Components of a Book Report

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  Book reports are often assigned in elementary and middle school classes, as well as public library summer reading programs. Unlike essays, which introduce a new perspective and analyze a book or some of its components in detail, a book report is mostly a plot summary. When writing a book report, you should demonstrate your knowledge of the book's content while sharing a few of your own thoughts. These assignments prepare young students for the essays they will write later in their educational careers.

Introduction

• The introduction of the book report should include identifying information about the book: the name, author, genre (adventure, fantasy, etc.), and the book's premise. You can also include a sentence or two about why you chose to read this particular book.

Plot Summary

• In the plot summary, you should include information about the book's content. Describe the book's setting, characters, the major events that took place, the major conflicts and resolution. You don't need to describe the book in extreme detail; the point of the plot summary is to show that you read the book and understood what was going on. The plot summary should only take a paragraph or two.

Analysis/Opinion

• The analysis and opinion section gives you the opportunity to share your own thoughts on the book, rather than factual information about it. In this section, you can write about whether or not you liked the book and why, what you learned, how it made you feel, what the story reminded you of (another book, a personal experience) and whether or not you would recommend the book to others. This section should be one or two paragraphs long.

Conclusion

• In the conclusion, you should summarize the main points of your report in a sentence or two, and offer your final thoughts.