Tell me the story

As you read new books or bedtime stories to your child, periodically stop to ask your child to recount what's happened in the story so far. Start with the main components: beginning, middle and end. Once she is familiar with this, she can try to make more specific recollections, such as: Who was the main character? What problem did the character have? How did the character solve his or her problem? What was the most exciting part of the story?