You just finished school and you’ve been given another
summer reading list. Most students don’t
like summer assignments, so they put off reading until the last minute, race
through the books, and then write really poor reports. Not surprisingly, they feel a combination of
resentment and guilt. Summer reading
does not have to be this way.
Soar For Success wants to make this assignment easier for
you. We developed this list because we
think it gives structure to an otherwise vague assignment.
1. Choose the right
books
Most schools provide a list of suggested books and ask you
to read two books. Don’t select books
that you think you should read; you
are not trying to impress someone else. This
is the summertime. Choose books that
really look interesting, that you will want
to read. If you are unsure, ask a friend
for advice, someone with tastes similar to yours.
2. The book report
Before you start reading, you need to know about the book
report. This knowledge will help you
know how to approach your books.
Book reports have three sections – an introduction, a
section that describes the book, and a section containing your reactions to the
book. What follows is a list of aspects
of the book to look for as you read. You
won’t write about every one of these features, and you may well add some of
your own, but this list will give you focus while you read.
a. The introduction
Begin with a “grabber”
[“How would you behave if you were on the front lines of a major battle?”]. Give a very brief summary of the book and also
give the genre (epic, tragedy, comedy, biography, novel, fiction, short story,
history, creative non-fiction), title, author and publication information [“No Less Than Victory by Jeff Shaara
(Ballantine Books, 2009) is a fictionalized history of the Battle of the
Bulge. Shaara is an expert at vividly
presenting history as seen through the eyes of key participants. This device allows the reader to understand
the spirit of the military and the horror of war while learning about the
details of this battle.”]. The
introductory paragraph does not need to be more than 3-4 sentences.
b. Section 1 –
fiction
Give a concise summary of the plot, including the climax and
resolution. Describe the setting and
point of view (who is telling the story).
Was there an important subplot? Describe
the protagonist and other main characters.
What did they do? What was their
motivation? What is the theme or the
lesson? What is the mood or tone of the
book? What were the recurring
symbols? Include quotes to support what
you write. This section might consist of
several paragraphs.
d. Section 2 – fiction
- your reaction to the book
Was the book engaging?
Was it interesting, moving, inspiring, or dull? Were the characters well developed and
believable? Was conflict believable and
was its resolution effective? How
effective were the various elements of the book? How does this book compare with other books of
the same genre? What were the book’s
unusual characteristics? This section
might consist of several paragraphs.
c. Section 1 –
non-fiction
Give a summary of the author’s topic. You are not expected to summarize each chapter;
just give an overview. Describe the time
period, the major events around which the book is based, the geographical
setting, or other important settings. What
were the most significant points in the author’s thesis or argument (this is
often presented in the introduction, so be sure to read it). How is the book structured? Is it arranged chronologically, by the
characters’ involvement, or in some other way?
Include quotes to support what you write. This section might consist of several
paragraphs.
d. Section 2 – non-fiction
– your reaction to the book
Do you think the author succeeded? How effective were the various elements of
the book? Did the author present a
convincing thesis? How does this book
compare with other books of the same genre?
Do you agree with the author’s conclusions? Was the book interesting,
moving, inspiring, or dull? What were
the book’s unusual characteristics? This
section might consist of several paragraphs.
e. Last paragraph
Regardless whether you are writing about a work of fiction
or non-fiction, the last paragraph in the second section is the wrap-up. Were there unanswered questions? Did you learn anything from the book? Did it change or re-affirm you life view? Do you recommend this book to others? This paragraph does not need to be more than
about 3 sentences long.
3. Reading the book.
Now that you know what to write, you can create a worksheet on
which to record important information as you read. Keep the book report contents in front of you
while you read. For a novel, you might
record the name of the protagonist, his/her behavioral characteristics, or a
key quote that shows how s/he interacts with other characters. Read at a desk and take notes while you
read. Then you will have all the material
you need for a good report, and the writing process will be much easier.
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