Book Reports
Background Information & Activities

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Writing book reports is a great way for children to develop and practice their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. It also helps them explore new genres, share books with other people, and become passionate about reading. Remind your children that a book report is a piece of writing that describes a book and shares thoughts and opinions about it. Book reports can vary, but most have three main parts: the introduction; the body, which includes a summary; and the conclusion.

Remind your children that before they can begin a book report, they have to choose a book! We recommend screening the Choosing a Book movie to help children find a book that is just right for them. The next step is to read the book carefully. Encourage active reading and suggest that they take notes as they read. You may want to review different graphic organizers they can employ, such as character trait charts, story maps, or cause-and-effect charts. As they read, they should pay attention to the setting, characters, and major events that happen in the plot. You may also want to come up with questions they can keep in mind as they read. Who is the main character? What problem does the main character face? How does the character change?

It is important that your children manage their time when they write a book report. If they choose a long book, they should set reading goals so that they finish the book in time to do their reports. They may want to use a calendar to establish how many pages or chapters they should read a day. If a book is short, they may want to read the book again so they make sure they do not miss anything. Encourage your children not to choose short books because they think it might be easier to do a book report. They should choose books that they are interested in and want to read.

After children finish reading, they should collect their notes and think about their book reports. They should make an outline of their book reports before they begin writing. Explain that while book reports can be different, most have the same main parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is a sentence or paragraph at the beginning of a piece of writing that explains what you are writing about. The introduction should include the name of the book, which should always be capitalized and underlined, the author’s name, and the genre, or type of story. Examples of genres include mysteries, biographies, memoirs, science fiction, and fantasy. Some children may also want to explain why they chose the book. One child may like reading memoirs because they can connect their own experiences to them. Another child may enjoy science fiction because they are exciting and unpredictable.

The body, or middle section of the book report, should contain a summary. Review with your children that a summary is a short review of something. It is a recap of the book’s main characters, settings, and events. The summary should only contain the most important details from the book. It is helpful to discuss problems and solutions in storybooks so that children can include these in their summaries too. Children can use a story map to help them write and organize their summaries.

The conclusion is a sentence or paragraph that ends a piece of writing and sums up your thoughts. Children can include their opinions, or what they thought of the book, and their responses, or how the book made them feel. Did they like it? Why or why not? What did they like best? How did they feel as they were reading the book? Would they recommend it to a friend? What did they learn from the book? They can answer these questions in the conclusion and share their thoughts and feelings.

Your children should use book reports to learn about new books to read. Book reports give them an opportunity to explore new writers, styles, and genres. Instilling a sense of wonder and excitement about books will help them become avid readers and writers.

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Book Reports Teacher Activities

© 1999-2013 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Everyone’s a Critic

Share a few book or movie reviews with your children. If possible, share live reviews from radio or television, such as “Ebert and Roeper.” What kind of details do the reviewers mention? Did he or she like the book or movie? Why or why not? Then have reading buddies pick a book and read it together. Pairs can then review the book, either through a written book report or through a conversation in front of the class in the style of Ebert and Roeper. If possible, you can film a show of their conversation. What do the reviewers agree on? What do they disagree on? Students can create their own rating system, such as five stars or two thumbs up.

In Character

Have students choose a book and create a report. To share their reports with the class, have them dress up as a character from their book. Have them talk and act like the character and give a quick summary of what happens in the book. Some students may wish to make a sculpture or model of their character instead. Encourage your students to be creative with their characters.

Book Fair

Have students choose a book and create a book report. Then have them create a poster or a display for their chosen book. They may want to draw illustrations that go with the book, write a short bio of the author, or create an illustrated cast list of important characters that appear in the story. They may also want to make a diorama of the setting or even create a backdrop where they can act out a scene from the book. Then one afternoon organize a book fair where students can share their presentations. You may want to invite other classes or open the event to family and friends.

Book Reports Family Activities

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Read Together

The easiest way to get your child excited about reading is to read! Brainstorm different genres together such as biography, science fiction, poetry, historical fiction, etc. Create a checklist with the genres and choose a book in each genre. You may need to take a trip to the library or do research on the Internet. A librarian or a teacher can also help you choose grade-appropriate books for your child. Then choose a book and read it together! Reading different genres will help your child branch out and explore other areas of writing. Which genre do you and your child like best?

Comic Book of a Book

Have your child choose a book and then create a comic book summarizing the chosen book. You may want to provide examples of comic books for your child. Explain that his or her comic book does not have to incorporate every detail, only the most important events and characters should be included. It may help to complete a story map detailing the most important events before your child begins to draw the pictures.