How to Write a Book Report
Writing a book report is not like lying in a bed of roses. Most students dread it because it poses challenges for students to prompt them to think critically and write about what they have read.
- Read before you write
There are no shortcuts, no substitutes. Select a book you know you will enjoy. Have a pen and a paper at your side, and be sure to write the page numbers and important excerpts as they will help you in the writing stage.
- Use the outline of a Book Report
Once you get done reading the book, you should get set to write. When writing a report, you will have an easy time following the set guidelines, including prewriting, writing stage, revising point, editing and then publishing.
The prewriting stage involves planning on what to say. Start with the following ideas;
- Introduction
- Book summary
- Characters
- Plot
- Evaluation and Conclusion
- Introductory Paragraph
Several books start with the book’s necessary information that includes; the title, author, publication, and genre. The first paragraph grants you the opportunity to cultivate interest.
- What the book is about
In the second, third, and fourth paragraphs, you will describe what the book entails. It is your chance to show that you have read and understood the text. Here are some helpful tips in case you have a fictional book.
Summary:Begin the paragraph by jotting an outlook of the story that includes the setting, characters, period, and plot. Show the storyteller and describe the tone of the book.
Details of the characters: give brief descriptions of the leading players of the story and also point out the conflict that should get solved. You can include a separate paragraph for the minor characters.
Details of the plot: you do not have to state every detail in the story. Put your focus on the sequences that occur in the main events. You can describe the rising of actions up to the story’s climax and how the conflicts get resolved. If the author uses many literary devices, mention them.
Non-Fiction Book Reports
If you are jotting a book report on a factual text like a biography, devote the body of the message to describe the book’s subject and the points of view of the author. Utilize the headings of the chapters to assist you in presenting the author’s ideas, together with the arguments in order. You don’t have to cover all the views the author makes. Select the main ideas and the fascinating ones for you.
Expository Essay Book Report
A book report typically resembles an expository essay, but it can get written in other forms. Some teachers may ask their students to take their perspective when jotting a message. It requires the writer to get persuasive. Other teachers may also assign students to write a book review. That gives the students a challenge to persuade their peers to either read or not read a given book. If you get assigned to write a book review, do not reveal the ending of that book.
Evaluation and Conclusion
The last paragraph is fun to write since you get allowed to critique the book in your own words. Mention the strengths of the book and its weaknesses. Mention your interests from the book and what you learned from it. Did the book affect you? Give honest opinions about the book and say whether or not you would recommend it to someone.
Editing, Revising, and Publishing
After drafting the report, the next thing is revising your writing aloud to get feedback. While editing, check your grammar and utilize the proper guidelines to quote and write the book’s title. Take your time while revising and editing.