Every time when you read:
- write down the pages you read (so that you know where you left off)
- write down something about the reading process (using bullet points) for example
* a brief outline of the plot (what happened in the story)
* something about the characters (your observations/thoughts)
* questions (what made you puzzled or something you want to learn more about)
* your feelings

While reading you think about these questions (these are here just to help you with the reading process)
 Who is telling the story? Is it important?
 Who are they main/secondary characters? Why are they important to the story?
 What are the major events in the story?
 What is the problem/conflict in this story? How is it resolved?
 Was the author trying to persuade, inform, or entertain you?
 What message did the author want you to get?
 What is the main idea/gist of the story?
 What happened in the story?
 What were the most important parts of the story?
 What was the turning point of the story?
 What does this paragraph/story/character remind you of?
 Have you read another story with similar characters/setting/ending?
 How did this story make you feel? 
 What lessons did you learn that you can use in your own life?
 What is the message/lesson of this story?
 What can you figure out that the author didn’t put in words?
 What is the mood/tone of the story?
 What do the character’s actions/choices tell you about him/her?
 What questions do you still have?
 What would you like to ask the author/one of the characters?
 What would you like to know more about?
 If you reread the book/story/passage what would you be trying to understand or figure out?