When you read a great book, is watching the movie really a good next step? The answer is a resounding yes. In fourth grade, making connections between a written story and a visual or oral presentation of the story and describing a story’s themes, characters, and events are key reading skills under the Common Core Standards. After your child has read a book and seen the movie, practice these skills by talking about how the two compare. For example, ask: Did you like the book or the movie better? Why? How are they different? How are the characters different in the movie than you imagined them while reading the book? What would you have done differently with the characters? Why?