Inky's Book Workshop — Author or Illustrator? (Kindergarten)

About this activity

Inky the octopus makes books with ink — both the words and the pictures — so when Inky writes a story about a brave little tugboat, draws a sleepy dragon, or reads a bedtime story about the moon, the child taps whose job that is: author, illustrator, or reader. It's a free, interactive Kindergarten reading activity that plays in the browser, with no sign-up.

The big idea is the two roles that make a book, the focus of RL.K.6. By matching the action (writing, drawing, reading) to the person, the child learns that an author and an illustrator are different jobs, and that reading is something the child does. The 'reader' choice keeps the activity honest — the child has to think about the job, not just flip between two answers.

It is aligned to Common Core RL.K.6 — naming the author and illustrator of a story and defining the role of each in telling the story. No timer, no score — just calm, playful practice.

What's inside this activity

• Designed for Grade K learners (ages about 5–6)
• Common Core strand: Reading: Literature
• Aligned to Common Core standard RL.K.6

How to play

Look at the job Inky is doing — writing words, drawing pictures, or reading.

Tap whose job it is: author, illustrator, or reader, then press Check.

A warm check confirms a correct choice and offers an easy retry when needed.

What your child practices

• Knowing that the author writes the words of a book
• Knowing that the illustrator draws the pictures
• Matching an action — writing, drawing, reading — to the right person
• Understanding the reader's own role in enjoying a book

Learning goals

Name the author and illustrator and tell what each one does — the focus of Common Core RL.K.6

Tell apart the job of writing words from the job of drawing pictures

Build the book awareness that early read-aloud and reading depend on