Comprehension is the foundation of a good reader, and the story map is the foundation of comprehension. A story map simply organizes the parts of a story:

• Characters — who is in the story?
• Setting — where and when does it take place?
• Problem & solution — what challenge does the character face, and how is it resolved?
• Plot — how does the story unfold?

One of those parts shows up on reading tests more than any other: the problem. Without a problem there's no conflict, and without conflict there's no story — which is why "identify the problem in this passage" is practically a fixture of reading tests from second grade on.

Where story problems come from

A story's problem usually grows out of opposing circumstances: conflicting thoughts or beliefs, different reactions to the same situation, or an unexpected challenge or misunderstanding. Helping your child name that friction is the skill.

A test-style example

A reading test might give a passage like this:

Sarah and Judy both have the same friend, Sally. Sally invited Sarah to her birthday party but did not invite Judy. Sarah is excited for the party, but Judy is not.

A strong reader recognizes the problem immediately: Judy was not invited to the party while Sarah was. But notice the deeper layer — to fully feel the problem, the reader has to use their own experience to infer how Judy feels: probably sad, probably left out. Identifying the problem and inferring its emotional weight are what the follow-up questions ("Why is Judy upset?") are really testing.

Practice it anywhere, no book required

The best practice for problem-and-solution doesn't need a story at all — it needs your real life. When something goes sideways, narrate it as a problem–solution pair:

• Problem: your child's sports uniform is dirty on game day. Solution: call the coach to ask if they can play without it, or borrow a spare.
• Problem: your child doesn't understand the homework. Solution: call a classmate for help, or circle the confusing part to ask the teacher tomorrow.

Doing this a few times a week teaches two things at once: how to recognize problems and solutions on a reading test, and how to problem-solve in real life.

One rule to remember

Reading test questions about problems almost always ask why — why is this a problem, why does the character feel this way, why does it matter to the story? So whenever you practice, push past what and get your child explaining why. A child who can say why something is a problem is ready for every version of the question the test will throw at them.