how to write a book report for 6th grade

Subject Explorer

School Subjects

Math & Science

Business & Technology

Electives & Health

Board & Administration

Teaching & Learning

Audio/Video Lectures

Books & Documents

Classifieds

Jobs & Resources

Discussions

Language & Literature

5th and 6th Grade Written Book Report Instructions

Student instructions for writing a book report in fifth and sixth grade. Includes the number of paragraphs in the report and three or four things to include in each paragraph.

Sign in to rate this resource.

Categories:

Resource Type:

Pass it on:

Related Items

July 2024 annual report, more from this series: karen’s upper elementary language arts resources.

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 5

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 5. Students find and identify subjects, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. …

Grace 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 10

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 10. Students find direct objects, label parts of speech, fix errors in punctuation and capitalization, and diagram sentences. …

Student instructions for writing a book report in fifth and sixth grade. Includes the number of paragraphs in the report and three or four things to include in each paragraph. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 8

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 8. Students add punctuation marks to sentences, find errors in punctuation and capitalization, and select the correct verb tense. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 2

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 2. Students find subjects and verbs, make nouns plural, find and fix errors in sentences , and find and categorize common and proper nouns. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 7

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 7. Students find the correct verb tense, add punctuation to finish sentences, and change nouns to plural and possessive. …

Punctuation Posters

These images show the laminated posters where students write rules about apostrophes, underlining, capitalization, and commas. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 9

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 9. Students circle the correct homophones and identify the proper usage of can/may, less/fewer, among/between, and amount/number in sentences. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 4

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 4. Students do a variety of work with pronouns. …

Grade 5 Language Practice Sheet Test 3

A practice paper for A Beka Language Grade 5, Test 3. Students find subjects and verbs, make nouns plural, identify different types of sentences and add the correct punctuation, write specific types …

Leave a Reply

× Do you know these Musicians from their Movies?

How to Write a 6th Grade Book Report

Writing a book report can be an exciting opportunity for 6th graders to delve into a new story and express their thoughts and opinions about it. However, it can also be a challenging task, especially for those who are just beginning to develop their writing skills. In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing a 6th grade book report, providing you with tips, guidelines, and examples to help you create an outstanding report.

1. Read the Book Carefully Before you begin writing your book report, read the book thoroughly, paying attention to the characters, plot, and key themes. Take notes as you read, highlighting important passages or quotes that you may want to include in your report.

2. Understand the Requirements Familiarize yourself with the requirements of your assignment. Read the instructions provided by your teacher to understand what elements should be included in your report, such as the length, format, and specific questions you need to answer.

3. Start with an Introduction Begin your book report by introducing the book and its author. Include relevant information, such as the title, publication date, and a brief summary of the plot. You can also mention the genre or any awards the book has received.

4. Summarize the Plot In the body of your book report, summarize the main events of the story. Focus on the key moments and explain how they contribute to the overall plot. Be concise and avoid giving away too many spoilers, as the purpose of your report is to engage the reader and encourage them to read the book themselves.

5. Discuss the Characters Next, analyze the main characters in the book. Describe their personalities, motivations, and development throughout the story. You can also mention any relationships or conflicts between characters and explain how they impact the plot.

6. Explore the Themes Identify and discuss the main themes or messages conveyed in the book. Themes can be moral lessons, social issues, or personal growth. Support your analysis with examples from the text, such as quotes or specific scenes.

7. Evaluate the Writing Style Evaluate the author’s writing style and the effectiveness of their storytelling techniques. Comment on the language used, the pacing of the story, and the author’s ability to engage the reader. Explain how these elements contribute to your overall enjoyment or understanding of the book.

8. Share Your Opinion Express your personal opinion about the book. Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? What were your favorite parts, and what could have been improved? Back up your opinions with specific examples and explain how the book has influenced your own thoughts or feelings.

9. Conclusion End your book report with a concluding paragraph summarizing your main points. Restate your overall opinion of the book and provide a final thought or recommendation. Encourage your readers to give the book a chance and explain why it is worth their time.

Q: How long should a 6th grade book report be? A: The length of a 6th grade book report may vary depending on the specific requirements provided by your teacher. However, a general guideline is to aim for around 500-800 words. Make sure to check with your teacher for any specific word count expectations.

Q: Can I use quotes from the book in my report? A: Yes, using quotes from the book can add credibility and support to your analysis. However, be selective and choose quotes that are relevant and impactful. Make sure to properly cite the quotes using the author’s name and page number.

Q: Do I need to include a bibliography or works cited page? A: In most cases, a 6th grade book report does not require a full bibliography or works cited page. However, if you use external sources or references, make sure to include proper citations within the text of your report.

Q: Can I include spoilers in my book report? A: While it is important to provide a summary of the plot, try to avoid giving away major spoilers that could ruin the reading experience for others. Focus on the main events and key moments without revealing too much about the ending or major plot twists.

Q: How should I structure my book report? A: A typical structure for a 6th grade book report includes an introduction, body paragraphs discussing the plot, characters, themes, and writing style, and a conclusion summarizing your main points. However, always follow the specific structure and guidelines provided by your teacher.

Writing a 6th grade book report can be an enjoyable and educational experience. By following these guidelines and tips, you will be able to analyze a book thoroughly and express your thoughts and opinions effectively. Remember to read the book carefully, understand the requirements, and provide a well-structured and thoughtful report. Happy reading and writing!

Related Posts

What is led smart tv, who was the best charlie chan, james stewart dean martin western, step 6 and 7 in the big book, how to turn on hisense tv, grand central murder (1942), drop zone cast, how heavy is a 60 inch tv, thomas newman a man called otto, the disappearance of abby hernandez movie, differences between the giver book and movie, what is a wpa2 passphrase for vizio tv, tv shows with karime pindter, programs shown by sony sab, the movie cast us marshals, how to protect tv screen from breaking, big sky river the movie cast, how tall is king kong 2021, romance is a bonus book review, how long does it take for film to expire.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Arts and Entertainment

A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Book Report (with Examples)

Last Updated: June 25, 2024 Fact Checked

• Researching
• Drafting the Report
• Reviewing & Revising

Sample Book Reports & Summaries

Expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,426,267 times.

A book report is a short essay that summarizes and analyzes a work of fiction or nonfiction. Writing a book report may not seem fun at first, but it gives you a great chance to fully understand a work and its author. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to write a book report, from choosing a book and outlining to drafting and editing your final paper.

Things You Should Know

• Read the entire book and take notes on important themes, characters, and events. Use your notes to create an outline with evidence that supports your analysis.
• Include the title and author in your intro, then summarize the plot, main characters, and setting of the book.
• Analyze the author’s writing style, as well as the main themes and arguments of the book. Include quotes and examples to support your statements.

Researching Your Book Report

• For example, find out if your teacher wants you to include citations, such as page numbers from the book, in your report.
• Ask your teacher how much of your paper to devote to summary versus analysis. Most book reports are direct summaries with objective analysis rather than your personal opinions. In contrast, a book review or commentary is more opinion-driven.

• Some popular books for book reports include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Choose a book at your grade level.

• Author: Who wrote the book? Do you know any other works by this author?
• Genre: Is the book fiction or nonfiction? If it’s fiction, is it historical, fantasy, horror, etc.? If it’s nonfiction, is it a biography, memoir, science, etc.?
• Audience: Who would find this book appealing? Is it intended for a specific age range or gender? Do you typically enjoy books like this?
• Title: Does the title catch your interest? Does it fit well with the book’s content?
• Book Cover/Illustrations: What does the book cover convey and does it accurately represent the book? How do you feel when you look at it? If the book has illustrations, what are they and do they hold your interest?

• Take breaks while reading to keep your attention sharp. Try to find a pace that is comfortable for you. If you get distracted after 15 minutes, read in 15-minute intervals. If you can go an hour, read for an hour at a time.
• Give yourself enough time to read the entire book. It’s very difficult to write a book report if you’ve just skimmed over everything. Don’t procrastinate!
• Don’t trust online book summaries. You can’t guarantee that they are accurate or true to the text.

• For example, look for a sentence that clearly describes a main setting in the book, such as “The castle was gloomy and made out of large black stones.”

Outlining Your Book Report

• Introduction: Introduce the title, author, and publication information. Include a brief overview of the book’s genre and main theme, and state your purpose for writing the report.
• Summary: Concisely summarize the plot or central idea, highlighting main events, characters, and conflicts. Focus on important aspects while avoiding spoilers.
• Analysis and Evaluation: Evaluate the author’s writing style and use of literary devices, like foreshadowing, metaphors, imagery, etc. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the book and use quotes and examples from the text.
• Themes and Messages: Identify the book’s main themes or messages and how they develop through the course of the book. Provide specific quotes and examples.
• Character Analysis: Analyze the main characters in the book, their development, and their relationships. Explain their motivations, personalities, and significance to the story. Provide examples and quotes to support your analysis.
• Personal Reflection: Depending on your teacher’s instructions, you might share your personal opinions and discuss what you liked and disliked about the book. Reflect on how the book relates to broader themes or issues.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and conclude with your final thoughts or reflections on the book.
• Bibliography: If required, include a works cited page or bibliography listing all the sources you used to write your book report.
• Outlining takes time, but it saves you more time once you reach the editing stage.
• Some people prefer to outline with pen and paper, while others just type up a list on the computer. Choose the method that works best for you.

• Be careful not to overuse quotes. If it seems like every other line is a quote, try to dial back. Aim to include a maximum of one quotation per paragraph. Quotes and examples should still take a backseat to your summary.

• For example, you’ll likely need to focus primarily on discussing the most important characters or the characters that appear most frequently in the text.
• When you are finished with your outline, go back through it to see if it makes sense. If the paragraphs don’t flow into one another, move them around or add/delete new ones until they do.
• Also, check to see if your outline covers all of the major elements of the book, such as the plot, characters, and setting.

Writing Your Book Report

• For example, a sentence summary might state, “This book is about the main character’s journey to Africa and what she learns on her travels.”
• Don’t take up too much space with your introduction. In general, an introduction should be 3-6 sentences long, though in rare cases, they may be longer or shorter.

• Use vivid language when you can and include plenty of details. For example, you might write, “The farm was surrounded by rolling hills.”

• For instance, if the main character moves to Africa, you might describe what happens before the move, how the move goes, and how they settle in once they arrive.

• For example, you might write that the main character is “a middle-aged woman who enjoys the finer things in life, such as designer clothes.” Then, connect this description to the plot summary by describing how her views change after her travels, if they do.
• Expect to introduce the characters in the same sentences and paragraphs as the plot introduction.

• You might write, “The author argues that travel gives you a new perspective. That is why her main characters all seem happier and more grounded after visiting new places.”
• For fiction, determine if the author is using the story to pass along a certain moral or lesson. For example, a book about an underdog athlete could encourage readers to take chances to pursue their dreams.

• For example, an author who uses lots of slang terms is probably going for a hip, approachable style.

• Some teachers require, or strongly suggest, that you include the author’s name and the book title in your concluding paragraph.
• When writing a conclusion , don’t introduce any new thoughts. Any important points should be made in your body paragraphs. Save the space for your recap.

Reviewing and Revising Your Book Report

• Before you submit your paper, make sure that you’ve spelled the author’s name and any character names correctly.
• Don’t trust your computer’s spell check to catch all the errors for you. Spell check can be helpful, but it isn’t perfect and can make mistakes.

• If you’re nervous about asking, try saying something like “It would be great if you could go over my book report and make sure that it reads smoothly.”
• Remember, no one’s first draft is perfect, so don’t get upset if someone suggests you do something differently. They want to help make your report the best it can be, so don’t take constructive criticism personally.

• For example, double-check that you are using the correct font, font size, and margins.
• Once you've finished proofreading, revising, and checking that you've addressed all the requirements, you're ready to submit your book report!

• Even though your book report is your own work, avoid using “I” too much. It can make your writing feel choppy. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• It might be tempting to watch the movie or read the online notes instead of reading the book. Resist this urge! Your teacher will be able to tell the difference. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Calm down and walk around if you get too frustrated while writing. If you write a book report while angry, you're more likely to misspell things!
• Choose a unique book. Harry Potter or Percy Jackson is an absolute no. Everyone chooses those. Try something different!
• Write when anything comes to mind! You don't want to lose your ideas!

• Give yourself plenty of time to write your report. Don’t wait until the last minute or you may feel rushed. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Stealing or using another person’s work is considered plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Make sure that the work you submit is all your own. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.aresearchguide.com/write-book-report.html
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
• ↑ https://grammark.org/how-to-write-a-book-report/
• ↑ https://takelessons.com/blog/steps-to-writing-a-book-report
• ↑ https://www.infoplease.com/homework-help/homework-center-writing-book-report
• ↑ https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-setting
• ↑ https://www.tcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/archive/writing-center-handouts/essay-types-plot-summary.pdf
• ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/six-steps-to-really-edit-your-paper/

About This Article

To write a book report, start by introducing the author and the name of the book and then briefly summarizing the story. Next, discuss the main themes and point out what you think the author is trying to suggest to the reader. Finally, write about the author’s style of writing, paying particular attention to word choice and the overall tone of the book. For tips on editing and polishing your paper before turning it in, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Louise Pena

May 17, 2016

Did this article help you?

Ashley Egerage

Nov 13, 2017

Aug 20, 2016

Charlotte Arney

Mar 10, 2023

Nov 16, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

AI-free content

20 Day Money Back

Project Types We Cover

• Admissions Essay
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Research Paper
• Book Reviews
• Personal Statement
• Ph.D Dissertation
• Proofreading

Academic Fields & Subjects

• Programming
• Computer Science
• Other projects we help with
• Our Experts
• Plagiarism Checker

How 6th Graders Should Write a 6th Grade Book Report

Plagiarism-free

30 Day Money Back

Premium Quality

Safe & Easy Payment

100% human writing

• 6th Grade Book Report

A book report is the most common assignment that 6th graders get throughout middle school. This will require you to summarize the book that you read. You will discuss the plot and give an analysis of all the characters. In addition to these, you will have to explain the writer's take on the book. Your assignment will also contain several questions, do not forget to answer them. This writing piece must have a proper structure that means an introduction, main body, and a conclusion. These must be according to the standards and samples that will be given by your teacher. As a sixth-grader, you are perfectly capable of providing a thorough analysis of whatever you read. Here are some points that you must always remember:

Please read before you write: Now, there is no substitute for "reading’. If you have concentration issues, then use a pen or a pencil and follow the lines. You can also read out loud or even act it out. Make meaningful notes as you go through the content.

Use an Outline : Once you are done with the book, then comes the writing process. Try to develop an outline first. Jot down all of the points that fall under specific sections. In this way, there is no chance that you are going to skip anything. Try to keep every section very different such as:

• Introduction
• Overall summary
• Character analysis
• Summary of the plot
• Analysis and Conclusion

About a Book Report

This is a way by which you can show the readers that you have read the book and have completely understood it. It will also give them the idea of whether to buy it or not. Whenever you are attempting this task, do not forget to share your honest opinions about it. Try to interpret it fully. You are a sixth-grader now, your writing must shout "confidence"! Try to see how 4th graders write a report. See all of the 4th grade report ideas and try to make yours a bit more detailed and analytical. In this way, you will always be ahead of the game.

How Much Should You Write?

This is a fundamental question. Given that you have a lot of headings to cover, you must have a word limit. Try to keep it within the range of 600 to 800 words. Also, your document should be double-spaced. Now, you do not want to bore the reader by rambling on and on. Keep it concise and professional. Always remember to make paragraphs and indent them. Formatting matters a lot. It is the icing on the cake!

Where Should You Start?

This is where most of you get stuck. Most of you even google " how to write a book report ". Well, it's not rocket science. It's pretty simple. You have to follow some steps in a sequence, and voila! You get pretty sophisticated looking content that will impress your teacher. So here are those steps that will get you going:

First, Choose a Book

It would be best if you chose a story, keeping in mind that you will present an analysis on it. In this way, you will not go for something that is out of your league. Try to do some research before you are off to the library. We know it is over-ambitious, but try to get some 7th grade book report ideas . Try to challenge yourself. However, only go for the genre that interests you, even if it is an adventure related book such as "The famous five". You will never be able to analyze content if you are unable to understand any of the aspects of it. If you are still struggling to select it, then ask your librarian. They will know some fantastic and exciting books for 6th graders.

Always Make a List

This step will save you time and will also help you in covering everything. Try keeping a list of characters while going through the story.

You can also mark or note down the pages that contain points significant to the plot.

It is always the right decision to read the story twice. The second time, you will notice the points that you missed the first time. It would help if you also marked the themes that you witness. Noting down metaphors and adjectives related to characters will save you time afterward. Keep on making notes and update your analysis when you go through the second time.

Introduce Your Book

Always introduce what you have read. State the title, its author, and the date on which it was published. If the writer has given any information such as his inspiration which got him writing this story, talk about it. You must also include the type of narration that is used by the author. It can be first, second, or third person. You need to step up your report game, as it is a little more professional than 5th grade book report form . By doing this, you will also save your reader from getting confused. Your teacher will have a load of assignments to check. If you cover this part, it will look professional and help your teacher mark your assignment.

Summary of the Plot And Characters

The body of the paper will contain character analysis and a summary of the plot. Try to write a detailed description of both of them. Do go over changes that occur at every plot twist. These are the integral or must-know parts that cannot be missed. Try adding a lot of adjectives when describing the characters. In this way, the readers will be able to create a better mental picture of them. Do not go into details; stay within the boundaries of main points. Go over all of the literary themes. You must also state both climax and the initial setup and never forget to provide the conclusion. Do not leave the readers curious as, without a conclusion, your paper is incomplete.

Give a Conclusion

As mentioned before, ending without a conclusion is not precisely the wrap up that your teacher would have expected. Include your reactions and thoughts about the story. Also, try to state what the author’s themes were. Try to end the conclusion with a final statement. You can be creative with what you write. Look for some creative writing tips online. However, do not state something entirely new in the conclusion. Try to summarize what you have written in the paper.

Once you are done with the paper, it would help if you went through it at least twice. It is good that you develop the habit of proofreading from a young age. Certainly, it’s boring but certainly, you don't want your teacher to find out that you have missed an "r" from interesting. You can also restate your ideas and correct punctuations. To save some time, you must prepare an outline and follow the valid book report format. In this way, you will be able to avoid a lot of tweaking in the proofreading stage.

Here is a raw format that you must follow strictly in this sequence. You will have to make sections of these and divide them into introduction, body, and conclusion. Do not get carried away, and always keep in mind that you have a limited word limit. So, wisely distribute that word count of producing quality content.

• Title and year of publication
• Author's name
• The genre of the story
• Characters sketches and thorough analysis of their personalities
• Summary of ideas and the themes
• Your response to the story
• Quotations from the content

Already Got Help? Write Your Review

New Here? Get $5 OFF Your First Project

We are a team of enthusiastic professionals and geeks in our field. At the very start of the project

Money-Back Guarantee

Support 24/7

No Hidden Charges

Who Are the Experts?

Our experts are alumni from the world’s top universities and colleges.

All of them have successfully passed the Studybay examination and proven their competence to our team.

Our experts have graduated from the best universities in the world

Want to contact us directly? No problem. We are always here for you

Related articles

More Interesting Articles

• Analytical report
• Acrostic poem
• Ethnography
• Interview report
• Observation report
• Research question
• V in cursive
• Self-introduction
• Academic review
• Writing review
• How to cite a poem
• Consulting proposal
• Academic summary
• Acceptance speech
• Writing jobs
• Editors help
• Proofreading Services
• Write my review
• Review example
• Non-fiction
• Report example
• Science fiction
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• Sons and lovers by D.H Lawrence
• William Shakespeare
• Victor Frankenstein
• The Twilight Saga by S. Meyer
• Lovely bones by A.Sebold
• Beowulf book VS movie
• Childhood in Calamba by Jose Rizal
• Edgar Allan Poe
• Greek Mythology
• Learning to read and write by F. Douglass
• Mother Tongue Language by A. Tan
• Noli Me Tangere by Filipino
• High School

Order an academic assignment

Enter your email address to order from this writer.

Sign Up Studybay

How it works

• Ask LitCharts AI
• Discussion Question Generator
• Essay Prompt Generator
• Quiz Question Generator

• Literature Guides
• Poetry Guides
• Shakespeare Translations
• Literary Terms

How to Write a Book Report

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Book Report Fundamentals

Preparing to write, an overview of the book report format, how to write the main body of a book report, how to write a conclusion to a book report, reading comprehension and book reports, book report resources for teachers .

Book reports remain a key educational assessment tool from elementary school through college. Sitting down to close read and critique texts for their content and form is a lifelong skill, one that benefits all of us well beyond our school years. With the help of this guide, you’ll develop your reading comprehension and note-taking skills. You’ll also find resources to guide you through the process of writing a book report, step-by-step, from choosing a book and reading actively to revising your work. Resources for teachers are also included, from creative assignment ideas to sample rubrics.

Book reports follow general rules for composition, yet are distinct from other types of writing assignments. Central to book reports are plot summaries, analyses of characters and themes, and concluding opinions. This format differs from an argumentative essay or critical research paper, in which impartiality and objectivity is encouraged. Differences also exist between book reports and book reviews, who do not share the same intent and audience. Here, you’ll learn the basics of what a book report is and is not.

What Is a Book Report?

"Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

This article, written by a professor emeritus of rhetoric and English, describes the defining characteristics of book reports and offers observations on how they are composed.

"Writing a Book Report" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab outlines the steps in writing a book report, from keeping track of major characters as you read to providing adequate summary material.

"How to Write a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

This article provides another helpful guide to writing a book report, offering suggestions on taking notes and writing an outline before drafting. 

"How to Write a Successful Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

Another post from ThoughtCo., this article highlights the ten steps for book report success. It was written by an academic advisor and college enrollment counselor.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and an Essay?

"Differences Between a Book Report & Essay Writing" ( Classroom)

In this article from the education resource Classroom,  you'll learn the differences and similarities between book reports and essay writing.

"Differences Between a Book Report and Essay Writing" (SeattlePi.com)

In this post from a Seattle newspaper's website, memoirist Christopher Cascio highlights how book report and essay writing differ.

"The Difference Between Essays and Reports" (Solent Online Learning)

This PDF from Southampton Solent University includes a chart demonstrating the differences between essays and reports. Though it is geared toward university students, it will help students of all levels understand the differing purposes of reports and analytical essays.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and a Book Review?

"How to Write a Book Review and a Book Report" (Concordia Univ.)

The library at Concordia University offers this helpful guide to writing book report and book reviews. It defines differences between the two, then presents components that both forms share.

"Book Reviews" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s writing guide shows the step-by-step process of writing book reviews, offering a contrast to the composition of book reports.

Active reading and thoughtful preparation before you begin your book report are necessary components of crafting a successful piece of writing. Here, you’ll find tips and resources to help you learn how to select the right book, decide which format is best for your report, and outline your main points.

Selecting and Finding a Book

"30 Best Books for Elementary Readers" (Education.com)

This article from Education.com lists 30 engaging books for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It was written by Esme Raji Codell, a teacher, author, and children's literature specialist.

"How to Choose a Good Book for a Report (Middle School)" (WikiHow)

This WikiHow article offers suggestions for middle schoolers on how to choose the right book for a report, from getting started early on the search process to making sure you understand the assignment's requirements.

"Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers" (Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media has compiled this list of 25 of the best books for middle school book reports. For younger students, the article suggests you check out the site's "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."

"50 Books to Read in High School" (Lexington Public Library)

The Lexington, Kentucky Public Library has prepared this list to inspire high school students to choose the right book. It includes both classics and more modern favorites.

The Online Computer Library Center's catalogue helps you locate books in libraries near you, having itemized the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries.

Formats of Book Reports

"Format for Writing a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

Here, Your Dictionary supplies guidelines for the basic book report format. It describes what you'll want to include in the heading, and what information to include in the introductory paragraph. Be sure to check these guidelines against your teacher's requirements.

"The Good Old Book Report" (Scholastic)

Nancy Barile’s blog post for Scholastic lists the questions students from middle through high school should address in their book reports.

How to Write an Outline

"Writer’s Web: Creating Outlines" (Univ. of Richmond)

The University of Richmond’s Writing Center shows how you can make use of micro and macro outlines to organize your argument.

"Why and How to Create a Useful Outline" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab demonstrates how outlines can help you organize your report, then teaches you how to create outlines.

"Creating an Outline" (EasyBib)

EasyBib, a website that generates bibliographies, offers sample outlines and tips for creating your own. The article encourages you to think about transitions and grouping your notes.

"How to Write an Outline: 4 Ways to Organize Your Thoughts" (Grammarly)

This blog post from a professional writer explains the advantages of using an outline, and presents different ways to gather your thoughts before writing.

In this section, you’ll find resources that offer an overview of how to write a book report, including first steps in preparing the introduction. A good book report's introduction hooks the reader with strong opening sentences and provides a preview of where the report is going.

"Step-by-Step Outline for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This article from Classroom furnishes students with a guide to the stages of writing a book report, from writing the rough draft to revising.

"Your Roadmap to a Better Book Report" ( Time4Writing )

Time4Writing offers tips for outlining your book report, and describes all of the information that the introduction, body, and conclusion should include.

"How to Start a Book Report" ( ThoughtCo)

This ThoughtCo. post, another by academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, demonstrates how to write a pithy introduction to your book report.

"How to Write an Introduction for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief but helpful post from Classroom  details what makes a good book report introduction, down to the level of individual sentences.

The body paragraphs of your book report accomplish several goals: they describe the plot, delve more deeply into the characters and themes that make the book unique, and include quotations and examples from the book. Below are some resources to help you succeed in summarizing and analyzing your chosen text.

Plot Summary and Description

"How Do You Write a Plot Summary?" ( Reference )

This short article presents the goals of writing a plot summary, and suggests a word limit. It emphasizes that you should stick to the main points and avoid including too many specific details, such as what a particular character wears.

"How to Write a Plot for a Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

In this article from a resource website for writers, Patricia Harrelson outlines what information to include in a plot summary for a book report. 

"How to Write a Book Summary" (WikiHow)

Using Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an example, this WikiHow article demonstrates how to write a plot summary one step at a time.

Analyzing Characters and Themes

"How to Write a Character Analysis Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kristine Tucker shows how to write a book report focusing on character. You can take her suggestions as they are, or consider  incorporating them into the more traditional book report format.

"How to Write a Character Analysis" (YouTube)

The SixMinuteScholar Channel utilizes analysis of the film  Finding Nemo to show you how to delve deeply into character, prioritizing inference over judgment.

"How to Define Theme" ( The Editor's Blog )

Fiction editor Beth Hill contributes an extended definition of theme. She also provides examples of common themes, such as "life is fragile."

"How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story" ( ThoughtCo )

This blog post from ThoughtCo. clarifies the definition of theme in relation to symbolism, plot, and moral. It also offers examples of themes in literature, such as love, death, and good vs. evil.

Selecting and Integrating Quotations

"How to Choose and Use Quotations" (Santa Barbara City College)

This guide from a college writing center will help you choose which quotations to use in your book report, and how to blend quotations with your own words.

"Guidelines for Incorporating Quotes" (Ashford Univ.)

This PDF from Ashford University's Writing Center introduces the ICE method for incorporating quotations: introduce, cite, explain.

"Quote Integration" (YouTube)

This video from The Write Way YouTube channel illustrates how to integrate quotations into writing, and also explains how to cite those quotations.

"Using Literary Quotations" (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)

This guide from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Writing Center helps you emphasize your analysis of a quotation, and explains how to incorporate quotations into your text.

Conclusions to any type of paper are notoriously tricky to write. Here, you’ll learn some creative ways to tie up loose ends in your report and express your own opinion of the book you read. This open space for sharing opinions that are not grounded in critical research is an element that often distinguishes book reports from other types of writing.

"How to Write a Conclusion for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief article from the education resource  Classroom illustrates the essential points you should make in a book report conclusion.

"Conclusions" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Writing Center lays out strategies for writing effective conclusions. Though the article is geared toward analytical essay conclusions, the tips offered here will also help you write a strong book report.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Pat Bellanca’s article for Harvard University’s Writing Center presents ways to conclude essays, along with tips. Again, these are suggestions for concluding analytical essays that can also be used to tie up a book report's loose ends.

Reading closely and in an engaged manner is the strong foundation upon which all good book reports are built. The resources below will give you a picture of what active reading looks like, and offer strategies to assess and improve your reading comprehension. Further, you’ll learn how to take notes—or “annotate” your text—making it easier to find important information as you write.

How to Be an Active Reader

"Active Reading Strategies: Remember and Analyze What You Read" (Princeton Univ.)

Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning recommends ten strategies for active reading, and includes sample diagrams.

"Active Reading" (Open Univ.)

The Open University offers these techniques for reading actively alongside video examples. The author emphasizes that you should read for comprehension—not simply to finish the book as quickly as possible.

"7 Active Reading Strategies for Students" ( ThoughtCo )

In this post, Grace Fleming outlines seven methods for active reading. Her suggestions include identifying unfamiliar words and finding the main idea. 

"5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments" (YouTube)

Thomas Frank’s seven-minute video demonstrates how you can retain the most important information from long and dense reading material.

Assessing Your Reading Comprehension

"Macmillan Readers Level Test" (MacMillan)

Take this online, interactive test from a publishing company to find out your reading level. You'll be asked a number of questions related to grammar and vocabulary.

"Reading Comprehension Practice Test" (ACCUPLACER)

ACCUPLACER is a placement test from The College Board. This 20-question practice test will help you see what information you retain after reading short passages.

"Reading Comprehension" ( English Maven )

The English Maven site has aggregated exercises and tests at various reading levels so you can quiz your reading comprehension skills.

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

"5 Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension" ( ThoughtCo )

ThoughtCo. recommends five tips to increase your reading comprehension ability, including reading with tools such as highlighters, and developing new vocabulary.

"How to Improve Reading Comprehension: 8 Expert Tips" (PrepScholar)

This blog post from PrepScholar provides ideas for improving your reading comprehension, from expanding your vocabulary to discussing texts with friends.

CrashCourse video: "Reading Assignments" (YouTube)

This CrashCourse video equips you with tools to read more effectively. It will help you determine how much material you need to read, and what strategies you can use to absorb what you read.

"Improving Reading Comprehension" ( Education Corner )

From a pre-reading survey through post-reading review, Education Corner  walks you through steps to improve reading comprehension.

Methods of In-text Annotation

"The Writing Process: Annotating a Text" (Hunter College)

This article from Hunter College’s Rockowitz Writing Center outlines how to take notes on a text and provides samples of annotation.

"How To Annotate Text While Reading" (YouTube)

This video from the SchoolHabits YouTube channel presents eleven annotation techniques you can use for better reading comprehension.

"5 Ways To Annotate Your Books" ( Book Riot )

This article from the Book Riot  blog highlights five efficient annotation methods that will save you time and protect your books from becoming cluttered with unnecessary markings.

"How Do You Annotate Your Books?" ( Epic Reads )

This post from Epic Reads highlights how different annotation methods work for different people, and showcases classic methods from sticky notes to keeping a reading notebook.

Students at every grade level can benefit from writing book reports, which sharpen critical reading skills. Here, we've aggregated sources to help you plan book report assignments and develop rubrics for written and oral book reports. You’ll also find alternative book report assessment ideas that move beyond the traditional formats.

Teaching Elementary School Students How to Write Book Reports

"Book Reports" ( Unique Teaching Resources )

These reading templates courtesy of Unique Teaching Resources make great visual aids for elementary school students writing their first book reports.

"Elementary Level Book Report Template" ( Teach Beside Me )

This   printable book report template from a teacher-turned-homeschooler is simple, classic, and effective. It asks basic questions, such as "who are the main characters?" and "how did you feel about the main characters?"

"Book Reports" ( ABC Teach )

ABC Teach ’s resource directory includes printables for book reports on various subjects at different grade levels, such as a middle school biography book report form and a "retelling a story" elementary book report template.

"Reading Worksheets" ( Busy Teacher's Cafe )

This page from Busy Teachers’ Cafe contains book report templates alongside reading comprehension and other language arts worksheets.

Teaching Middle School and High School Students How to Write Book Reports

"How to Write a Book Report: Middle and High School Level" ( Fact Monster)

Fact Monster ’s Homework Center discusses each section of a book report, and explains how to evaluate and analyze books based on genre for students in middle and high school.

"Middle School Outline Template for Book Report" (Trinity Catholic School)

This PDF outline template breaks the book report down into manageable sections for seventh and eighth graders by asking for specific information in each paragraph.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( Classroom )

In this article for Classroom,  Elizabeth Thomas describes what content high schoolers should focus on when writing their book reports.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kori Morgan outlines techniques for adapting the book report assignment to the high school level in this post for The Pen & The Pad .

"High School Book Lists and Report Guidelines" (Highland Hall Waldorf School)

These sample report formats, grading paradigms, and tips are collected by Highland Hall Waldorf School. Attached are book lists by high school grade level.

Sample Rubrics

"Book Review Rubric Editable" (Teachers Pay Teachers)

This free resource from Teachers Pay Teachers allows you to edit your book report rubric to the specifications of your assignment and the grade level you teach.

"Book Review Rubric" (Winton Woods)

This PDF rubric from a city school district includes directions to take the assignment long-term, with follow-up exercises through school quarters.

"Multimedia Book Report Rubric" ( Midlink Magazine )

Perfect for oral book reports, this PDF rubric from North Carolina State University's Midlink Magazine  will help you evaluate your students’ spoken presentations.

Creative Book Report Assignments

"25 Book Report Alternatives" (Scholastic)

This article from the Scholastic website lists creative alternatives to the standard book report for pre-kindergarteners through high schoolers.

"Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports" ( Education World )

Education World offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.

"A Dozen Ways to Make Amazingly Creative Book Reports" ( We Are Teachers )

This post from We Are Teachers puts the spotlight on integrating visual arts into literary study through multimedia book report ideas.

"More Ideas Than You’ll Ever Use for Book Reports" (Teachnet.com)

This list from Teachnet.com includes over 300 ideas for book report assignments, from "interviewing" a character to preparing a travel brochure to the location in which the book is set.

"Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report" (National Council of Teachers of English)

In this PDF resource from the NCTE's  English Journal,  Diana Mitchell offers assignment ideas ranging from character astrology signs to a character alphabet.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 2003 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 42,322 quotes across 2003 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play

Need something? Request a new guide .

How can we improve? Share feedback .

LitCharts is hiring!

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Teach students checking vs. savings accounts!

42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful for kids.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

6. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

7. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. Teacher blogger Teacher Thrive describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

8. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best-looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

9. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. Learn more about book tastings .

10. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

11. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc.

12. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

13. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over this book report.

14. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

15. T-shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint.

16. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

17. Rays of Sunshine Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

18. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

19. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

20. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

21. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

22. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8″ x 11″ sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

23. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

24. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then provide a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

25. Triorama Book Report

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but you can also try an accordion-folded book report, a quadrama, or an info-sphere.

26. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

27. Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

28. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

29. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels, and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

30. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

31. Charm Bracelet Book Report

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

33. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

34. Letter to the Author

Have kids write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

35. Cardboard Box TV

This cardboard box TV book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

36. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment.

37. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach, this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

38. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

39. Comic Strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strip book reports. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

40. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a Wanted poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Wheaties Box Book Report

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report to look like an old-fashioned Wheaties box that features sports heroes. Include a main image on the front side of the box. Decorate the sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

Come share your own creative book report ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, dont’ miss 100 famous children’s books every kid should read (plus free printable).

You Might Also Like

Expand Your Readers’ Palates With a Book Tasting

A perfect way for kids to nibble on a book. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

10 Steps to Writing a Successful Book Report

• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A book report should contain the basic elements, but a good book report will address a specific question or point of view and back up this topic with specific examples, in the form of symbols and themes. These steps will help you identify and incorporate those important elements in a process that takes three to four days.

How To Write a Book Report

• Have an objective in mind, if possible. Your objective is the main point you want to argue or the question you plan to answer. Sometimes your teacher will offer a question for you to answer as part of your assignment, which makes this step easy. If you have to come up with your own focal point for your paper, you may have to wait and develop the objective while reading and reflecting on the book.
• Keep supplies on hand when you read. This is very important. Keep sticky-note flags, pen, and paper nearby as you read. Don't try to take "mental notes." It just doesn't work.
• Read the book. As you read, keep an eye out for clues that the author has provided in the form of symbolism. These will indicate some important point that supports the overall theme. For instance, a spot of blood on the floor, a quick glance, a nervous habit, an impulsive action--these are worth noting.
• Use your sticky flags to mark pages. When you run into any clues, mark the page by placing the sticky note at the beginning of the relevant line. Mark everything that piques your interest, even if you don't understand their relevance.
• Note possible themes or patterns that emerge. As you read and record emotional flags or signs, you will begin to see a point or a pattern. On a notepad, write down possible themes or issues. If your assignment is to answer a question, you will record how symbols address that question.
• Label your sticky flags. If you see a symbol repeated several times, you should indicate this somehow on the sticky flags, for easy reference later. For instance, if blood shows up in several scenes, write a "b" on the relevant flags for blood. This may become your major book theme, so you'll want to navigate between the relevant pages easily.
• Develop a rough outline. By the time you finish reading the book , you will have recorded several possible themes or approaches to your objective. Review your notes and try to determine which view or claim you can back up with good examples (symbols). You may need to play with a few sample outlines to pick the best approach.
• Develop paragraph ideas. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and a sentence that transitions to the next paragraph. Try writing these first, then filling out the paragraphs with your examples (symbols). Don't forget to include the basics for every book report in your first paragraph or two.
• Review, re-arrange, repeat. At first, your paragraphs are going to look like ugly ducklings. They will be clunky, awkward, and unattractive in their early stages. Read them over, re-arrange and replace sentences that don't quite fit. Then review and repeat until the paragraphs flow.
• Re-visit your introductory paragraph. The introductory paragraph will make the critical first impression of your paper. It should be great. Be sure it is well-written, interesting, and it contains a strong thesis sentence .

The objective: Sometimes it is possible to have a clear objective in mind before you start . Sometimes, it is not. If you have to come up with your own thesis, don't stress about a clear objective in the beginning. It will come later.

Recording emotional flags: Emotional flags are merely points in the book that bring about emotion. Sometimes, the smaller the better. For example, for an assignment for The Red Badge of Courage , the teacher might ask students to address whether they believe Henry, the main character, is a hero. In this book, Henry sees lots of blood (emotional symbol) and death (emotional symbol) and this causes him to run away from the battle at first (emotional response). He is ashamed (emotion).

Book report basics: In your first paragraph or two, you should include the book setting, time period, characters, and your thesis statement (objective).

Re-visiting the introductory paragraph: The introductory paragraph should be the last paragraph you complete. It should be mistake-free and interesting. It should also contain a clear thesis. Don't write a thesis early on in the process and forget about it. Your point of view or argument may change completely as you re-arrange your paragraph sentences. Always check your thesis sentence last.

• How to Start a Book Report
• How to Write a Great Book Report
• How to Write a Response Paper
• How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story
• Overused and Tired Words
• What Is Expository Writing?
• How to Write a Great Process Essay
• The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
• Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
• Writing a History Book Review
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
• Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing
• Writing an Opinion Essay
• Essay Assignment: Descriptive and Informative Profile
• How to Outline and Organize an Essay
• 501 Topic Suggestions for Writing Essays and Speeches

Instantly enhance your writing in real-time while you type. With LanguageTool

Get started for free

How To Write a Good Book Report in Seven Steps

Are you having trouble writing your book report? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to give you seven easy steps that’ll help you write the perfect book report.

Quick Summary on How To Write a Book Report

• As you read the book, highlight and take notes.
• Reread the instructions of the assignment.
• Organize your notes and create an outline.
• Write a compelling introduction.
• Include quotations, examples, and supporting evidence in the body paragraphs.
• Encapsulate the main point of your text in the conclusion.
• Edit and proofread.

What Is a Book Report?

A book report is an essay in which students explain and support their thoughts and views on a story, novel, or any other literary work.

There are several different types of book reports. Regardless of which type you’re writing, teachers and professors usually assign book reports as a way to ensure that their students have thoroughly understood the book. Below, we’ll go over how to write a good book report in seven easy steps.

How To Write a Book Report

1. as you read the book, highlight and take notes..

The first step of writing a good book report is to read the book, of course. However, it’s important to highlight and takes notes while reading it. Highlight anything that stands out to you or that evokes certain emotions. Write notes on patterns, themes, and characters. If you’re writing a book report on a nonfiction book, write notes on the major points of the book and what you think about them.

2. Revisit and reread the instructions of the assignment.

Once you’re done reading and taking notes, reread the instructions of the assignment. Find what it is you’re supposed to write about. Is it a character analysis? A plot summary? An exploration of themes and patterns, or something else? It’s also essential to follow the formatting guidelines, so make sure to use the correct font and spacing. If you have any questions, reach out to your teacher or professor.

3. Organize your notes and create an outline.

Gather your notes and arrange them into categories. Once you’ve completed this, write an outline and organize the categories to become the paragraphs of your book report. Jot down bullet points on what each paragraph will include and what part of the book can support it. As you start writing the book report, remain flexible. You don’t have to follow the outline exactly. You may realize that a few edits create a better flow.

4. Write a compelling introduction.

The introduction should be informative and catchy. You may want to start with a quote, climactic scene, or an unusual observation you had while reading the book. Towards the end of the introduction, you should write a one or two-sentence summary about the book, and then the last sentence should explain what exactly you’ll be writing about in the rest of the report.

Book Report Elements

Keep in mind that all book reports should contain:

• The name and author of the book.
• A thesis statement.
• If you're writing about a fiction book, mention the setting, time period, and characters.
• If you’re writing about a nonfiction book, mention the author’s main point in writing the book.
• Evidence to support your arguments.

5. Include quotations, examples, and supporting evidence in the body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs are where you can include quotations, examples, and supporting evidence that bring your book report together.

For example, let’s say you’re writing a character analysis. You believe that the character that everyone sees as the protagonist is actually the antagonist. You should write why you believe that and include specific scenarios that help prove your point.

Or if you’re writing about a non-fiction book, you could use the body paragraphs to write about why you agree or disagree with the author. Similarly, you’d have to use examples and evidence to support your argument.

It’s a good idea to start off with your most compelling, evidence-backed point. Leave the weakest arguments for the middle, and end with another strong point. Lastly, whether you’re writing about fiction or non-fiction, commenting on writing style and tone is recommended (especially if it’s explicitly requested in the instructions).

6. Encapsulate the main point of your text in the conclusion.

The conclusion is just as important as the introduction, so make sure to set aside enough time to write one (students tend to rush through this part). Use the concluding paragraph to pull all your arguments together. Reiterate again what the main point was about, and then briefly summarize the main idea of your book report.

7. Edit and proofread.

Now that you’ve completed the first draft of your book report, it’s time to reread and make edits if needed. Are there any paragraphs you can move around that’ll improve the rhythm of your writing? Do you have enough evidence to back up your claims? Is your introduction captivating and descriptive?

While you’re rereading the book report, you should also be looking for typos and spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. If you want an extra set of eyes to look for all types of errors, you should use LanguageTool as your spelling and grammar checker. Not only will this advanced editor correct mistakes, but it supports more than twenty languages—meaning your book report will be perfect regardless of which language you’re writing it in.

Unleash the Professional Writer in You With LanguageTool

Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. Impress with clear, precise, and stylistically flawless writing instead.

Works on All Your Favorite Services

• Thunderbird
• Google Docs
• Microsoft Word
• Open Office
• Libre Office

We Value Your Feedback

We’ve made a mistake, forgotten about an important detail, or haven’t managed to get the point across? Let’s help each other to perfect our writing.

Printable Book Report Outlines and Examples

Assigning a book report as part of your reading or writing curriculum? Print and share this quick reference for how to write a book report - including all of the necessary elements, plus examples and outlines.

Looking for fiction and nonfiction titles to assign for book study, reader's theater, or literature circles? Visit our Literature Teaching Guides Hub to find thousands of book guides for all grades.

Featured Middle School Resources

Related Resources

About the author

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

• Main Idea Worksheets
• Capitalization
• Alphabet Coloring Pages
• Preschool Letter Worksheets
• Bubble Letters
• 5 Letter Words
• Words for Kids (A-Z Word Lists)
• Days of the Week
• Phonemic Awareness Worksheets
• Phonics Worksheets
• Sight Words
• Kindergarten Spelling
• 1st Grade Spelling
• 2nd Grade Spelling
• 3rd Grade Spelling
• Anchor Charts
• All About Me Templates
• Christmas Worksheets
• Cursive Writing
• Frayer Model Templates
• Fun Fact Friday
• Main Idea Graphic Organizers
• Noun Worksheet Maker
• Printable Lined Paper
• Reading Logs
• Sight Words Bingo
• Writing Prompts
• By grade, concept, theme
• By Common Core Standards
• By NGLS Standards

Book Report Templates

Book reports often ask students to summarize, reflect, and share their ideas. We’ve created a series of book report templates that you can use or adapt based on a variety of learning needs. While this task may reflect individual preferences and insights, it can be collaborative. Students can share in gallery walks, small groups, or large groups. Displaying book reports near your classroom library can allow you to curate a more meaningful classroom book collection and allow peers to interact in an unexpected way. Some of the earliest work with longer writing tasks is cultivated through the experience of crafting a book report. No matter how young your learners may be, fostering a love of reading and providing opportunities for children to write about what they read is critical.

Book Report Templates (Printable PDFs)

One of the most important steps of helping students understand how to craft a book report lies in their ability to choose the books they read and how they want to report on what they’ve learned. It is always useful to review book report options together in class in order to create a firm foundation that students can return to again and again. Since book reports can be a staple task in many elementary school classrooms, offering choice in how students craft and create reports will make the experience more engaging.

We’ve created a variety of printable book report templates below for different learners. For instance, we have an English language and Spanish language book report template that students can use to document character names, setting, and reflect on their favorite parts of a text! Additionally, we’ve crafted book report organizers for fiction and nonfiction texts, so you can appeal to learners who love different genres and make your curriculum more inclusive. Finally, we’ve also created a few options for those students who need more challenge. In these book reports, students extract quotes of significance, analyze them, and offer their insights on what the text teaches readers.

All of our book report templates encourage students to reflect on their interest in the text. This is critical for their reflection and ability to connect with their reading experiences.

Students complete the book report by writing the title, author, Character names, setting and their favorite part of the story.

This is the same book report template but in Spanish.

With this template, 4th - 5th grade students enter the title, author, character names but also enter the plot structure and what the story can teach people. Students also rate the book.

A template for nonfiction books. The student enters basic book information plus three interesting facts and what they are most curious about after reading the book.

With this 6-8th grade template, students write a two-sentence summary, important quotes and whether they recommend the book and why.

Students explain, in two sentences, what the text is about, identify three important events in the text, and choose one quote they think is most important and then analyze its importance.

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Cite sources with ease

Book Report Outline: Writing Steps, Key Elements, Templates

Updated 23 Jul 2024

Book report can be defined as an objective summary of key ideas or arguments contained in a book. This task is frequently assigned to elementary, middle school, high school, college students in the US. It’s aimed at fortifying or verifying their abilities to precisely summarize and convey large written works.

Hence, learning to do it right is not only important for scoring higher grades but also for mastering these essential associated skills. Some of these skills should do with reading and comprehending content, sketching detailed book report outline by extracting key points, main body, etc. Also, you need to detect plagiarism accurately with the plagiarism checker free of charge.

Chief purpose of book report is to make readers familiar with book’s content in brief and efficient manner (so that he/she can decide whether it is of any interest or use without having to read this book).

What Elements Should Outline Include?

Book report outline completed for fictional works usually contain following elements:

• Introduction made up of key bibliographical information – this is helpful in identifying written work you focus on, besides providing some useful contextual information.
• Book summary or plot – this summarizes content, characters, main event or plot twist.
• Description of main characters & most relevant/telling story elements/plot moments associated with them.
• Overall book message & purpose as intended by the author.
• Attitude towards or interpretation of book – this section allows to express your state, feelings, thoughts. impressions about this work. However, that unlike in reviews, where this is the most important and bulky section, in reports, this part is rather brief. To find out more about reviews proceed to our book review services .

Obviously, format of nonfiction book report outline would differ given that there are no characters or plots – in this case, it is ideas presented in each major section that is described along with other elements listed above.

Steps Involved in Writing a Report

Acing this kind of assignment implies mastering all related sub-tasks, like

• Reading, highlighting/making important notes. Balancing amount of highlighting is essential for it to be useful – you should limit it only to most important points and quotes to include them in outline. You might also be willing to mark quotes differently, to allow easy visual distinction from other highlighted sentences.
• Completing report outline by extracting main points from highlighted material, summarizing information, rearranging paragraphs to ensure smooth content flow. Page numbers might be included here to facilitate information retrieval in later. One could do this either on paper or on computing devices (even mobile phones), whichever is more convenient.
• Composing report itself using that outline for book report assembled earlier. Include quotes and numerous examples/details – these would prove to evaluators that you read text itself rather than its summary.  Use quotes for greater effect but do not exaggerate with these. Also consult your instructions – various citation formats would require you to indicate page numbers from where quotes are taken.
• Editing/revising/proofreading of outline – to eliminate mistakes, confusing formulations, unclarities, etc. If you’ve got ready essays/reports/papers you want to edit/proofread, use our online essay editor that includes grammar, spelling, task requirement check.

How to Write Report for Students of Different Level

Students at various educational levels have various abilities, which suggests that assigned tasks should be adapted correspondingly:

• How to write a book report for the 4th grade – at this young age, students should be presented with straightforward strategies, ideally practiced outside this project, such as evaluating good or bad sides of characters, summarizing plots, creating report outline samples, expressing personal opinions. Illustration and practice on minor tasks are key before proceeding to bigger projects.
• How to write a book report for the 5th grade – 5th graders are somewhat more advanced in their competences. If they had at least one report assignment in previous grades, they should approach more complex projects.
• How to write a book report for the 6th grade – most elementary schools in US continue up to grade 6, hence, this is when students in primary education possess most evolved abilities, which translates in even more complex projects they can undertake (in particular, more complex readings). Also, these students are much better at individual work than younger ones.
• How to write a book report for college level – obviously, in this case, there is a qualitative leap in comprehension, thinking, ability to summarize, and synthesize information that simply outshines those of elementary, middle, or high school students. College students can approach complicated projects based solely on provided instructions without much clarification, they can self-organize and find the best strategies to accomplish corresponding sub-tasks, like completing book report outline, character description, etc. Finally, they can explore very complex or even professionally-related literature.

Read also: How to Format Dialogue Correctly (for books, essays, stories)

Need more writing assistance?

Connect with our top writers and receive a book report crafted to your needs. Our research proposal writing services can help you make your research proposal stand out from the crowd.

College Book Report Template  

The college book report template provided below gives good sense of what content should be included in report, how outline should be completed. You can use this outline as a structure for your own report, or just read it for inspiration before completing your essay:

1. Introduction. Here, bibliography elements should be listed (author's name, genre, publication date, publisher number of pages, etc.), main idea of the story (along with occasional lines for capturing reader’s attention).

Example: “The book “The Big Sleep” authored by Raymond Chandler and published in 1988 (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) belongs to the detective genre. It focuses on degrading morals of many representatives in society, as a side effect of capitalism/consumer culture.”

2. Summary. Here, one should list: setting, atmosphere, time of events, general plot (very brief), narrating perspective, but also main theme/argument.

“The narrative is set during the Depression, in the 1930’s in Los Angeles and Hollywood – at that time, a dark, rain-soaked, depraved, dangerous city jungle (an atmosphere portrayed in detail). Detective Philip Marlowe comes in contact with wealthy Sternwood family as part of his job. Here, he comes to know the Sternwood sisters and becomes involved in a series of events, which he investigates, revealing dark secrets they hide.”

3. Characters. One should outline here main characters as well as their pursuits/conflicts. Note that this section is only valid for fiction books.

The central characters are detective Philip Marlowe (the protagonist from whose perspective narration happens) and the Sternwood sisters: Vivian and Carmen. Marlowe is a fairly young gentleman, formal and polite, with high moral standards – he is a positive character (a moral gauge), always in his quest for truth. Vivian is the elder sister, very careful with her looks but with a rather vicious lifestyle (she becomes somewhat acquainted with Marlowe) and who is protective of Carmen. As for Carmen, she is an ill-mannered, ill-tempered, possessive, vengeful young lady – a truly negative character.

4. Plot. This section should contain the overall story, listing only major plot twists, conflict resolution, ending. Note that this section only applies to fiction books.

Example: As the head of the Sternwood family invites Marlowe to find out more about a disappeared relative, he finds out more about this family getting to interact with both Vivian and Carmen. After a series of adventures, Marlowe discovers that it is Carmen who killed missing relative (for refusing her romantically), while Vivian covered up the crime. Carmen even tries to shoot Marlowe, but Marlowe anticipates this and takes appropriate action.

5. Evaluation with Conclusion. The last part of report outline. Mention here whether you found reading interesting or not and why, what you felt and learned from it, what its strong/weak aspects are, etc. Note that this part should be rather brief, unlike in reviews, where analysis rather than summarizing is key.

Read also: Ask " write my lab report for me "!

Instant Outline Help

As one can infer from above, writing reports are fairly time-consuming reading book itself takes longest and even challenging. If you are out of time for any reason, our professional team of writers at Edubirdie can pick up your task and submit high-quality outline.

Importantly, with our service, you can request intermediary results, such as book report outline or draft, to assess whether projects are heading in the right direction, you can also guide writers by providing feedback. You are free to select your preferred expert according to ratings and in case final results do not match instructions or desired quality, you are guaranteed to benefit from unlimited free revisions. With such low risks and guaranteed outcome, it would be pity not to give it a try.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, best capstone project ideas for students across subjects.

The most challenging aspect of crafting a top-tier capstone project is often getting started. The initial hurdle involves selecting a strong, impac...

How to Write a Movie Review: Tips for Aspiring Critics

If you wish to know how to write a movie review, then you are on the right page. A movie review forms part of essays college students writes. While...

Learn how to write an annotated bibliography to achieve the best grades!

Writing an annotated bibliography is one of academic work's most challenging yet essential parts. This helpful EduBirdie guide will tell you all ab...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

How to Write a Book Report (+ a FREE Step-by-Step Printable for Your Kids)

Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. You can read my full affiliate disclosure  HERE .

We read a lot of books (homeschool moms, can you relate?). Right now, we are reading the Harry Potter series together as a family, and as my kids have grown, it’s been fun to see them become more interested in reading for fun. As part of our homeschooling this year, we have been learning how to write a book report, which has been a great way for me to evaluate how well my kids are understanding what they read.

My son is in 3rd grade this year and recently had a book report as one of his assignments in English. While there were a couple of steps given to him, he struggled with the process and actually putting the book report together. So I decided to create a step-by-step book report printable to help him learn how to write a book report.

I hope these printables will be a big help to your kids, too! They will walk your kids through the steps of organizing their book report, writing a draft, revising and proofreading, and writing a final copy. Plus, I’ve included a rubric for you that you can use to give helpful feedback if you’d like.

Not only will this template help your kids learn how to write a book report, but they will be fun to add to your homeschool portfolio and look back on in the future.

Why Should You Use Book Reports in Your Homeschool?

Writing a book report or using an organizer to respond to what they have read is a great way to help your kids with their reading comprehension . It’s also fun to see their unique writing styles come to light and learn what they think about the books they have read.

Plus, I have found that incorporating book reports into our homeschool is a fun way for my kids to practice their writing skills because they get to write about a book they have loved. My son doesn’t necessarily love to write, so making the writing topic interesting is really important in our current season.

They also will obviously get to practice their handwriting, and you can include an oral presentation component if you’d like to as well!

Teach Your Kids How to Write a Book Report

A book report is just what it sounds like – a detailed report your kids will write after reading a book. In the report, they will give a summary of the book and share some of the important plot points, as well as share their opinion of the book.

When my son first attempted to do his book report from his English assignment, he struggled with what to write, and how to pull it all together in one cohesive report. I wanted to really lay out the process for him, to break it down into manageable steps .

If your child is new to writing book reports, I would recommend doing the first one together . Choose a book you have been reading aloud as a family (or a new one to read together), so you can then walk through the template and process with them.

If you are reading the book together, model how to take notes of important characters and plot points as you read . These notes will be great to reference later when writing the report.

Once you are finished reading and taking notes, grab your book report template and work through the process of putting together the report ( this printable makes it so easy! ).

My Book Report Template for Kids

There are many options out there with ideas for creative and different styles of book reports (I love these ideas from We Are Teachers), but if you are looking for a simple way for your elementary-aged student to organize their thoughts into a basic book report, these are for you.

The pages include:

• 2 Book Report Planning Pages where your kids will organize their thoughts about the main characters, important plot events, and what they learned and liked about the book. They will also have space to draw out their favorite scene from the story.
• First Draft Pages where they will write a rough draft. These sheets also include checklists that will walk them through the revision and proofreading process.
• My Book Report Pages where your kids will write their final copy of their book report.
• Book Report Rubric which is a sheet you can use to offer comments and suggestions on their work, if desired.
• Reading Log page that your kids can use to keep track of what they are reading (great for your homeschool record keeping as well!)

Using a template like this will help your kids organize their thoughts in the planning pages, so it’s easier for them to put the final review together. They will see all of the important parts that need to go into their book reports, which will help them learn how to write effective reviews and recommendations.

Printable Book Report Template

I’d love for this book report template to be a blessing to you and your family as well! Grab it below when you join my subscriber list – I love to send out freebies, homeschool tips, inspiration and more as I go through my own homeschooling journey.

Grab your FREE Book Report Printables!

Subscribe to my list and join thousands of other homeschool mamas looking for homeschool help, inspiration, and fun.

Thank you for subscribing!

Please check your email for your Book Report Printables.

And if you love all of those, take a peek at my shop where I share some other helpful printables I’ve created for your home and homeschool.

Drop a comment below and let me know – what are some of your kid’s favorite books they have read, or what are they reading now?

Related Posts

• Free Printable Game to Help Teach Your Kids Contractions
• A Fun Way to Make Reading Exciting for Your Kids
• Why Visual Perceptual Skills are Important for Your Kids

Blessed Homeschool is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can read my full affiliate disclosure HERE.

More homeschool inspiration...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Step-by-Step Outline for a Book Report

Lisa parris.

Almost every student in the United States is assigned a book report at some point. The purpose of a book report is not to torment students, but to ensure their understanding of literature. Book reports help students learn to summarize and to state their opinion, but they also help teachers obtain a more accurate perception of what their students gain from a given story. Many teachers have specific guidelines their students must adhere to; however, the guide below outlines the basic process for generating an acceptable book report.

Explore this article

• Rough Draft
• Introduction

1 Rough Draft

After you have read the book, take a blank sheet of paper and fold it into thirds. Label the first portion "Introduction" and then make a list of the numbers 1 through 4; label the second portion "Body" and divide the area underneath into "Part A" followed by the numbers 1 through 4 and "Part B"; label the third portion "Conclusion."

2 Introduction

Begin the introduction by filling in the following information. Beside the number 1, write the title of the book. Underline the title. Then write the author’s name. Beside the number 2, write the name of the book publisher, the year the book was published and the number of pages. Beside the number 3, write the book's genre (science fiction, mystery, romance, etc.). Beside the number 4, write one or two sentences that describe the book's general theme or message.

When you have written down the basic information that will be used in the introduction, move on to the Body portion of your rough draft. Under Part A, number 1, describe where the story takes place. Beside number 2, make a note of the time period in which the story is set. If you’re not sure, make a guess as to whether it is the past or the future. At number 3, give a brief description of the main character. If the story spends an equal amount of time on several characters, describe them as well. Beside number 4, describe the plot of the story. Do not re-tell the tale; simply choose the most important events. Begin by describing the circumstances of the main character at the beginning of the story. Then describe any goals the character is trying to achieve or overcome. Follow this with a brief account of anything that happens to either help or interfere with the achievement of the goal. End by giving a few clues about the story’s ending without actually revealing the final outcome.

Beneath the area labeled "Part B," state your opinion of the story. As you ponder your general views on the book, consider the following questions: Did you enjoy the book? Did you have a favorite part of the story? Do you agree with the author? Do you think the book was well written? Support your opinion with examples from the story.

4 Conclusion

Write one paragraph stating why you think others should or should not read this book. Consider the overall impression the story has made on you and emphasize any information you feel future readers should know.

Once you have captured your initial impressions and thoughts about the book on paper, go back and revise your report. Restate your ideas using clear language and complete sentences. Double-check your spelling and grammar, correcting any errors as you go. If possible, type your report on a computer using a word processing program, as this will make it easier for you to revise and it will make the final draft easier for your teacher to read.

• 1 Book Reports on Homework Spot.com

About the Author

Lisa Parris is a writer and former features editor of "The Caldwell County News." Her work has also appeared in the "Journal of Comparative Parasitology," "The Monterey County Herald" and "The Richmond Daily News." In 2012, Parris was honored with awards from the Missouri Press Association for best feature story, best feature series and best humor series.

Related Articles

How to Write a Book Report in the 6th Grade

How to Do a High School Book Report

How to Make the Setting of a Book Report

Examples of Reading Questions for Students

How to Write an Introduction for a Book Report

How to Write a Book Report in APA Format

How to Do Book Reports

Where to Find the Part Number on a MacBook Pro

How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Summary

How to Write a Book Report on an Autobiography

How to Write a Book Review- 4th Grade

Tips on Writing a Middle School Book Report

How to Write a Second Grade Book Report

How to Write a Topic Summary for an Essay

How to Write a 10th Grade Book Report

How to Infer When Reading & Questioning

How to Write a Letter of Request

How to Write a Book Report in Third Grade

How to Write a Book Report in the 4th Grade

How to Improve Adult Reading Comprehension

Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers.

• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy
• Manage Preferences

© 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer .

• Create A Quiz
• Relationship
• Personality
• Harry Potter
• Online Exam
• Entertainment
• Training Maker
• Survey Maker
• Brain Games
• ProProfs.com

Grade 6 Report Writing Quizzes, Questions & Answers

Sort by grade, top trending quizzes.

Popular Topics

Recent quizzes.