How to Write a Book Report
One of the most common assignments every elementary school student will be assigned to do is writing book reports. A book report is a type of essay that typically discusses the contents of a book or novel. In high school, students also write book reports, so it’s an excellent idea to learn how to write a good book report while in elementary school.
If you are having trouble writing an excellent book report, then it’s a good thing you’re reading this article right now. It’s okay if you don’t know what to include in a book report. Most students never know until they learn the tricks.
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There are three very important areas that a good book report focuses on. I have explained them in the subsequent paragraphs.
#1 Discuss Character Development
One of the most important aspects of any book review is character development. In fact, your teacher is interested in knowing how well you understand the characters and the role each played. There are two types of characters in literature; these are dynamic characters and static characters.
Dynamic characters tend to change or evolve as the story progresses, while static characters remain the same. So, in your book review, select any 2 or 3 of the most significant characters in your book and draw a chart for each of them. A good way to ascertain character change is to write down several early traits (e.g. loyal, naive, deceitful) noticeable in the character and then clearly track these traits throughout the book.
After the introduction, proceed to describe what you discovered in the charts. A good question to ask yourself is “ What are their tendencies in the beginning? Also, which change can you see in them, especially toward the end?
#2 Focus on Common Themes
Themes are the key subjects or ideas explored in a literary work. Once you`re done with the character development, you can go ahead to list out the main ideas or focal subjects discussed in the story. Some common themes include love, betrayal, masculinity, death, and loss. Among the main themes in the story, pick and write on any one or two. Doing this further establishes to your teacher that you have a good grasp of the story.
#3 Make Sure to State your Opinion
One important feature of great book reports is stating your opinion or general perspective on the story; whether you like the story or not, why you like the story, moral lessons the book teaches, and so on.
Answering any of the following questions can help you state your opinion better. What did you enjoy the most in the story? Were you able to connect to it on a personal level? Which parts or characters frustrated you? Was the ending disappointing or expected?
Finally, be sure to end your report with a recommendation. Would you want others to read this book? If so, why? If not, also state why.
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