Book Report Ideas

Book Report Ideas

Choose one of these ideas for your each of your book reports. You should not repeat an idea (choose a different idea each book). One of your reports should be orally given.

1. Write a one page letter to the main character. Explain how you would have done things differently. Ask them questions about their life, protest a situation, or make a suggestion. This is a friendly letter and should be done in the correct format.

2. Rewrite the ending. How would things have been different if you had written the book? This should be one page.

3. Create a sculpture of a character. Use any combination of soap, wood, clay, sticks, wire, stones, old toy pieces, or any other object. An explanation of how this character fits into the book should accompany the sculpture. It should be at least one paragraph (5 sentences).

4. Write a diary that one of the story's main characters might have kept before, during, or after the book's events. Remember that the character's thoughts and feelings are very important in a diary. This should be at least one page.

5. Imagine that you are the author of the book you have just read. Suddenly the book becomes a best seller. Write a letter to a movie producer trying to get that person interested in making your book into a movie. Explain why the story, characters, conflicts, etc., would make a good film. Suggest a filming location and the actors to play the various roles. YOU MAY ONLY USE BOOKS WHICH HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN MADE INTO MOVIES. This should be one page.

6. Be a TV or radio reporter, and give a report of a scene from the book as if it is happening "live". You may video tape this.

7. Construct a diorama (three-dimensional scene which includes models of people, buildings, plants, and animals) of one of the main events of the book. Include a written description of the scene.

8. If the story of your book takes place in another country, prepare a travel brochure using pictures you have found or drawn. Look at travel brochures for examples.

9. Write a FULL (physical, emotional, relational) description of three of the characters in the book. Each description should be at least a paragraph long. This should equal about a page of writing. Draw a portrait to accompany each description.

10. Make three posters about the book using two or more of the following media: paint, crayons, chalk, paper, ink, real materials.

11. Design a book jacket for the book. I STRONGLY suggest that you look at an actual book jacket before you attempt this. Write a paragraph (5 sentences) about why you designed it the way you did.

12. After reading a book of history or historical fiction, make an illustrated timeline showing events of the story and draw a map showing the location(s) where the story took place.

13. Prepare an oral report of 5 minutes. Give a brief summary of the plot and describe the personality of one of the main characters. Be prepared for questions from the class. You may video tape this. The questions from the class will be asked after the report is presented.

14. Write about one of the character's life twenty years from now. It should be one page long.

15. Write and perform an original song that tells the story of the book. Your presentation should be at least two minutes long. You may video tape this.

16. Do a book talk. Talk to the class about your book by saying a little about the author, explain who the characters are and explain enough about the beginning of the story so that everyone will understand what they are about to read. Finally, read an exciting, interesting, or amusing passage from your book. Stop reading at a moment that leaves the audience hanging and add "If you want to know more you'll have to read the book." If the book talk is well done almost all the students want to read the book. You may video tape this.

17. Write a different beginning to the book. It should be one page long.

18. Sketch a favorite part of the book--don't copy an already existing illustration. Then write a paragraph (5 sentences) about what you have drawn.

19. Make a newspaper about the book, with all a newspaper's parts--comics, ads, weather, letter to the editor, etc.

20. Write the plot for a sequel to this book. It should be one page.

21. Rewrite the story for younger children in picture book form.

22. Draw a comic strip of your favorite scene. In one paragraph explain why you chose this scene.

23. Give a sales talk, pretending the students in the class are clerks in a bookstore and you want them to push this book. You may video tape this.

24. Write and perform a dramatization of a certain episode. You may use classmates. This may be video taped.

25. Write a friendly letter to a friend explaining why they should read this book. Tell important parts of the story, but don’t give away the ending! This should be at least one page.