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Book Report Formatfor Required Reading

The document provides guidance on book report formats for 9th through 12th grade students. It outlines a 5 paragraph essay format including an introduction with thesis, synopsis paragraph, two observation paragraphs with examples and quotes, and conclusion. It also details a grading rubric focusing on contents, style, and mechanics, and offers tips to avoid common issues like tense and structure inconsistencies, fragments, and run-on sentences. Students are advised to proofread and possibly rewrite their reports.

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Bryan Famenial
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21 views

Book Report Formatfor Required Reading

The document provides guidance on book report formats for 9th through 12th grade students. It outlines a 5 paragraph essay format including an introduction with thesis, synopsis paragraph, two observation paragraphs with examples and quotes, and conclusion. It also details a grading rubric focusing on contents, style, and mechanics, and offers tips to avoid common issues like tense and structure inconsistencies, fragments, and run-on sentences. Students are advised to proofread and possibly rewrite their reports.

Uploaded by

Bryan Famenial
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Book Report Format for Required Reading

9th Grade - In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez


10th Grade - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
11th &12th Grade - Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

1. Book Report Format


2. Grading Paradigm
3. Things to be Careful of With Book Reports

1. Book Report Format: 5 Paragraph Essay

Heading, Title, and General Format


Identify student, class, assignment, and due date. Put the last name and page number
in the header function of your computer. Create an original title, uniquely relevant to this
essay (not the book's title). Center it on the page, not underlined, below the heading and
above the first paragraph. Double-space and use a legible 12-point font and one-inch
margins throughout.

Introduction (first paragraph)


Begin with a catchy opening statement. Go on to identify the book's title (italicized),
author, type of work (eg. historical novel, not "fictional novel" or just "book"—all novels
are fictional, all novels are books), genre (look it up!), and major themes. Briefly
introduce the main characters and describe the setting (time and place). If you wish, you
may also mention other titles by the author and /or pertinent details of the author's
background. The last sentence of the introduction MUST be a thesis statement that
previews the ideas you will explore in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. Be certain that there
is a direct connection between this statement and the topic sentence of each of the
body paragraphs.

Synopsis (second paragraph)


Begin this paragraph with the book's main idea in a single topic sentence. Go on to
present a complete but concise synopsis of the book in one paragraph. This is a brief
sketch of what happens: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Think about the major
conflict, the rising action, the climax of the story, and the resolution. Keep it brief – no
more than 7 sentences.

Observations (third and fourth paragraphs)


In each of these two paragraphs, narrow the discussion to a significant topic. Begin
each paragraph with a topic sentence that makes an observation about a particular
aspect of the book: a character, a feature of the plot, an element of style, or a
theme. Go on to support and expand upon your idea with specific examples, incidents,
details, and at least one relevant quote from the book. Write in flowing sentences,
weaving these elements from the book into your writing, not simply listing them. (Cite
the page number for each quote used.) End each paragraph with a wrap-up
sentence that ties your examples and details together in support of your topic
sentence. The paragraph that makes the most important point should be the fourth one,
right before your conclusion.

Conclusion (fifth paragraph)


Begin this paragraph with your reaction to this piece of literature, your response to it as
a reader. Avoid writing, "I think," "I feel," "I believe," or "In my opinion," but do try to
express how the work has affected you, deepened your understanding, alerted or
enlightened you (or even a wider audience) in some way. Go on to integrate the themes
of your three body paragraphs and your essay's unique title, revealing how they relate
to one another. End with a thoughtful closing statement: a concluding remark for the
whole report. This could be your most important evaluative point, an intriguing twist on
your title, a fitting quote, or a compelling question.

2. Book Report Grading Paradigm


Contents (3 points each): 60%
I. Introduction
____ A. Opening Statement
____ B. Title, author, genre, theme
____ C. Main characters, setting
____ D. Thesis statement

II. Synopsis
____ A. Complete
____ B. Concise (a paragraph, not a lengthy summary)

III. Observation #1
____ A. Topic sentence
____ B. Support for topic
____ C. Supporting quote(s)
____ D. Wrap-up sentence

IV. Observation #2
____ A. Topic sentence
____ B. Support for topic
____ C. Supporting quote(s)
____ D. Wrap-up sentence

V. Conclusion
____ A. Writer’s reaction
____ B. Integration of themes
____ C. Closing statement

VI. Style
____ A. Transitions
____ B. Language (not too informal; no jargon or colloquialisms)
____ C. Voice (it sounds like you, not somebody else, wrote it)

Mechanics (4 points each): 40%:


____ A. Heading and header (see top of page) (1)
____ B. Title (1)
____ C. Format (5 paragraph essay) (2)
____ D. Spelling (5)
____ E. Tenses (don’t switch tenses!) (5)
____ F. Person (avoid “you”) (1)
____ G. Grammar (10)
____ H. Punctuation, capitals (10)
____ I. Clarity (straightforward sentences!) (5)
____ J. Extra: Exceptional grace and style in writing and thinking. (5)

3. Things to be careful of with Book Reports

● Always double space. The teacher needs room to make comments.

● Always italicize book titles. Book titles never, never, never go in quotation marks.
Other things that are underlined are the names of newspapers, magazines,
movies, operas, record albums, etc.

● Don’t switch tenses in the middle of a report. Stick with either the present or the
past. Too many students switch tenses within the same sentence; e.g. “The girl
fell down but Mr. Williams comes and helps her.”

● Don’t write in fragments. Be sure that every sentence has a subject and a verb.
In addition, a sentence will only under special circumstances begin with
“because.” Examples of sentence fragments are “Running through the fields.”

● Watch out for run-on sentences that just go on and on and even if your idea
changes to something else that might be in another paragraph.

● Always proofread everything you have written. Expect to write a first draft. Then
expect to read it and edit it – cutting out unnecessary words, fixing spelling, etc.
Then write the new draft and proofread it. If you find more errors, or areas that
need fine-tuning, rewrite the paper again. DON’T EXPECT YOUR FIRST DRAFT
TO BE THE FINAL DRAFT – IT NEVER IS!

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