Barbara P.
Barbara P.

Book Report Writing - Step By Step Guide & Samples

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Published on: Jul 21, 2020

Last updated on: Apr 15, 2023

Book Report Writing

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Writing a book report can be quite a challenge for beginners and high school students. It incorporates analytical skills and excellent writing skills. The selection of words also has to be very composed, as you have to explain the whole book comprehensively.

A report must be a positive reflection of a book’s entire idea. It is not supposed to be the personal opinion of the writer for his/her book.

Writing a book report is an interesting activity. It increases your knowledge by giving you a chance to read new books.

In a report, the reader states his observations and opinion on the book. Book report writing is a technical thing to do. In this blog, we have summed up all the necessary information you need to know for writing a book report.

What is a Book Report?

A book report is a type of essay that discusses the contents of a book. It aims to summarise the major elements of a book. It includes information about the author, an introduction to the title, book details about the plot, and an introduction to the characters.

A book report tells the reader or a student what exactly she or he will be reading in the book.

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Types of Books

There are usually two types of genres for books: a fictional and a non-fictional book. If you have decided to work on a fictional book, you must keep the following points in mind.

1. Fictional Books

Fictional books have the following major elements.

  • The Plot: What is the book actually about?
  • Setting: What is the location of the events mentioned in the book?
  • Characters: Which characters are essential, and how are they related?
  • Themes: What are the main ideas about different aspects of life and society in the book?
  • Symbols: What kind of symbols does the writer use to denote the abstract concepts?
  • Point of view: Is the book written in the first, second, or third person?

2. Non-fictional Books

While working on a non-fiction book, consider the following points:

  • Topic: What is the book about?
  • Notable events: Identify the most relevant events?
  • Famous people: Identify the people who support the topic?
  • Information: What knowledge have you gained about the topic or what can the reader learn from the book?

How to Write a Book Report

The following are the five steps of writing a report for a book. Following these steps will let you create a book report of your own.

1. Choose the Book

In case the teacher has allowed you to choose a book yourself, try to select a book that interests you. There is no restriction regarding the type of book. Choose the kind of book that grabs your attention.

Make sure the title you choose is appropriate regarding your audience and requirements.

In case you are given a book to write a book report, it might be tedious and stressful for you initially. But as soon as you start reading it, your interest will develop itself and make things easy for you.

2. Read the Book

It is quite a logical thing to write a book report, and you need to read the book in depth. Only skimming the book is the worst option that most students opt for.

To fully understand the book, you must read the book thoroughly and without any distractions.

While you are reading the book, make sure that you note down the essential points. You will be accommodating them while writing the final report.

3. Write an Outline

The outline is the primary element for book reviews. It clearly explains what the intended book report will look like. There are so many ways to create an outline. You might use the notes you have been making while you were reading the book.

Make sure you accurately organize all the information. It should have a proper introductory paragraph, body paragraphs with all the necessary information, and a formal conclusion.

Moreover, the outline should not be very expanded.

Use pleasant words to explain everything clearly and mention all the basic information in a composed way. You may also look into some online samples to clearly understand the whole idea.

4. Write and Edit the Book Report

Process writing is an essential phase of writing any report, essay, or thesis. It comprises all the attempts that a writer makes to create the perfect report. Those initial attempts are known as drafts.

In the drafts, the writer states down all the brainstormed ideas. It assists in editing and rewriting the paper.

Moreover, this phase takes the longest time to complete as there are so many things which the writer has to keep up with.

5. Don’t try to Cover Everything

To summarize every bit of information in a book report is technically not possible. So, never attempt to do so and make your summary look disgusting at the end.

Your report should only include the primary and most essential points of the book. Try to explain those significant points adequately, and you will automatically cover all the required information.

6. Use the Correct Formatting

Formatting a book report is the simplest. You only need to organize everything according to the standard. Follow some very basic formatting rules, such as making the paragraphs, comprehensive and readable handwriting or fonts, citations, etc.

These necessary steps will make your book report easy to read and understand. Plus, it will also make it presentable and will give it a professional touch.

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Book Report Format

The format for writing a book report is fundamental. Most of us are already familiar with it. Like any other report essay, the book report also has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Following is our little guide for the writing process of a book report. It is not obligatory to follow the same steps. You may variate things at your convenience.

1. Introduction

In the introduction, mention your book title, author, plot, and theme of your book. Moreover, it must include a comprehensive thesis statement.

The thesis statement is an essential part of any kind of paper you are writing. It is a statement that describes the whole idea of your essay. Write it with full concentration and use words wisely.

Another most important thing that you should keep in mind while writing a book report is to tell the readers what your book is about. Make sure to add the following elements:

  • Summary: Start the introduction by providing a short summary of the book you are writing the report for. Introduce the setting, time, main characters, and plot. Also, specify who is telling the story and set the tone for it.
  • Character Details: Do not forget to add some basic information about the characters of the book. You may also provide a glance at their roles also.
  • Plot Details: Add a little information about the plot and sequence of the events that took place in the book. You can discuss the setting of this part by highlighting the rising issue and the climax point of the book.

2. Body Paragraphs

In the body paragraphs, you need to explain the characters, plot, and theme in the book one by one. Use topic sentences at the start of all the body paragraphs.

Moreover, use one of the body paragraphs to explain your mission statement and mention your supporting sentences.

3. Conclusion

Like always, the conclusion is very summarized. Wind up all the points you have mentioned in the introduction and the body paragraphs.

Never add anything new to the conclusion since this will leave your audience in suspicion.

Characteristics of a Good Book Report

A professional book report usually follows a basic format. The standard attributes of a book report are as follows:

  • The title of the book and its year of publication.
  • The type or category of the book, known as genre.
  • The main subject, plot, or theme of the book.
  • A summary of the key points.
  • The response of the intended readers.
  • Its apparent strengths and weaknesses.
  • Brief quotations from the book to support general observations.

Book Report Examples

Examples can make you understand things in a better way. Here are a few amazing examples of book reports.

Starting from the book report written for the famous book Matilda.

Here is another example of the book that made our childhood amazing. All of us must have watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at least once in our lives.

Writing a book report is a tricky thing to do. It may be short and comprehensive but requires excellent writing skills. If you can not take the risk of writing such a story yourself, seeking help from a professional will not harm you.

At EssayWritingService.college, we provide you with the best writing services. Our team of highly skilled writers is always here to help you with writing a book report like a pro.

Place your order now to avail the best writing help online and secure top grades.

Frequently Asked Question

What are the 5 parts of a book report?

The main five elements of a book report are:

  1. The characters
  2. The setting
  3. The plot
  4. The conflict
  5. The resolution

What is a book report summary?

A book report is a summary of the main ideas and arguments that the author presents in their written work. It helps potential readers decide if they would like to read it or not, depending on its content.

How long is a book report?

There is no fixed length, however, a book report should have at least 600-800 words.

Barbara P.

WRITTEN BY

Barbara P., Literature, Marketing

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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