kabul, affect the mood of this chapter? Use details that help create that feeling.
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Chapter 10
What does this chapter suggest about friendship, teamwork, or helping others? Give an example of someone giving or needing help.
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Chapter 11
How does Parvana's role in her family change or stay the same in this chapter? What does this show about responsibility?
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Chapter 12
Pick one detail about food, clothing, school, work, or money from this chapter. What does it teach you about daily life under the Taliban?
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Chapter 13
What is one unfair rule or situation shown in this chapter? How do the characters respond to it?
Example answer: One unfair situation is that girls and women do not have the same freedom as boys and men under the Taliban. This makes ordinary things, like going outside or earning money, much harder. The characters respond by finding quiet, clever ways to survive. I think this shows how strong they are, even when the rules are unjust.
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Chapter 14
Which character do you understand better after this chapter? What new thought, feeling, or action helped you understand that person?
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Chapter 15
Now that you have finished the book, what message do you think Deborah Ellis wants readers to remember about hope, family, or survival?
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How to use this The Breadwinner 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, 15 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for The Breadwinner. 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.