Watching the movie version of a book may not immediately sound like a great way to boost reading skills. But for third graders, being able to “describe the characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events” is a key reading skill under the Common Core Standards. After your child has read these third grade books, watch the movie together, and ask your child to explain how the characters are different on the page and on the screen.