How to be the best mystery reader

3 tips to give the story time performance of a lifetime

Mar 27, 2025

Getting invited to be a mystery reader is both thrilling and nerve-racking. On one hand, sharing a kid’s book with your kid’s class sounds lovely. But it also feels like a lot of pressure. For 15-30 minutes, you’re supposed to inspire a group of children with your reading.

If you want your kid’s classmate, Anya, to go home raving to her parents about what an amazing mystery reader you are, buckle in. We’re going to make that pipe dream a reality.

Choose the right book.

What’s the right book? The right book is age-appropriate, has beautiful pictures, and one you enjoy reading. The easiest thing is to pick a book beloved to both you and your kid. It’ll make it much easier to practice. Depending on the size of the group, you’ll want to think about the balance of illustration and text—the bigger the group, the more important it will be that the images are visible and compelling. If you’d like more ideas, of course, check out this newsletter for books I’ve recommended in the past. If you’d like more personal help, send me a note (just reply to this email!) and I’d love to help you find the perfect book.

No matter what though, and I can’t emphasize this enough, picking a book you enjoy reading will win you 80% of the battle. The enthusiasm and joy you get out of it will shine through and attract the kids like bees to pollen.

Call out the whole book.

There’s an excellent book called Reading Picture Books With Children* by Megan Dowd Lambert that delves into how we can engage children and give them a voice in interpreting the pictures and stories they’re reading. In her book, she mentions the Whole Book Approach which focuses on identifying all the different elements of the reading experience of a picture book: not just the plot, but thinking about the words. Not just observing the pictures but the colors used, the medium of the art, etc.

It’s about opening up the entire reading experience to the children, hearing what they have to say about it, and promoting critical thinking. Depending on the amount of time you have to read the book, you’ll want to balance the flow of conversation. If you’re there to read a book and nothing else, then go ahead and just read the book. But if you have time to engage with the little ones, by all means, do!

To keep things on track or if you’re worried about going off track, pre-identify a few questions you’d want to ask: “How do you think [character] is feeling?" and, as a follow-up, “What makes you say that?”

Practice.

I know this is boring, not fun advice but don’t forget to practice. If you’ve chosen a book you’ve read a dozen times before, it may feel like you’ve already gotten practice but I promise, it’s a little different when you’re reading to an audience of 10+ kids who you are unfamiliar with.

First of all, slow dowwwnnn. We tend to speak much faster when we’re presenting, so purposefully slow down. Channel (the total lack of) urgency a toddler has when you need to head out the door pronto. Dialing it way back may make you think you’re talking like a sloth but I promise it is not as slow as you think it is and it helps kids process everything you’re saying.

Second of all, add some personality. Bring characters to life—if you feel comfortable, give characters different voices. If that’s outside your comfort zone, consider bringing audio effects where appropriate or changing your tone to keep it compelling. If the character is whispering, bring your voice down to a loud whisper; if the character is yelling, do a low yell. Make it a full-bodied experience.

And, most importantly, let your enthusiasm for being there and getting a chance to read to the kids come through. Smile. Have fun! And then go treat yourself for a job well done! Preferably by buying a book. 😉