A book report is an informative report which discusses the book objectively and is similar to a book review with greater focus on the summary of the book rather than its assessment. Book reports are an explanation and synopsis of the events in the book with an emphasis on the plot, characters, thesis and the primary idea in the book. Book reports are written not very long and the normal word count is between 250 to 500 words.
Before you begin writing a book report, you should collect basic information like:
- Name of the author
- Title of the book
- Publication name, Publisher location and year of publication
- Number of pages in the book
You may also want to gain some additional information about the author like a short biography and other works by the same author. Check the genre of the book and to which category it belongs – fiction, non-fiction, biography, autobiography, science, science-fiction etc.
The process of writing a book report should begin from the time you begin reading the book. Maintain a diary to record all important character names, especially in a work of fiction or biographies. Be sure to note down:
- Main ideas – the most important events in the book, why were they important and whether you liked these events or not. Any new knowledge you gained should also be written down.
- Main Characters – write down the names of all the main characters in the book so that you can go back and keep referring to them. The characters can also be classified as good characters and bad characters.
- Important Quotes and sentences – all important quotes and sentences in the book should be noted down especially those which you find particularly important, appealing and interesting.
Writing the Final Book Report
Write the name of the author and the book and summarise the details of the book in a concise and interesting manner. The report should include the important details and happenings in the book and the reason why you liked or did not like the book. You could also discuss important elements of the book and why you would or would not recommended reading the book to others. When discussing the primary elements from the book it is important to discuss the following features:
- Main Elements and Characters – How has the principal plot or idea been conveyed unfolded in the book, characters you likes the best and why and the main elements of the book.
- Summarise – The paper should be a brief and clear summary of the work and should succinctly analyse the main characters and themes.
- Evaluate – evaluate the book by choosing some main events or points which you liked or disliked. You may also compare the any other book or works by the same author or other books by a different author in the same genre. Discuss the main themes and motifs in the book and how the author has presented them. Include your personal opinion on whether the book appealed to you emotionally or logically.
- Recommend – Finally, state whether you would or would not recommend the book to others and why. Consider the strongest aspect of the book when telling others about the book and the most important thing which comes to your mind when you will talk about the book.
- Revise, edit and prepare the final draft – Always check your paper for spellings of the author, characters and other important nouns and names in the report. Double-check the paper for any punctuation and grammatical errors. Provide a brief yet comprehensive summary with some important details to prove that you have actually read the book. Adding important sentences or quotations is a wise option and will impress your instructor and reader. Ensure that the paper is appropriately formatted and submitted well before the deadline.
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