Which prompt is most effective for assessing a child's understanding of print concepts using a picture book?

The most effective prompt for assessing a child's understanding of print concepts using a picture book is asking the child to demonstrate how to hold the book for reading. This prompt directly engages the child with the physical aspects of print concepts, including understanding orientation, the front and back covers, and the correct way to navigate through a book. It reveals the child's familiarity with book handling, which is an essential foundational skill in literacy development.

By showing how to hold the book, the child demonstrates their knowledge of key print concepts, such as the direction in which text is read, the significance of page turning, and distinguishing between illustrations and text. This assessment goes beyond comprehension of content and focuses specifically on the mechanics of using a book, making it a targeted approach for understanding print awareness.

In contrast, the other options focus more on comprehension and personal responses to the story rather than the fundamental understanding of how books work. Summarizing the story, describing characters, and expressing a favorite part are all important skills but do not assess a child's grasp of print concepts as directly as demonstrating correct book handling does.