Ideas and Tips for Students Writing a Great Book Report

Most students are in grade school when they complete their first book report. Even when starting at such a young age, most students find themselves dreading their upcoming report. By using the right strategies, however, the writing process becomes less tedious and more enjoyable. Below, you’ll learn more about what a book report is, how to write one, and tips that will make the writing process easier.

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On this useful blog, you’ll find tips, tricks, and general guidance for different writing assignments.

    What is a Book Report?

  • Who writes them?

    Book reports are used to describe writing assignments made after reading and analyzing a literary work.

  • Main idea

    Generally, a brief summary of the book is included, as well as a description of its main ideas.

  • Fiction writing

    For fiction writing, this could mean exploring themes or major ideas that the author presented.

  • Nonfiction writing

    For nonfiction writing, this means exploring some of the main topics, as well as the ideas that you found most interesting.

How to Write a Book Report

Step 1: Read Any Handouts

Teachers often pass out a grading rubric or project details when they make the assignment. As you consider, ‘What is a book report?’, you should always default to your teacher’s instructions. They may ask you to explore certain themes or topics in the literature. Regardless of how well you write the report, failing to cover the elements they have asked you to discuss will result in a poor grade.

Step 2: Write a Good Introduction

The introductory paragraph provides general information on the book, such as the title, author, publication information, and genre. It may also set up the rest of the paper, especially if you are planning to prove a theme or discuss specific literary elements in later paragraphs. You can also include noteworthy credentials, such as the author’s experience or any awards that it has received. Finally, if the book has significance to you, mention why it was significant or why you chose that book.

Step 3: Focus on the Main Events

If you look through book report examples, you’ll notice that the summaries are kept short and to the point. The idea is not to describe details of the plot. Instead, you should focus on major events that had a significant impact in the story.

Step 4: Include Literary Elements (or Major Ideas)

After describing the plot, you should choose significant parts of the books to discuss. This could be an idea (theme) that is repeated several times or the word choice that the author uses. Alternatively, you could discuss major ideas and how they are relevant today if you are reporting on a non-fiction book.

Step 5: Give Personal Opinions in the Conclusion

As you wrap up the literary report, you should consider the book from a personal point of view. Discuss strengths and weaknesses in the themes. Did you agree with any themes or arguments presented by the author? Was it interesting? Consider things like these and leave your reader thinking about what you had to say.

Book Report Ideas

Once you know how to do a book report, you’ll need to decide what to write about. Here are some common themes that are discussed in book reports:

  1. Character development. This describes how characters change, either through improvement or regression, as you read the book.
  2. Themes. There are many themes that may be discussed, often revealing the author’s views on love, relationships, politics, and life.
  3. Communication. Communication describes how verbal and non-verbal cues are used to send a specific message.
  4. Advancement of life. Some themes discuss the coming of age or other significant events. Others may reflect on the circle of life.
  5. Heroism. Most stories have a protagonist or hero. Some heroes are perceived through their actions, while others are considered true heroes.
  6. Injustice. Books are a great place to discuss the injustices of the world, especially using metaphor.
  7. Overcoming. Books are a journey. Many characters must overcome some internal or external force to reach a goal.
  8. Role of men or women. Certain passages may reveal the author’s attitude about the role men or women play.
  9. Struggles. Struggles are part of a great book. Discuss them and what they mean.
  10. Self-preservation. Some characters struggle but survive no matter what. This topic discusses their will to go on or succeed.

Bonus Tip: Be Sure to Read the Book

While you might be able to get an idea of themes, character development, and other ideas by looking through notes about the book or by looking for examples on writing a book report, reading it is best. This gives you the opportunity to interpret what you are reading for yourself. However, reading notes can help you if you are stuck on choosing a theme.

For students wondering how to do a book report, this blog article should have cleared some things up. As you consider what the write about, don’t forget to include all the elements requested by your teacher. Also, know how much time you should spend focusing on the plot and how much time you should spend focusing on literary elements present in what you have read. For qualified assistance, we advise you to visit

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