Zach has to write a book report, a way to tell others about a book you've read. He chooses the book The Cricket In Times Square. But what makes a good book report?
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There are several elements that all good book reports share.
A book report must include the title and author of the book. Sometimes, it also includes the publication date, which is found on the back of the title page at the beginning of the book.
Zach is reporting on The Cricket In Times Square by George Selden. It was published in 1960.
Characters are the people or animals in the story. A book report should tell something important about each main character. Don't worry about naming every single character in the book, just choose the most important ones.
Zach writes a brief description of Chester the cricket, Tucker the mouse, Harry the cat, and a boy named Mario.
The setting of a book is where and when the story takes place. While many books include more than one location, in a book report you should describe the most important one or two places. If the time period is important to the story, include it in the book report. For example, the story might take place during the Civil War or during medieval times.
Most of Zach's book happens in the Times Square subway station in New York City. The story does not mention the time period specifically, so Zach doesn't include that in his book report.
The plot is the action of the story. A book report should have a plot summary that gives enough information to interest the reader of the report, without retelling the entire story.
In his plot summary, Zach includes these events:
Your endorsement is your opinion of the book. Do you recommend it to other readers? Why or why not?
Here is Zach's endorsement of The Cricket In Times Square:
''I loved this book, and I recommend it to anyone who likes animal stories. My favorite part is the description of New York City because I felt like I was there even though I've never been there before.''
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There are many styles of book reports, so if you are assigned to do a book report, be sure to pay attention to the instructions your teacher gives. A book report might consist of writing paragraphs about each of the elements in the story; writing as if you were interviewing the main character; designing a poster or creating a diorama; making an oral presentation; or a variety of other options.
Whatever style your book report is, be sure to use clear, descriptive language and to include all of the important elements. Also, use your own words - copying words directly from the book is called plagiarism, and is not allowed. Finally, have fun telling others about the book!
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A book report is a way to tell others about a book you have read. A good book report should include the book's author, title, characters, setting, and plot, as well as a personal endorsement, which is your opinion of the book.
Some teachers assign book reports to be delivered as typical reports, while others ask for book reports to be presented in creative formats like posters, dioramas or classroom presentations. When writing a book report, be sure to use your own words and avoid copying words directly, which is known as plagiarism.
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Now that you have learned about how to structure a book report, it's time to write one of your own! Follow the steps below to get started.
For your report, choose a book that is at your reading level and that interests you. Pick something you haven't read before, and try not to choose something that isn't the first book in a series, because your report might be kind of confusing for people who aren't familiar with the series. Once you have found your book, get reading!
Now that you have read your book, think about how you want to present your report. You can do a written report, you can add illustrations, you can make a poster or a video essay, or any of the other formats listed in this lesson. Take some notes on what you are going to say for each of the different sections of the report: characters, setting plot, and endorsement. If applicable, find images to supplement what you want to say.
You are ready to put your report together. Write out each section of the report or type it and print it. Before you finish writing, make sure to check your work for any spelling or grammar mistakes. If you are creating a poster or something else that is visual, put it together carefully and make sure that your writing is still readable. Congratulations! You created a book report!
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