ESL Book Companion Activities for Children's Books

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Book companions turn a picture book into a full English lesson. Each set in this section is built around a popular children's title and includes reading comprehension questions, vocabulary tasks, speaking prompts and printable worksheets that you can use straight away – no extra preparation needed.

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For ESL teachers

Every book companion is structured as a ready-to-teach lesson plan for young learners, roughly CEFR Pre-A1 to A2. You get pre-reading warm-ups, during-reading tasks that check understanding page by page, and post-reading activities such as TPR games, craft ideas and speaking activities. The materials work in face-to-face classrooms, online lessons and small group settings, and most printables are designed to be reused with different books once your students know the format.

For parents and homeschoolers

If you read English picture books at home, these companions help you turn story time into active learning. Use the vocabulary cards to pre-teach the tricky words before reading, ask the comprehension questions while you read together, and finish with a short craft or guided reading activity. No teaching background is required – the instructions are written for adults who simply want to support a child's English.

How the lessons are organised

Companions are grouped by book title, and many of them are tied to a seasonal festival – Valentine's Day, Easter, Saint Patrick's Day and spring themes – so you can plan ahead and reuse them year after year. Pick a title below to open the full lesson plan with downloadable worksheets.

Book Companions is a collection of interactive ESL activities based on children’s books. These tasks help young learners understand stories, practise vocabulary, and develop listening and speaking skills in a fun and supportive way.

Each book companion includes a variety of online ESL games such as listen and choose, look and choose, simple comprehension tasks, and speaking practice activities. All exercises are designed for A1–A2 ESL learners and are suitable for classroom use or home learning.

Book Companions work as story-based learning support. Students do not just read or listen – they interact with the story, answer questions, make choices, and say sentences out loud. This approach makes reading more engaging and helps learners build confidence with English.

This category is ideal for ESL teachers, parents, and tutors looking for ready-to-use activities based on popular children’s books. No preparation is needed – just open a task and start learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a book companion?

A book companion is a set of teaching materials built around a specific children's book. It usually includes pre-reading warm-ups, vocabulary tasks, comprehension questions, speaking prompts and post-reading activities like crafts or short writing. The aim is to turn one picture book into a full ESL lesson without extra preparation.

What level are these book companions for?

Most book companions on this page are designed for young learners at CEFR Pre-A1 to A2 level. The vocabulary, sentence length and task formats are chosen for children who are starting to read in English, typically ages 5 to 10. Some activities can be adapted up to A2-B1 for older beginners.

Do I need to own the book to use the companion?

It helps to have access to the book, since the activities are designed around the story. You can use a physical copy, a library borrow, or a read-aloud video on YouTube. Some tasks like vocabulary cards and crafts can still be used as standalone resources even without the book.

Can parents use book companions at home?

Yes. Book companions are written so that any adult can use them, not only trained teachers. Pre-teach the vocabulary cards before reading, ask the comprehension questions while you read together, and finish with a short craft or speaking task. No teaching background is needed.

Are these book companions tied to festivals?

Several of them are. Current titles cover Valentine's Day, Easter, Saint Patrick's Day and spring themes, which means you can use them as seasonal lessons and reuse them every year at the same time. They pair well with materials from the Festivals section.