Book reports provide a summary of a books’ contents, line of argument, and thesis statement. Teachers tend to establish their own rules regarding what they would like to see included in a book report. Meanwhile, some components are common in all book reports, and they include: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
The Introduction identifies the book’s title, its story line, and why it was chosen for analysis.
The body describes different parts of the story, which include theme, setting, plot, and characters.
The Theme identifies the main idea presented in the story. For example, a story may be all about the value of friendship. The report writer should tell the reader what he thinks is the theme and his or her reasons for holding this view.
The Setting outlines the spatial-temporal dimensions of the story. Some stories tell us about things that happened thousands of years ago while others highlights issues that we have seen in the news in the recent past. Others provide stories that are based on imaginary events.
The Plot outlines what actually happens in the story as narrated by the author. At this stage, the writer should identify the main event being described and the developing conflict. This is also the time to tell the reader the outcome of the conflict and how the story ends. However, the book report must be careful to avoid retelling most of the details of the story. Doing so will not only confuse readers but also take away time and space that is much needed for other important contents of the report.
The Characters are the individuals who have been mentioned as participants in the story. Of particular importance is the protagonist, also known as the main character. The report should also explain the role that other characters play in developing the main character.
Personal Views: Upon summarizing the book, the writer can give his Personal Views on it, for example, whether it was well written, whether he likes it, and his views on the most interesting part of the book. At this point, the writer can address a wide range of issues, including how the book made him feel, other books written using a similar approach, the most important lessons to learn from reading the book, and whether he or she would recommend it to his friends.
Conclusion: This part briefly sums up the contents of the book report. The writer then gives his parting shot, highlighting the most important point he or she feels other readers should know about the book.