define the word book report

Book Report: Definition, Guidelines, and Advice

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A book report is a written composition or oral presentation that describes, summarizes , and (often, but not always) evaluates a work of fiction or nonfiction .

As Sharon Kingen points out below, a book report is primarily a school exercise, "a means of determining whether or not a student has read a book" ( Teaching Language Arts in Middle Schools , 2000).

Characteristics of a Book Report

Book reports generally follow a basic format that includes the following information:

• the title of the book and its year of publication
• the name of the author
• the genre (type or category) of the book (for example, biography , autobiography , or fiction)
• the main subject, plot , or theme of the book
• a brief summary of the key points or ideas treated in the book
• the reader's response to the book, identifying its apparent strengths and weaknesses
• brief quotations from the book to support general observations

Examples and Observations

• "A book report is a way for you to let others know about a book you have read. A good book report will help others decide whether they want to read the book or not." (Ann McCallum, William Strong, and Tina Thoburn, Language Arts Today . McGraw-Hill, 1998)
• Contrasting Views on Book Reports - "Keep in mind always that a book report is a hybrid, part fact and part fancy. It gives hard information about the book, yet it is your own creation, giving your opinion and judgment of it." (Elvin Ables, Basic Knowledge and Modern Technology . Varsity, 1987) - "Your instructor may occasionally assign a book report . A book report is to be sharply distinguished from a research paper , for it deals with one book in its entirety—not with certain aspects of several books and documents . . .. The book report is also to be clearly distinguished from a book review or a critical essay , for it merely reports on a book without undertaking to compare it with other books or to pass judgment on its value." (Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, Modern Rhetoric . Harcourt, 1972) - "A book report is a summary of the contents, plot , or thesis of a particular book, . . . preceded by a full bibliographical citation . The writer of a book report is not required to evaluate the author, although he oftentimes does so." (Donald V. Gawronski, History: Meaning and Method . Sernoll, 1967)
• Quick Tips "I'll give you some tips on how to write a good book report right now. "Tell the name of the book. Tell the name of the author. The Wizard of Oz was written by L. Frank Baum. "Tell if you think he's a good writer. Tell the names of all the characters in the book. Tell what they did. Tell where they went. Tell who they were looking for. Tell what they finally found. Tell how they treated each other. Tell about their feelings. "Tell that you read some to your sister. Tell that she liked it. "Read some to a friend. Then you can even tell that your friend liked it." (Mindy Warshaw Skolsky, Love From Your Friend, Hannah . HarperCollins, 1999)
• Problems Associated With Book Reports "Typically a book report is a means of determining whether or not a student has read a book. Some teachers also consider these reports as a major part of their composition program. However, there are several problems associated with book reports. First, students can generally find out enough about a book to write a report without actually reading it. Second, book reports tend to be boring to write and boring to read. The writing is usually uninspired because students have no ownership of the task and no commitment to it. Furthermore, book reports are not real-world writing tasks. Only students write book reports." (Sharon Kingen, Teaching Language Arts in Middle Schools: Connecting and Communicating . Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000)
• The Lighter Side of Book Reports "I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in 20 minutes. It involves Russia." (Woody Allen)
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How to Write a Book Report

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Book Report Fundamentals

Preparing to write, an overview of the book report format, how to write the main body of a book report, how to write a conclusion to a book report, reading comprehension and book reports, book report resources for teachers .

Book reports remain a key educational assessment tool from elementary school through college. Sitting down to close read and critique texts for their content and form is a lifelong skill, one that benefits all of us well beyond our school years. With the help of this guide, you’ll develop your reading comprehension and note-taking skills. You’ll also find resources to guide you through the process of writing a book report, step-by-step, from choosing a book and reading actively to revising your work. Resources for teachers are also included, from creative assignment ideas to sample rubrics.

Book reports follow general rules for composition, yet are distinct from other types of writing assignments. Central to book reports are plot summaries, analyses of characters and themes, and concluding opinions. This format differs from an argumentative essay or critical research paper, in which impartiality and objectivity is encouraged. Differences also exist between book reports and book reviews, who do not share the same intent and audience. Here, you’ll learn the basics of what a book report is and is not.

What Is a Book Report?

"Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

This article, written by a professor emeritus of rhetoric and English, describes the defining characteristics of book reports and offers observations on how they are composed.

"Writing a Book Report" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab outlines the steps in writing a book report, from keeping track of major characters as you read to providing adequate summary material.

"How to Write a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

This article provides another helpful guide to writing a book report, offering suggestions on taking notes and writing an outline before drafting. 

"How to Write a Successful Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

Another post from ThoughtCo., this article highlights the ten steps for book report success. It was written by an academic advisor and college enrollment counselor.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and an Essay?

"Differences Between a Book Report & Essay Writing" ( Classroom)

In this article from the education resource Classroom,  you'll learn the differences and similarities between book reports and essay writing.

"Differences Between a Book Report and Essay Writing" (SeattlePi.com)

In this post from a Seattle newspaper's website, memoirist Christopher Cascio highlights how book report and essay writing differ.

"The Difference Between Essays and Reports" (Solent Online Learning)

This PDF from Southampton Solent University includes a chart demonstrating the differences between essays and reports. Though it is geared toward university students, it will help students of all levels understand the differing purposes of reports and analytical essays.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and a Book Review?

"How to Write a Book Review and a Book Report" (Concordia Univ.)

The library at Concordia University offers this helpful guide to writing book report and book reviews. It defines differences between the two, then presents components that both forms share.

"Book Reviews" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s writing guide shows the step-by-step process of writing book reviews, offering a contrast to the composition of book reports.

Active reading and thoughtful preparation before you begin your book report are necessary components of crafting a successful piece of writing. Here, you’ll find tips and resources to help you learn how to select the right book, decide which format is best for your report, and outline your main points.

Selecting and Finding a Book

"30 Best Books for Elementary Readers" (Education.com)

This article from Education.com lists 30 engaging books for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It was written by Esme Raji Codell, a teacher, author, and children's literature specialist.

"How to Choose a Good Book for a Report (Middle School)" (WikiHow)

This WikiHow article offers suggestions for middle schoolers on how to choose the right book for a report, from getting started early on the search process to making sure you understand the assignment's requirements.

"Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers" (Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media has compiled this list of 25 of the best books for middle school book reports. For younger students, the article suggests you check out the site's "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."

"50 Books to Read in High School" (Lexington Public Library)

The Lexington, Kentucky Public Library has prepared this list to inspire high school students to choose the right book. It includes both classics and more modern favorites.

The Online Computer Library Center's catalogue helps you locate books in libraries near you, having itemized the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries.

Formats of Book Reports

"Format for Writing a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

Here, Your Dictionary supplies guidelines for the basic book report format. It describes what you'll want to include in the heading, and what information to include in the introductory paragraph. Be sure to check these guidelines against your teacher's requirements.

"The Good Old Book Report" (Scholastic)

Nancy Barile’s blog post for Scholastic lists the questions students from middle through high school should address in their book reports.

How to Write an Outline

"Writer’s Web: Creating Outlines" (Univ. of Richmond)

The University of Richmond’s Writing Center shows how you can make use of micro and macro outlines to organize your argument.

"Why and How to Create a Useful Outline" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab demonstrates how outlines can help you organize your report, then teaches you how to create outlines.

"Creating an Outline" (EasyBib)

EasyBib, a website that generates bibliographies, offers sample outlines and tips for creating your own. The article encourages you to think about transitions and grouping your notes.

"How to Write an Outline: 4 Ways to Organize Your Thoughts" (Grammarly)

This blog post from a professional writer explains the advantages of using an outline, and presents different ways to gather your thoughts before writing.

In this section, you’ll find resources that offer an overview of how to write a book report, including first steps in preparing the introduction. A good book report's introduction hooks the reader with strong opening sentences and provides a preview of where the report is going.

"Step-by-Step Outline for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This article from Classroom furnishes students with a guide to the stages of writing a book report, from writing the rough draft to revising.

"Your Roadmap to a Better Book Report" ( Time4Writing )

Time4Writing offers tips for outlining your book report, and describes all of the information that the introduction, body, and conclusion should include.

"How to Start a Book Report" ( ThoughtCo)

This ThoughtCo. post, another by academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, demonstrates how to write a pithy introduction to your book report.

"How to Write an Introduction for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief but helpful post from Classroom  details what makes a good book report introduction, down to the level of individual sentences.

The body paragraphs of your book report accomplish several goals: they describe the plot, delve more deeply into the characters and themes that make the book unique, and include quotations and examples from the book. Below are some resources to help you succeed in summarizing and analyzing your chosen text.

Plot Summary and Description

"How Do You Write a Plot Summary?" ( Reference )

This short article presents the goals of writing a plot summary, and suggests a word limit. It emphasizes that you should stick to the main points and avoid including too many specific details, such as what a particular character wears.

"How to Write a Plot for a Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

In this article from a resource website for writers, Patricia Harrelson outlines what information to include in a plot summary for a book report. 

"How to Write a Book Summary" (WikiHow)

Using Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an example, this WikiHow article demonstrates how to write a plot summary one step at a time.

Analyzing Characters and Themes

"How to Write a Character Analysis Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kristine Tucker shows how to write a book report focusing on character. You can take her suggestions as they are, or consider  incorporating them into the more traditional book report format.

"How to Write a Character Analysis" (YouTube)

The SixMinuteScholar Channel utilizes analysis of the film  Finding Nemo to show you how to delve deeply into character, prioritizing inference over judgment.

"How to Define Theme" ( The Editor's Blog )

Fiction editor Beth Hill contributes an extended definition of theme. She also provides examples of common themes, such as "life is fragile."

"How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story" ( ThoughtCo )

This blog post from ThoughtCo. clarifies the definition of theme in relation to symbolism, plot, and moral. It also offers examples of themes in literature, such as love, death, and good vs. evil.

Selecting and Integrating Quotations

"How to Choose and Use Quotations" (Santa Barbara City College)

This guide from a college writing center will help you choose which quotations to use in your book report, and how to blend quotations with your own words.

"Guidelines for Incorporating Quotes" (Ashford Univ.)

This PDF from Ashford University's Writing Center introduces the ICE method for incorporating quotations: introduce, cite, explain.

"Quote Integration" (YouTube)

This video from The Write Way YouTube channel illustrates how to integrate quotations into writing, and also explains how to cite those quotations.

"Using Literary Quotations" (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)

This guide from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Writing Center helps you emphasize your analysis of a quotation, and explains how to incorporate quotations into your text.

Conclusions to any type of paper are notoriously tricky to write. Here, you’ll learn some creative ways to tie up loose ends in your report and express your own opinion of the book you read. This open space for sharing opinions that are not grounded in critical research is an element that often distinguishes book reports from other types of writing.

"How to Write a Conclusion for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief article from the education resource  Classroom illustrates the essential points you should make in a book report conclusion.

"Conclusions" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Writing Center lays out strategies for writing effective conclusions. Though the article is geared toward analytical essay conclusions, the tips offered here will also help you write a strong book report.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Pat Bellanca’s article for Harvard University’s Writing Center presents ways to conclude essays, along with tips. Again, these are suggestions for concluding analytical essays that can also be used to tie up a book report's loose ends.

Reading closely and in an engaged manner is the strong foundation upon which all good book reports are built. The resources below will give you a picture of what active reading looks like, and offer strategies to assess and improve your reading comprehension. Further, you’ll learn how to take notes—or “annotate” your text—making it easier to find important information as you write.

How to Be an Active Reader

"Active Reading Strategies: Remember and Analyze What You Read" (Princeton Univ.)

Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning recommends ten strategies for active reading, and includes sample diagrams.

"Active Reading" (Open Univ.)

The Open University offers these techniques for reading actively alongside video examples. The author emphasizes that you should read for comprehension—not simply to finish the book as quickly as possible.

"7 Active Reading Strategies for Students" ( ThoughtCo )

In this post, Grace Fleming outlines seven methods for active reading. Her suggestions include identifying unfamiliar words and finding the main idea. 

"5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments" (YouTube)

Thomas Frank’s seven-minute video demonstrates how you can retain the most important information from long and dense reading material.

Assessing Your Reading Comprehension

"Macmillan Readers Level Test" (MacMillan)

Take this online, interactive test from a publishing company to find out your reading level. You'll be asked a number of questions related to grammar and vocabulary.

"Reading Comprehension Practice Test" (ACCUPLACER)

ACCUPLACER is a placement test from The College Board. This 20-question practice test will help you see what information you retain after reading short passages.

"Reading Comprehension" ( English Maven )

The English Maven site has aggregated exercises and tests at various reading levels so you can quiz your reading comprehension skills.

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

"5 Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension" ( ThoughtCo )

ThoughtCo. recommends five tips to increase your reading comprehension ability, including reading with tools such as highlighters, and developing new vocabulary.

"How to Improve Reading Comprehension: 8 Expert Tips" (PrepScholar)

This blog post from PrepScholar provides ideas for improving your reading comprehension, from expanding your vocabulary to discussing texts with friends.

CrashCourse video: "Reading Assignments" (YouTube)

This CrashCourse video equips you with tools to read more effectively. It will help you determine how much material you need to read, and what strategies you can use to absorb what you read.

"Improving Reading Comprehension" ( Education Corner )

From a pre-reading survey through post-reading review, Education Corner  walks you through steps to improve reading comprehension.

Methods of In-text Annotation

"The Writing Process: Annotating a Text" (Hunter College)

This article from Hunter College’s Rockowitz Writing Center outlines how to take notes on a text and provides samples of annotation.

"How To Annotate Text While Reading" (YouTube)

This video from the SchoolHabits YouTube channel presents eleven annotation techniques you can use for better reading comprehension.

"5 Ways To Annotate Your Books" ( Book Riot )

This article from the Book Riot  blog highlights five efficient annotation methods that will save you time and protect your books from becoming cluttered with unnecessary markings.

"How Do You Annotate Your Books?" ( Epic Reads )

This post from Epic Reads highlights how different annotation methods work for different people, and showcases classic methods from sticky notes to keeping a reading notebook.

Students at every grade level can benefit from writing book reports, which sharpen critical reading skills. Here, we've aggregated sources to help you plan book report assignments and develop rubrics for written and oral book reports. You’ll also find alternative book report assessment ideas that move beyond the traditional formats.

Teaching Elementary School Students How to Write Book Reports

"Book Reports" ( Unique Teaching Resources )

These reading templates courtesy of Unique Teaching Resources make great visual aids for elementary school students writing their first book reports.

"Elementary Level Book Report Template" ( Teach Beside Me )

This   printable book report template from a teacher-turned-homeschooler is simple, classic, and effective. It asks basic questions, such as "who are the main characters?" and "how did you feel about the main characters?"

"Book Reports" ( ABC Teach )

ABC Teach ’s resource directory includes printables for book reports on various subjects at different grade levels, such as a middle school biography book report form and a "retelling a story" elementary book report template.

"Reading Worksheets" ( Busy Teacher's Cafe )

This page from Busy Teachers’ Cafe contains book report templates alongside reading comprehension and other language arts worksheets.

Teaching Middle School and High School Students How to Write Book Reports

"How to Write a Book Report: Middle and High School Level" ( Fact Monster)

Fact Monster ’s Homework Center discusses each section of a book report, and explains how to evaluate and analyze books based on genre for students in middle and high school.

"Middle School Outline Template for Book Report" (Trinity Catholic School)

This PDF outline template breaks the book report down into manageable sections for seventh and eighth graders by asking for specific information in each paragraph.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( Classroom )

In this article for Classroom,  Elizabeth Thomas describes what content high schoolers should focus on when writing their book reports.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kori Morgan outlines techniques for adapting the book report assignment to the high school level in this post for The Pen & The Pad .

"High School Book Lists and Report Guidelines" (Highland Hall Waldorf School)

These sample report formats, grading paradigms, and tips are collected by Highland Hall Waldorf School. Attached are book lists by high school grade level.

Sample Rubrics

"Book Review Rubric Editable" (Teachers Pay Teachers)

This free resource from Teachers Pay Teachers allows you to edit your book report rubric to the specifications of your assignment and the grade level you teach.

"Book Review Rubric" (Winton Woods)

This PDF rubric from a city school district includes directions to take the assignment long-term, with follow-up exercises through school quarters.

"Multimedia Book Report Rubric" ( Midlink Magazine )

Perfect for oral book reports, this PDF rubric from North Carolina State University's Midlink Magazine  will help you evaluate your students’ spoken presentations.

Creative Book Report Assignments

"25 Book Report Alternatives" (Scholastic)

This article from the Scholastic website lists creative alternatives to the standard book report for pre-kindergarteners through high schoolers.

"Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports" ( Education World )

Education World offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.

"A Dozen Ways to Make Amazingly Creative Book Reports" ( We Are Teachers )

This post from We Are Teachers puts the spotlight on integrating visual arts into literary study through multimedia book report ideas.

"More Ideas Than You’ll Ever Use for Book Reports" (Teachnet.com)

This list from Teachnet.com includes over 300 ideas for book report assignments, from "interviewing" a character to preparing a travel brochure to the location in which the book is set.

"Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report" (National Council of Teachers of English)

In this PDF resource from the NCTE's  English Journal,  Diana Mitchell offers assignment ideas ranging from character astrology signs to a character alphabet.

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• Writing Tips

How to Write a Book Report

5-minute read

• 5th September 2021

A book report is an essay that summarizes the main ideas presented by the author. But how do you write a good book report? Our top tips include:

• Check the assignment instructions so you know what you need to do.
• Read the book , making notes as you go.
• Plan your book report and create an essay outline .
• Write up your report , using examples and quotes to support your points.
• Revise and proofread your work to eliminate errors.

In the rest of this post, we look at how to write a book report in more detail.

1. Check the Assignment Instructions

Book reports come in many different types, so the first thing you should do if you’re asked to write one is check the assignment instructions carefully. Key aspects of the essay instructions to pay attention to include:

• The required length of the book report (and any maximum word count ).
• Whether you will be assigned a book to write about or whether you will be asked to pick one yourself (either from a list supplied by the tutor or based on a set of requirements, such as a book about a set topic).
• What aspects of the book to write about (e.g., will it just be a summary of the book’s content, or will you also need to offer some critical analysis?).
• Any requirements for structuring and formatting your report (e.g., whether to break the essay up into sections with headings and subheadings).

If anything about the instructions is unclear, check it with your tutor.

2. Read the Book and Make Notes

Next, you’ll need to read the book you’re writing about in full, not just skim through or read a synopsis! This means you’ll need to leave enough time before the deadline to read the text thoroughly (and write up your report).

When you are reading, moreover, make sure to take notes on:

• Basic bibliographic details, including the title, author name(s), year of publication, publisher, and number of pages.
• How the book is structured (e.g., whether it uses chapters).
• The overall plot or argument, plus key ideas and/or plot points from each part.
• For works of fiction, important characters and themes.
• Significant quotations or examples you might want to use in your report.

Where possible, make sure to note down page numbers as well. This will make it easier to find the relevant parts again when you’re reviewing your notes.

3. Outline Your Book Report

How you structure your report will ultimately depend on the length (e.g., a short, 500-word report is unlikely to use separate sections and headings, while a longer one will need these to help break up the text and guide the reader) and the assignment instructions, so make sure to review these carefully.

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However, common elements of a book report include:

• An introductory paragraph or section with basic book details (e.g., the title, author(s), genre, publisher, publication date, and intended audience).
• Information about the author’s background and, where relevant, credentials.
• An overview of the book’s plot (fiction and narrative non-fiction), or its main idea (other non-fiction), sometimes with a section-by-section breakdown.
• Information on characters, setting, and themes (fiction and narrative non-fiction), or key ideas and concepts set out by the author (other non-fiction).
• Where required, critical analysis or evaluation of the book.

When planning your book report, then, use your notes and the assignment instructions to outline your essay, breaking it down into clearly defined sections and noting what you will include in each one.

4. Write Up Your Book Report

When it comes to writing up your report, helpful tips include:

• Imagine the reader will be unfamiliar with the book and try to ensure your report covers all the information they’d need to know what it is about.
• Use clear, concise language to make your report easy to follow. Look out for wordiness and repetition, and don’t be tempted to pad out your report with irrelevant details just to increase the word count!
• Use examples and quotations to support your points (but don’t rely too heavily on quotations; keep in mind that the report should be in your own words).
• Follow the formatting instructions set out in your style guide or the assignment instructions (e.g., for fonts, margins, and presenting quotations).

If you use quotations in your report, moreover, make sure to include page numbers! This will help the reader find the passages you’ve quoted.

5. Revise and Proofread Your Work

When you have the first draft of your book report, if you have time, take a short break (e.g., overnight) before re-reading it. This will help you view it objectively. Then, when you do re-read it, look out for ways you could improve it, such as:

• Typos and other errors that need correcting.
• Issues with clarity or places where the writing could be more concise (reading your work aloud can make it easier to spot clunky sentences).
• Passages that would benefit from being supported with a quote or example.

It’s also a good idea to re-read the assignment instructions one last time before submitting your work, which will help you spot any issues you missed.

Finally, if you’d like some extra help checking your writing, you can have it proofread by a professional . Submit a free sample document today to find out more.

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A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Book Report (with Examples)

Last Updated: March 13, 2024 Fact Checked

• Researching
• Drafting the Report
• Reviewing & Revising

Sample Book Reports & Summaries

Expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,413,737 times.

A book report is a short essay that summarizes and analyzes a work of fiction or nonfiction. Writing a book report may not seem fun at first, but it gives you a great chance to fully understand a work and its author. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to write a book report, from choosing a book and outlining to drafting and editing your final paper.

Things You Should Know

• Read the entire book and take notes on important themes, characters, and events. Use your notes to create an outline with evidence that supports your analysis.
• Include the title and author in your intro, then summarize the plot, main characters, and setting of the book.
• Analyze the author’s writing style, as well as the main themes and arguments of the book. Include quotes and examples to support your statements.

Researching Your Book Report

• For example, find out if your teacher wants you to include citations, such as page numbers from the book, in your report.
• Ask your teacher how much of your paper to devote to summary versus analysis. Most book reports are direct summaries with objective analysis rather than your personal opinions. In contrast, a book review or commentary is more opinion-driven.

• Some popular books for book reports include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Choose a book at your grade level.

• Author: Who wrote the book? Do you know any other works by this author?
• Genre: Is the book fiction or nonfiction? If it’s fiction, is it historical, fantasy, horror, etc.? If it’s nonfiction, is it a biography, memoir, science, etc.?
• Audience: Who would find this book appealing? Is it intended for a specific age range or gender? Do you typically enjoy books like this?
• Title: Does the title catch your interest? Does it fit well with the book’s content?
• Book Cover/Illustrations: What does the book cover convey and does it accurately represent the book? How do you feel when you look at it? If the book has illustrations, what are they and do they hold your interest?

• Take breaks while reading to keep your attention sharp. Try to find a pace that is comfortable for you. If you get distracted after 15 minutes, read in 15-minute intervals. If you can go an hour, read for an hour at a time.
• Give yourself enough time to read the entire book. It’s very difficult to write a book report if you’ve just skimmed over everything. Don’t procrastinate!
• Don’t trust online book summaries. You can’t guarantee that they are accurate or true to the text.

• For example, look for a sentence that clearly describes a main setting in the book, such as “The castle was gloomy and made out of large black stones.”

Outlining Your Book Report

• Introduction: Introduce the title, author, and publication information. Include a brief overview of the book’s genre and main theme, and state your purpose for writing the report.
• Summary: Concisely summarize the plot or central idea, highlighting main events, characters, and conflicts. Focus on important aspects while avoiding spoilers.
• Analysis and Evaluation: Evaluate the author’s writing style and use of literary devices, like foreshadowing, metaphors, imagery, etc. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the book and use quotes and examples from the text.
• Themes and Messages: Identify the book’s main themes or messages and how they develop through the course of the book. Provide specific quotes and examples.
• Character Analysis: Analyze the main characters in the book, their development, and their relationships. Explain their motivations, personalities, and significance to the story. Provide examples and quotes to support your analysis.
• Personal Reflection: Depending on your teacher’s instructions, you might share your personal opinions and discuss what you liked and disliked about the book. Reflect on how the book relates to broader themes or issues.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and conclude with your final thoughts or reflections on the book.
• Bibliography: If required, include a works cited page or bibliography listing all the sources you used to write your book report.
• Outlining takes time, but it saves you more time once you reach the editing stage.
• Some people prefer to outline with pen and paper, while others just type up a list on the computer. Choose the method that works best for you.

• Be careful not to overuse quotes. If it seems like every other line is a quote, try to dial back. Aim to include a maximum of one quotation per paragraph. Quotes and examples should still take a backseat to your summary.

• For example, you’ll likely need to focus primarily on discussing the most important characters or the characters that appear most frequently in the text.
• When you are finished with your outline, go back through it to see if it makes sense. If the paragraphs don’t flow into one another, move them around or add/delete new ones until they do.
• Also, check to see if your outline covers all of the major elements of the book, such as the plot, characters, and setting.

Writing Your Book Report

• For example, a sentence summary might state, “This book is about the main character’s journey to Africa and what she learns on her travels.”
• Don’t take up too much space with your introduction. In general, an introduction should be 3-6 sentences long, though in rare cases, they may be longer or shorter.

• Use vivid language when you can and include plenty of details. For example, you might write, “The farm was surrounded by rolling hills.”

• For instance, if the main character moves to Africa, you might describe what happens before the move, how the move goes, and how they settle in once they arrive.

• For example, you might write that the main character is “a middle-aged woman who enjoys the finer things in life, such as designer clothes.” Then, connect this description to the plot summary by describing how her views change after her travels, if they do.
• Expect to introduce the characters in the same sentences and paragraphs as the plot introduction.

• You might write, “The author argues that travel gives you a new perspective. That is why her main characters all seem happier and more grounded after visiting new places.”
• For fiction, determine if the author is using the story to pass along a certain moral or lesson. For example, a book about an underdog athlete could encourage readers to take chances to pursue their dreams.

• For example, an author who uses lots of slang terms is probably going for a hip, approachable style.

• Some teachers require, or strongly suggest, that you include the author’s name and the book title in your concluding paragraph.
• When writing a conclusion , don’t introduce any new thoughts. Any important points should be made in your body paragraphs. Save the space for your recap.

Reviewing and Revising Your Book Report

• Before you submit your paper, make sure that you’ve spelled the author’s name and any character names correctly.
• Don’t trust your computer’s spell check to catch all the errors for you. Spell check can be helpful, but it isn’t perfect and can make mistakes.

• If you’re nervous about asking, try saying something like “It would be great if you could go over my book report and make sure that it reads smoothly.”
• Remember, no one’s first draft is perfect, so don’t get upset if someone suggests you do something differently. They want to help make your report the best it can be, so don’t take constructive criticism personally.

• For example, double-check that you are using the correct font, font size, and margins.
• Once you've finished proofreading, revising, and checking that you've addressed all the requirements, you're ready to submit your book report!

• Even though your book report is your own work, avoid using “I” too much. It can make your writing feel choppy. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• It might be tempting to watch the movie or read the online notes instead of reading the book. Resist this urge! Your teacher will be able to tell the difference. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Calm down and walk around if you get too frustrated while writing. If you write a book report while angry, you're more likely to misspell things!
• Choose a unique book. Harry Potter or Percy Jackson is an absolute no. Everyone chooses those. Try something different!
• Write when anything comes to mind! You don't want to lose your ideas!

• Give yourself plenty of time to write your report. Don’t wait until the last minute or you may feel rushed. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Stealing or using another person’s work is considered plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Make sure that the work you submit is all your own. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.aresearchguide.com/write-book-report.html
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
• ↑ https://grammark.org/how-to-write-a-book-report/
• ↑ https://library.valleycollege.edu/elements_of_book_report.pdf
• ↑ https://takelessons.com/blog/steps-to-writing-a-book-report
• ↑ https://www.infoplease.com/homework-help/homework-center-writing-book-report
• ↑ https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-setting
• ↑ https://www.tcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/archive/writing-center-handouts/essay-types-plot-summary.pdf
• ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/six-steps-to-really-edit-your-paper/

About This Article

To write a book report, start by introducing the author and the name of the book and then briefly summarizing the story. Next, discuss the main themes and point out what you think the author is trying to suggest to the reader. Finally, write about the author’s style of writing, paying particular attention to word choice and the overall tone of the book. For tips on editing and polishing your paper before turning it in, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write A Book Report

Most students and book reviewers find it difficult to write a book report. A book report often gives you insight into the author and book. It is also a critical and descriptive evaluation of a book. A book report provides a summary of the book, analyze its value, and make the student more critical and thoughtful. The elements which a student should discuss in a book report are

• Plot summary
• Theme analyses

Character analysis

A book report can consist of a single paragraph to a substantial essay . Writing a book report can be a demanding assignment because it needs the reader to explore and write the whole book in comparatively compact space. It will also allow a student to practice his/her literature and language comprehension.

Here are a few more tips for writing an effective and critical book report

Book Report Process

First, you have to select a book and read it thoroughly. Write the category of a book, author and a sentence or two on which you are overviewing. Take the notes and annotation about the selected book so that you will be able to build a solid outline. At any cost, do not approach the online summaries because they do not offer a guaranteed accuracy. Outline each paragraph. Once you are satisfied and ensure that you have covered all the points such as character , element, setting , and plot , etc.

Start a new paragraph and write your views about the book. In the review, you can tell if you would like to recommend this book and why. Some students are instructed to make a glossary as well. To do so, the student has to choose a few words from the text that is specific to the book’s tone . Write the sentences from the book, which includes those words.

In some cases, teachers also ask students to discuss the timeline, turning points , unexpected outcomes, favorite scene, and your feelings while reading it. Focus on wrapping all the stuff neatly and clearly. Remember the book report is supposed to be your voice .

Background Information

Generally, this information is about the author and why he/she wrote this book. The background counts a lot in a book report because it is important to know the authors’ life history, his style of writing, his era, and his thoughts toward literature. Sometimes writers leave behind the footprints of an autobiographical element. The elements like plot, setting, conflicts, character, and dialogues spin around the background information of a writer’s life.

Summary Of The Content

When writing the summary, we recap the primary ideas of the story . It should contain the main idea , the evidence that braces the idea unless it is irrelevant to the essay as a whole. It does not need a conclusion . Recall the entire content of a book along with topics and themes that stood out. To back up your text, you should use some quotes to satisfy your reader. In the end, go through your summary to check your key ideas.

This is the point where you can explore the features (inner and outer) of characters and tell how their traits affect the plot. Discuss what impression character leaves behind. Discuss the gestures, mannerism, and style of talking and dressing of every major character. Spot out whether or not there is a “fatal flaw” that is the reason for conflicts and troubles. Make sure that you have to witness your all arguments and opinions with evidence from the book.

The theme is the core meaning of the story; it can also be called moral . A good story has a well-designed and planned themes that can be applied in real lives. The characters, action motivation , and interconnection reflect the theme.

A plot is the sequence of events which make up the story. These events are related and finely woven together. The plot proceeds and unravels story layer by layer – the beginning, the climax , and then the resolution . The setting in it explains the place and time. Some stories follow a chronological approach, whereas some have a flashback effect of taking the reader back and forth in the story.

Book Name: Snow White and Seven Dwarfs

Author Name Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm

The Grimm brothers write this book. It is a German fairy tale which is famous worldwide. It was published in 1812 in the first edition of their collection “Grimm’s Fairy Tale”. The Grimm brothers were philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers, and authors of many stories. Together they brought forward many classic stories like Cinderella and Rapunzel.

It is the story of a girl named Snow White, who had lost her mother at the time of her birth. She is known as the fairest of all and is as white as snow (named by her mother), with pink blush cheeks and a melodious voice. When Snow White’s father marries again, the stepmother cannot bear the sight of Snow White. She is jealous of Snow White’s beauty . The new queen also has a magical talking mirror. She would ask mirror to show who was the most beautiful woman in that land. One day she asked,

“Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest of us all?” Unlike the other days, that day mirror replied: “Snow White is lovelier than you.”

Queen plots to murder Snow White. She sends a huntsman in the jungle to murder her, but he takes pity and let her go. She takes refuge in the seven dwarves’ house. The queen finds Snow White and disguised as an old woman, and she gives a poisonous apple. When Snow White eats the apple, she falls into a death-like sleep. As the story moves forward, Snow White is woken by the prince.

The plot is beautifully woven in classical times. Every event moves the story smoothly and perfectly. Conflict is between inner and external beauty. The vivid message which the author wants to convey is that beauty is not in your looks, but it lies within you. Snow White was as pure and clear in her thoughts as her name. She won the heart of every character except queen due to her jealousy. The danger of vanity is also a hidden message. Forest is the symbol of protection as nature looks at humans without any distinction. The names of dwarfs Dopey, Grumpy, Happy and Sneezy, etc., are symbolic. The theme of the story is that selfish desires are dangerous.

The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story is retold in many versions because of its uniqueness. However, the message will remain ever popular. To me, it is a wonderful story because people of every age can enjoy it, and the message fits every era. No doubt the inner beauty and purity of thoughts win the hearts.

Book Name: Animal Farm

Author George Orwell

About the Author

This novel is written by George Orwell and published in 1945. He was a novelist, essayist, and critic. He was the man of his thoughts and opinions who threw light on the political movements of his times.

This book Animal Farm is the masterpiece of anti-Soviet satire .  This fable set on a Manor Farm, the story is narrated by a third person. Old Major calls the meeting and announces that he may die soon. He says that the real enemy of the animals are humans. Therefore they should take revenge. When Old Major dies, Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealers take charge of rebellions and change the name into Animal Farm. They have declared seven rules or seven commandments. They start working and get a share of food. After a few seasons, pigs take control over other animals. The movement of rebellions spread over England; other animals, start lashing out against humans. They sing a song and celebrate their victory. The inner clashes begin, and the animals turn against each other. The weaker animals like horses, chickens are subjected to heavy labor. One by one, they change the commandment according to their needs, becoming corrupt and start fraternizing with humans for their benefits.

This novel is a revolt against human masters. Napoleon and Snowball exploit other animals. The setting is Dystopia . The plot is well knitted, and every event has an underlying message. The dresses of animals, their way of talking and moving around the farm gives a marvelous touch to the novel. The speeches, songs, and commandments are the beauty of this satire. The names are also symbolic and the setting of farm, its day and night with evil thoughts enhance the message of the author.

Leadership, corruption, lies, and deception are the major themes of this novel. Animal Farm is a great satire which covers the author’s age from every dimension. How the leaders played with the emotions of people and cheated them. The effects of revolution and the right direction of movements play a vital role.

I found this book very interesting allegory . The satire is vivid and beautifully exposes the outcome of the revolution. Sometimes I feel the satire goes to its peak, but later it will change in a dramatic relief which makes the novel easy to understand.

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How to Write a Book Report

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We explain the pre-writing steps to writing a book report

Writing a book report can be a difficult task that requires you to deal with a large amount of information in a relatively small space. But don't be discouraged—in this article we outline how to prepare for your book report and in our later article we discuss how to write report on a book .

Tips for taking notes

Before you can sit down to write a book report, you must first read the required novel. As you read, remember to take notes on each chapter of the book. Simply reading the book and then writing your book report will likely result in a poorly organized assignment and a lot of flipping pages back and forth to find information. College book reports or essays are different from high school literary assignments in the sense that while you will be summarizing the text to some extent, you'll also be required to deal with the book on a meaningful level (i.e., interpret or extract meaning from the events of the story). For this reason, noting the following important elements in each chapter (as you read and before you begin to write) is highly important:

Main characters and their actions

While you don't need to write down every single thing that a character does, it's important to notice patterns of behavior across the entire arc of the story. Let's say you note that, in Chapter 1, the main character robs a convenience store because the owner fired him. Later, in Chapter 7, the same character slashes the tires of his neighbor's car because she parked in his parking space. While you wouldn't necessarily have to mention these two specific details in the book report, your careful examination of this character's actions allows you to call him "vindictive" in your report and have the proof to back it up.

The setting

Just as with noting the main characters and their actions, taking notice of settings will allow you to uncover patterns throughout the story. Perhaps you note that Chapters 1 through 3 take place in Brooklyn, and then in Chapter 4, a new character that lives in Tempe is introduced. As the story progresses, the character from Brooklyn makes his way to Columbus, Des Moines, and finally to Salem. Likewise, the character in Tempe travels to Santa Fe, Salt Lake City, and Boise before reaching Salem and reuniting with our first character. In your report, it's probably unnecessary to mention all of these cities. However, your examination of patterns throughout the plot of the story could lead you to report that two characters, one from New York City and the other from Tempe, reunite in Salem.

This one is quite simple. You should be writing down at least one noteworthy event from each chapter of the book.

Symbols and symbolism

Symbols are tricky. It can be said that symbols/symbolism are what ultimately allow readers to make meaning from a story that spans hundreds of pages. For example, in Dylan Thomas's "Do not go gentle into that good night," references to the "close of day" and "night" are generally deemed, by scholars, to be symbolic representations of death. Another example that everyone is familiar with is a red rose, which generally symbolizes love. Noting symbols in stories takes some practice, but this is what will ultimately make your book report stand out. If a symbol repeats throughout a story, it's likely not accidental; the author wants the readers to extract some sort of meaning from this symbol. If you can do this, you will likely receive a better grade than those who ignore this admittedly difficult point. If you think you've come upon a symbolic element in a story, we recommend asking yourself the following questions: How does this symbol relate to the actions of the characters and the events in the story? Does this symbol help explain an aspect of a character's personality or an event in the story? If so, how is this accomplished? Do any events in the story mirror real-life events? Do any characters mirror real-life people who are in the public eye? If so, what is the author trying to say by doing this? Finally, remember that symbols are useless unless related to the events and characters. Symbols should be considered tools that help you better understand the meaning behind a story.

If you've taken notes correctly, your book should be a little worse for wear when you're done reading it: you should have made notes in it, stuck tabs on noteworthy passages, and/or dog-eared important pages. The book is now yours ; you've connected with its contents in a meaningful way and are ready to start organizing your thoughts.

Organize your information into headings

Once you've finished reading the novel, look through your notes and, on a blank piece of paper, write down what you feel are the ten most important elements in the book, in no particular order. Next, take another page and write "Main Characters/Actions," "Setting," "Events," and "Symbols" as headings. Look at your first list and categorize each of your ten elements. This way, you can clearly see if you're ignoring one of the headings. For example, if you notice that you don't have anything under the "Symbols" heading, you'll need to look at your notes and include one or two elements there.

From note-taking to connection-making

Learning how to take good notes, while reading, is an important skill that every student should master. Granted, note-taking will slow your reading process down in the beginning (where you could once speed-read through a 350-page novel in one sitting, it may now take you three or four nights), but ultimately, this will be time well spent. This way, when it comes time to write your book report, you'll be armed with informative ideas and well thought-out interpretations. And remember, if you need a second opinion on your notes, be sure to send your document over to our essay editing services .

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How to write a book report

A book report is one of the first types of essays you probably learned to write in elementary school. But no matter how many book reports you turn in over the course of your student life, they can still inspire some anxiety and some confusion about the best way to write a book report, especially as you reach the high school and college level.

The good news is that the basics you learned in the early grades will serve you in good stead, since the book report format remains mostly the same. The very same structure and tools you used to dissect Charlotte’s Web and Superfudge will work just as well for Animal Farm and The Handmaid’s Tale . What changes is the depth and breadth of your analysis as a high school and college student.

So, If you are wondering how to start a book report for a college class assignment, here are some of the key pieces of information you need to know.

What is a book report?

Let’s start off with some definitions. In the most general terms, a book report is a summary of a written text, often a fiction novel, but can also include other genres such as memoir and creative non-fiction. It includes an analysis of the different elements and authorial choices that comprise the work, such as tone, theme, perspective, diction, dialogue, etc.

While the analysis should be reasoned and objective, it should also include your opinion and assessment of the impact and overall success of the author’s choices on the final work.

Book reports usually fall into one of the following types:

Plot summary

This type of book report isn’t just a re-telling of the story, it’s a comment on your overall impression of the plot — whether you thought it was engaging or maudlin or vapid, for example — backed up by direct quotes from the text to support your opinion.

Example of a plot summary thesis statement: The plot of Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby the Scrivener,” offers a poignant portrait of how depression robs a person of all motivation and momentum in life.

Character analysis

A character analysis zeroes in on a particular character (their characterization and actions) and their impact on the unfolding of the plot and its eventual outcome.

Example of a character analysis thesis statement: In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye , the character of Phoebe, Holden’s bright and precocious younger sister, is a catalyst for rekindling his hope in humanity and reconsidering the choices he’s made in his life.

Theme analysis

A theme analysis looks at the overarching concepts, or themes, that run through a book and that give the text meaning and direction. Themes tend to be broad in nature, such as love, the importance of family, the impact of childhood, etc.

Example of a theme analysis thesis statement: Banana Yoshimoto’s novella, Kitchen , explores the theme of death and how everyone sooner or later has to come to terms with the mortality of the people they love as well as their own.

How to start a book report

The very first step in writing a stellar book report that earns a top grade is actually reading the book. This may seem obvious, but many students make the assignment much harder on themselves by not putting in the time up front to do a thorough and complete reading of the book they’re going to be writing their report on. So resist the urge to skim the text or to rely on the Cliff’s notes version. A nuanced analysis requires a deep grasp of the text, and there is no substitute for focused, firsthand reading.

It’s a lot easier to stick with a book that you enjoy reading! If you have the chance to choose the book you’ll be writing a report on, take some time to select a book that appeals to you, considering the genre, time period, writing style, and plot.

It can be helpful to start thinking about your book report while you are still making your way through your initial reading of the text. Mark down passages that provide key turning points in the action, descriptive passages that establish time and place, and any other passages that stand out to you in terms of their word choice and use of language. This makes it much easier to go back later and start collecting the evidence you’ll need to support your argument and analysis.

Once you finish reading the book from cover to cover, you’ll likely find that your mind is swirling with thoughts, impressions, and burgeoning analyses. At this stage, trying to distill all of these half-formed thoughts into one cohesive report may seem like a daunting task. One way to make this task more approachable is to start by collecting and listing the objective facts about the book. The following list covers the basic elements that should be included in every book report you write, no matter what topic or specific type of book report you’re writing:

• The book’s title and author
• The historical context of the book (when it was written)
• The time(s) during which the story is set
• The location(s) where the story takes place
• A summary of the main characters and action of the story
• Quotes from the book that will function as evidence to support your analysis

With all of the basics in hand, you can start to write your book report in earnest. Just like most other essay types, a well-written book report follows a basic structure that makes it easy for your reader to follow your thoughts and make sense of your argument.

A typical book report will open with an introduction that briefly summarizes the book and culminates with a thesis statement that advances an opinion or viewpoint about it. This is followed by body paragraphs that provide detailed points to flesh out and support that opinion in greater detail, including direct quotes from the text as supporting evidence. The report finishes with a conclusion that summarizes the main points and leaves the reader with an understanding of the book, its aims, and whether or not you feel the book (and its author) was successful in doing what it set out to do. Ideally, the conclusion will also make a statement about how the book fits into the larger literary world.

A book report template you can use for any book report

If you find yourself stuck on how to start a book report, here’s a handy book report template you can use to get things off the ground. Simply use this structure and start filling it in with the specifics of the book you are writing your report on. Feel free to expand upon this book report template, adding more sections as appropriate.

Introduction

Write three to five sentences introducing the book and author as well as important contextual information about the book, such as the publication year and the overall critical reception at the time. Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.

Body paragraphs

Include at least three body paragraphs that offer detailed information and analysis to support your thesis statement. Each paragraph should contain one idea, backed up with direct quotes from the text alongside your critical analysis.

Write three to five sentences that restate your thesis and summarize the evidence you’ve presented in support of it. Relate your findings to a larger context about the book’s place within both the literary world and the world at large.

Frequently Asked Questions about book reports

A book report follows the format of most papers you write - it will have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Depending on the type of book report, you will fill these parts with the required information.

These are the basic parts that should be included in every book report you write, no matter what topic or specific type of book report you’re writing:

• The historical context of the book and time(s) during which the story is set

The book report is, among other things, also a summary of the plot, main characters, and ideas and arguments of the author. Your book report should help readers decide whether they want to read the book or not.

How many pages a book report should have depends on your assignment. It can be a half page, but it can also have many pages. Make sure to carefully read through your assignment and ask your professor if you are unsure .

A book report is a summary of a written text. A good book report includes an analysis of the different elements and authorial choices that comprise the work, such as tone, theme, perspective, diction, dialogue, etc. A good book report helps the reader decide whether they want to read the book or not.

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Writing a Book Report

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Book reports are informative reports that discuss a book from an objective stance. They are similar to book reviews but focus more on a summary of the work than an evaluation of it. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, thesis, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words.

Book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. If you are looking to write a book review instead of a book report, please see the OWL resource, Writing a Book Review .

Before You Read

Before you begin to read, consider what types of things you will need to write your book report. First, you will need to get some basic information from the book:

• Publisher location, name of publisher, year published
• Number of Pages

You can either begin your report with some sort of citation, or you can incorporate some of these items into the report itself.

Next, try to answer the following questions to get you started thinking about the book:

• Author: Who is the author? Have you read any other works by this author?
• Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc.? What types of people would like to read this kind of book? Do you typically read these kinds of books? Do you like them?
• Title: What does the title do for you? Does it spark your interest? Does it fit well with the text of the book?
• Pictures/Book Jacket/Cover/Printing: What does the book jacket or book cover say? Is it accurate? Were you excited to read this book because of it? Are there pictures? What kinds are there? Are they interesting?

As You Read

While reading a work of fiction, keep track of the major characters. You can also do the same with biographies. When reading nonfiction works, however, look for the main ideas and be ready to talk about them.

• Characters: Who are the main characters? What happens to them? Did you like them? Were there good and bad characters?
• Main Ideas: What is the main idea of the book? What happens? What did you learn that you did not know before?
• Quotes: What parts did you like best? Are there parts that you could quote to make your report more enjoyable?

When You Are Ready to Write

Announce the book and author. Then, summarize what you have learned from the book. Explain what happens in the book, and discuss the elements you liked, did not like, would have changed, or if you would recommend this book to others and why. Consider the following items as well:

• Principles/characters: What elements did you like best? Which characters did you like best and why? How does the author unfold the story or the main idea of the book?
• Organize: Make sure that most of your paper summarizes the work. Then you may analyze the characters or themes of the work.
• Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss about the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you on an emotional or logical way?
• Recommend: Would you recommend this book to others? Why? What would you tell them before they read it? What would you talk about after you read it?

Revising/Final Copy

Do a quick double check of your paper:

• Double-check the spelling of the author name(s), character names, special terms, and publisher.
• Check the punctuation and grammar slowly.
• Make sure you provide enough summary so that your reader or instructor can tell you read the book.
• Consider adding some interesting quotes from the reading.

Book Report Writing

Book Report Writing Guide - Outline, Format, & Topics

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Guide to Crafting an Outstanding Book Report Outline

Creative and Excellent Book Report Ideas for Students

Writing a book report can be a challenging task for students at all levels of education. Many struggle to strike the right balance between providing a concise summary and offering insightful analysis.

The pressure to submit a well-structured report often leaves students feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about where to begin. Unlike a book review that is longer and more detailed, the purpose of writing a book report is to summarize what happened in the story. 

In this blog, we will learn the book report writing, providing you with step-by-step instructions and creative ideas. Whether you're a reader or just starting your literary journey, this guide will help you write book reports that shine. 

So, let's dive in!

• 1. What is a Book Report?
• 2. How to Write a Book Report Outline?
• 3. How to Write a Book Report?
• 4. Book Report Formatting
• 5. Book Report vs. Book Review - How Do they Differ from Each Other? 
• 6. Book Report Templates for Different Grades
• 7. How to Write a Book Report for High School?
• 8. How to Write a Book Report for College Level?
• 9. Book Report Examples
• 10. Book Report Ideas

What is a Book Report?

A book report is a written summary and analysis of a book's content, designed to provide readers with insights into the book's key elements. It's a valuable exercise for students, offering a chance to look deeper into a book's characters, and overall impact. Why are book reports important? They serve as a way to not only showcase your reading comprehension but also your critical thinking skills. They help you reflect on the book's strengths and weaknesses, and they can be a great tool to start a discussion.

How to Write a Book Report Outline?

Before you start writing a book report, it's crucial to create a well-organized outline. A book report outline serves as the roadmap for your report, ensuring that you cover all essential aspects. Here's how to create an effective book report outline:

How to Write a Book Report?

Writing an effective book report is not just about summarizing a story; it's a chance to showcase your analytical skills.

Let’s go through the process of creating a compelling book report that will impress your instructor.

How to Start a Book Report

To start a book report follow the steps below:

• Pick the Perfect Book  Selecting the right book for your report is the first crucial step. If you have the freedom to choose, opt for a book that aligns with your interests. Engaging with a book you're passionate about makes the entire process more enjoyable.
• Dive into the Pages Reading the book thoroughly is non-negotiable. While summaries and online resources can be helpful, they can't replace the depth of understanding gained from reading the actual text. Take notes as you read to capture key moments and insights.
• Document Key Insights Keeping a physical notebook for jotting down important points and insights is a tried-and-true method. This tangible record allows for quick reference when you're ready to write your report.
• Collect Powerful Quotes Quotes from the book can be the secret sauce that adds weight to your report. Choose quotes that align with your report's themes and ideas. These quotes will serve as evidence to support your analysis and perspective.
• Craft Your Report Outline An book report outline serves as your roadmap for creating a structured and coherent report. Ensure it includes all the vital elements, from basic book information to your in-depth analysis. An organized outline keeps your writing on track.

Writing Your Book Report

Now that you've completed the preliminary steps, it's time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Follow these guidelines for an exceptional book report:

• Introduction: Open with a captivating introduction that introduces the book, its author, and your main thesis. This initial "hook" draws readers in and sparks their interest.
• Plot Summary: Concisely summarize the book's plot, including key events, main characters, and the overall narrative. Offer enough information for understanding without revealing major spoilers.
• Analysis: The core of your report, where you dissect the book's themes, characters, writing style, and any symbolism. Back your insights with book quotes and examples, revealing the author's intentions and how they achieved them.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and share your overall evaluation of the book. End with a thought-provoking statement or recommendation to leave readers engaged and curious.

Book Report Formatting

When it comes to formatting a book report, simplicity and clarity are key. Here's a straightforward guide on the essential formatting elements:

Book Report vs. Book Review - How Do they Differ from Each Other? 

The table below highlights how is a book report different from a book review :

What are the SImilarities between Book Report and Book Review?

Here are the things that are added in both a book report and a book review.

• Bibliographic details
• Background of the author
• The recommended audience for the book
• The main subject of the book or work
• Summary of the work and the only difference is that in the review, a critical analysis is also added

Due to the similarities, many students think that both of these are the same. It is wrong and could cost you your grade.

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Report? 

Writing a nonfiction book report may seem daunting, but with a few simple steps, you can craft an informative report. Here's a streamlined guide:

• Read Actively: Carefully read the chosen nonfiction book, highlighting key information. For instance, if you're reporting on a biography, mark significant life events and their impact.
• Introduction: Begin with the author's name, the book's publication year, and why the author wrote the book. Create an engaging opening sentence, such as "In 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,' Rebecca Skloot delves into the fascinating world of medical ethics."
• Focused Body: Structure the body into three paragraphs, each addressing crucial aspects. For instance, in a report on a science book, one paragraph could cover the book's key scientific discoveries.
• Concluding Thoughts: Share your personal opinion, if applicable. Would you recommend the book? Mention reasons, like "I highly recommend 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari for its thought-provoking insights into human history."

Writing a nonfiction book report requires adhering to facts but can still be enjoyable with a strategic approach.

How to Write a Book Report without Reading the Book?

Short on time to read the entire book? Here are quick steps to create a book report:

• Consult Summary Websites: Visit websites providing book summaries and analyses. For instance, SparkNotes or CliffsNotes offer concise overviews.
• Focus on Key Details: Select 2-3 crucial aspects of the book, like major themes or character development. Discuss these in-depth.
• Consider a Writing Service: Utilize professional writing services when time is tight. They can craft a well-structured report based on provided information.
• Offer a Unique Perspective: Differentiate your report by approaching it from a unique angle. For example, explore a theme or character relationship that hasn't been extensively covered by peers.

While challenging, writing a book report without reading the book is possible with these strategies.

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Book Report Templates for Different Grades

Students studying at different levels have different skills and ability levels. Here is how they can write book reports for their respective academic levels.

How to Write a Book Report for an Elementary School?

The following are some book report templates that you can use for your primary or elementary school.

How to Write a Book Report for Middle School

Here are the book report worksheets that you can use to write your middle school book report.

How to Write a Book Report for High School?

Writing a high school book report includes the following steps:

• Read the book thoroughly and with purpose.
• Make an outline before writing the report as a pre-writing step.
• Follow the guidelines and the given format to create the title page for your report.
• Add basic details in the introduction of your book report.
• Analyze the major and minor characters of the story and the role they play in the progress of the story.
• Analyze the major and significant plot, events, and themes. Describe the story and arguments and focus on important details.
• Conclude by adding a summary of the main elements, characters, symbols, and themes.

How to Write a Book Report for College Level?

Follow this college book report template to format and write your report effectively:

• Understand the Assignment: Familiarize yourself with the assignment and book details to ensure proper adherence.
• Read Thoroughly: Read the book attentively, noting essential details about the plot, characters, and themes.
• Introduction: Craft an informative introduction with bibliographic details. 
• Summary: Summarize key aspects like setting, events, atmosphere, narrative style, and the overall plot. 
• Plot: Cover the entire story, highlighting essential details, plot twists, and conflicts. 
• Conclusion: Summarize the story and assess its strengths and weaknesses. Unlike a review, a book report provides a straightforward summary.

Book Report Examples

Book Report of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Book Report of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

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Book Report Ideas

Basic ideas include presenting your narrative and analysis in simple written form, while more creative ideas include a fun element. Some notable books to choose from for your book report writing assignment are mentioned below:

• "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
• "1984" by George Orwell
• "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
• "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
• "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien
• "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
• "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
• "The Diary of Anne Frank" by Anne Frank
• "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Need more ideas? Check out our book report ideas blog to get inspiration!

To Sum it Up! Crafting a good book report involves striking the right balance between introducing the book, summarizing its key themes, and avoiding spoilers. It's a delicate art, but with the right guidance you can grasp this skill effortlessly. 

Need expert assistance with writing your book report? MyPerfectWords.com is here to help you out!

If you're asking yourself, "Can someone write my essays online ?"Our professional writers have the answer. We can write a custom book report according to your personalized requirements and instructions. Get a high-quality book report to help you earn the best grades on your assignment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the parts of a book report.

A book report often contains different sections that describe the setting, main characters, and key themes of the story. A common type is an expository one which details what happened in detail or discusses how people feel about it.

Is a report a summary?

No, a summary is more detailed than a book report. A book report is usually based on a short summary of the book, while a standalone summary is more detailed and could have headings, subheadings, and supporting quotes.

How many paragraphs should be included in a book report?

The book report is a typical assignment in middle and high school, usually with one introduction, three body, and one conclusion paragraph.

The number of paragraphs could vary depending on the academic level, with an expert or professional book report having more than three body paragraphs.

How long is a book report?

It should not exceed two double-spaced pages, be between 600 and 800 words in length. Your book report is a written reflection on the content of a novel or work of nonfiction.

How do you end a book report?

Sum up your thesis statement and remind the readers of the important points, one final time. Do not add any new ideas or themes here and try to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

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Book Report: Different Formats, Types, and Book Review

Introduction to book report.

A book report is of different types and formats.

A most common form of book reports are

• Plot summaries
• Theme and character analysis.    

How to write a book report?

• Specify the kind of book report
• Include the title of the book
• Put the name of the author
• Indicate the time when the story takes place.
• Mention the location of events taking place in the book.
• List the names of the characters briefly describing each one of them.
• Add quotations in order to back up your opinions.

Book Report Format:

1. Introduction (2-3 sentences , including a “topic” sentence) Include:

The title (underlined) and author of the book

Why did you choose the book (if this applies) or how it fits into our history program this year (if this applies)?

What kind of story is it?

Fiction (made up): Fantasy, Science fiction, Realistic fiction, Historical fiction, Mystery, or Traditional Literature (folktale, myth, fable, fairytale)?

Non-Fiction (true) Narrative nonfiction , Biography, Expository nonfiction, or Informational?

2. Body (1-2 paragraphs supporting the topic and including the following):

In this section you want to describe the main parts of a story: theme, setting, characters, and plot (not necessarily in that order – paragraph 1). Then you give your opinions about the book (paragraph 2).

The Theme is the main idea of the story. Some examples might be the importance of friendship/hope/honesty/integrity/etc. or how to be courageous in a difficult situation. Tell what you think the theme is and how you know (example from the book).

The Setting is the time and place of the story. Is it set a long time ago or now?  Does it take place in another country or in an imaginary place?  How much time passes in the story – a day? a year? A lifetime?

The Characters are who the story is about. The main character is called the protagonist. Who are the other important characters? Do they help or hinder the protagonist?

The Plot is what happens. You want to briefly tell what the story is about. What is the main event or conflict? What things led up to it? What happens as a result? How does the story end?

Conclusion (2 sentences)

This is just a sentence or two, to sum up your report. Give your overall opinion of the book and the most important thing you want other people to know about it.

Difference between Book Report and Book Review:

Book review.

A book review is more about analysis and evaluation where students are required to identify the author’s main message and ideas as well as to understand the meaning of symbolic elements present in the text.

Book Report

Book reports are all about explaining topical details and the storyline of the book. Those writing this type of assignment are to present biographical information about the author of the book (year of birth, marital status, his/her education and worldview, etc.). After the biographical information, there should be a brief summary of the book content – the main characters and the development of the plot.

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4 Tips For Writing A Book Report

Throughout grade school, your kids may be asked to write book reports about fiction and nonfiction books they’ve read. These assignments can seem daunting—it’s challenging to write a short summary about something as long as a book!

But when you break it down, writing a book report is not so different from other types of informational writing.

A book report is an informational essay summarizing the events and important themes and facts of a text, either fiction or nonfiction. Generally speaking, a book report is a description of the text from an objective point of view. In other words, you’re not giving your personal opinion on the book.

In order to write a good book report, you have to provide enough information to give the reader an understanding of the book without giving so much information that it’s overly long and, well, boring. It’s all about balance.

We’ve broken down how to write a top-notch book report step-by-step, so you can guide your kids through the process with ease.

1. Read the book

There’s no shortcut to writing a book report. You have to read the book first. Resources like CliffsNotes can be helpful as a support, but they are no substitute for the real thing. If you’re reading a book you will be writing a book report about, it’s good to take notes as you read.

Ways to take notes in the book itself (often called annotating ):

• underlining important events
• circling main ideas or arguments
• highlighting when a new character is introduced
• drawing a star at moments of conflict

If you can’t write in your book, you can always use sticky notes (that can be removed easily) or take notes in a separate notebook as you read. If you’re using this method, be sure to keep track of the page numbers in your notes (e.g., new character: Timothy, friend of Sandra, p. 7).

2. Outline your book report

Preparing an outline before you write is important for any kind of informational writing, but especially when it comes to book reports. If you dive right in to writing a book report, you risk missing important details.

The kind of outline you need will depend on the kind of book you’re reporting on. If you’re writing about a fiction book, like a mystery novel or an adventure, your book report will focus on summarizing the plot, important characters, and sometimes the themes of the book. If you are writing about a nonfiction book, like a history, you will want to focus on the important facts and arguments in the text.

Your outline will also depend somewhat on the assignment. Some book reports are long, others are short. Some focus more on plot, others want to know more about characters or setting. Make sure your outline includes the specific details that the assignment asks for. And, of course, feel free to use our fiction and nonfiction book report outlines below to help you get started. That’s what we are here for.

Ideally, for every part of the outline, you should have a specific example or citation from the book to back it up.

Fiction book report outline:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

• Name of book
• Main character(s) and short description
• Setting(s): where and when the story takes place

Paragraphs 2–3: Summary

• Rising action : what happens before the climax
• Climax: the most tense, action-packed, or pivotal part of the plot
• Falling action : what happens after the climax
• Resolution: how the conflict is resolved

Paragraph 4: Analysis

This is where you should include the specific analysis the assignment is asking for. For example, some fiction book reports might require additional information about or insights into:

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

• Summarize the moral or resolution of the story
• Would you recommend this book? (optional)

Nonfiction book report outline:

• Main idea or claim of book

Paragraph 2–3: Summary

• Description of how the book was organized
• Main fact 1
• Main fact 2
• Main fact 3

This is where you should include the specific analysis the assignment is asking for. For example, some nonfiction book reports might require additional information about or insight into:

• the people featured in the book
• comparing and contrasting the book to another book
• what you found most interesting or surprising

3. Write your book report

Once you have your book report outlined, writing it can be a snap. It is just like most other informational essays. Use mostly declarative sentences. Describe things from an objective point of view. In other words, back up your ideas with examples, quotations, and citations from the book itself.

Remember to always use quotation marks when you are citing the book word-for-word. Here are some guidelines on MLA style citations (which is just one style of making citations, but it’s a very common one!) Don’t use too many quotes, though! You should try to use your own words as much as possible.

Also try to incorporate transition words and phrases into your writing. Some examples are:

• for instance/example

Example outline and paragraph:

Have you read the classic Hatchet by Gary Paulsen? Even if you haven’t had a chance to yet, you should get the gist of it from our outline for paragraph 2 of our book report:

Paragraph 2: Summary

• Conflict: Brian’s plane crashes into a lake in the Alaskan wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack.
• Rising action: Brian learns to build a shelter and where to find food. He learns to survive in the wilderness.

Here’s how we wrote this paragraph in our book report:

In the beginning of the story, Brian is on a plane flying above the Alaskan wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack. The plane crash lands in a lake. Brian learns to build a shelter using a rocky ledge. He discovers how to find food that is safe to eat, like turtle eggs, and not safe, like certain berries. He also learns how to make a fire, which he calls “a hungry friend, but a good one” (p. 86). Over time, he learns how to survive in the wilderness.

We backed up all of our ideas with specific details, like Brian building a shelter using a rocky ledge . You might notice that we incorporated some transitions into our writing, such as also and over time . We also used a direct quote from Hatchet , inside quotation marks, to back up our detail about fire.

We didn’t include our own opinion about the book or the character Brian in our summary. Like every informational report, our goal is to be impartial . Just the facts.

And a pro tip: don’t plagiarize !

4. Edit your book report

Like any report, your first draft of a book report is never going to be perfect. We recommend reading through it a few times while you edit. Read carefully for:

• specific facts or details from the book to back up every example;
• logical flow: did you use transitions and complete sentences to help guide the reader?;
• and spelling and grammar mistakes.

You might also want to ask an adult, teacher, or friend to read over your book report before you hand it in. It can help to get another opinion about your work, because others often see things we might miss.

Writing a book report can feel like a big task. But you can make it easier by doing the following:

• take notes while you read
• prepare an outline
• write using transitions and specific examples
• edit carefully

Oh, and don’t skip actually reading the book. That part is really important …

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Mastering The Rubric for Book Report: Your Comprehensive Guide

As educators, we know that book reports play a crucial role in cultivating a love for reading and nurturing critical thinking skills in students. However, crafting effective book reports that engage and challenge students can be quite a task. That’s why we’re here to assist you with a rubric for book report!

In this blog post, we will provide you with a comprehensive rubric guide tailored to teachers, helping you create impactful book report assessments. Let’s dive in and discover the secrets to mastering the art of book reports!

I. Understanding the Purpose of Book Reports

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of rubrics, let’s clarify the purpose of book reports. Book reports serve multiple functions, including assessing comprehension, encouraging reflection, promoting analytical thinking, and fostering creativity.

A well-designed book report prompts students to analyze characters, plotlines, themes, and literary devices, and express their thoughts and opinions in a structured manner.

By using rubrics, you can provide clear guidelines and expectations, allowing students to understand the criteria for assessment. A central focus of the book report will be helping students to understand the rubric for book report.

II. Key Elements, Rubric for Book Report

A book report rubric is a powerful tool that helps you evaluate your students’ work consistently and fairly. It provides a framework for assessing various aspects of their book reports, including the following key elements:

• Book Summary: Assess how effectively students summarize the main plot points , key events, and significant details of the book. Look for concise and accurate summaries that capture the essence of the story.
• Critical Assessment of Text: Evaluate students’ ability to analyze and evaluate the book’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall literary merit. Look for insightful observations and evidence of critical thinking.
• Presentation of Ideas: Consider the organization and coherence of students’ ideas and arguments. Look for a logical flow of thoughts, well-structured paragraphs, and effective use of supporting evidence.
• Use of Language and Conventions: Evaluate students’ language proficiency , grammar, punctuation, and overall writing mechanics. Look for clear communication and adherence to language conventions.
• Word Choice : Assess students’ vocabulary usage and their ability to select appropriate words to convey meaning effectively. Look for varied and precise word choices that enhance the quality of their writing.

III. Creating an Effective Rubric for Book Report

Now that we understand the key elements, let’s explore how to create an effective rubric for book report. Remember, the rubric should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Here are some steps to guide you:

• Define your criteria: Clearly define the assessment criteria , including book summary, critical assessment of text, presentation of ideas, use of language and conventions, and word choice.
• Determine levels of performance: Create a scale that reflects various levels of achievement, such as excellent, proficient, developing, or needs improvement. Ensure that each level has clear descriptors specific to each criterion.
• Assign point values: Allocate points to each criterion based on its importance and weight in the overall assessment. This helps provide a fair evaluation and offers students a clear understanding of their performance.
• Communicate expectations: Share the rubric with your students, explaining the criteria, levels of performance, and point values. This will enhance their understanding and enable self-assessment and improvement.

IV. The Benefits of Using Rubrics for Book Reports

• Clarity and fairness: The rubric for book report will provide explicit guidelines, leaving no room for ambiguity. Students understand exactly what is expected, and you can ensure consistent and fair evaluation.
• Self-assessment and reflection: Rubrics empower students to assess their own work, fostering metacognitive skills and encouraging reflection on their strengths and areas for improvement .
• Targeted feedback: With a rubric, you can provide specific and actionable feedback. Students can see which criteria they excelled in and which ones require more attention, enabling focused growth.
• Goal setting and improvement: Rubrics help students set goals for future assignments and track their progress. By understanding the criteria and levels of performance, they can strive for continuous improvement.

Ready to simplify your rubric for book reports? Try our Rubric Maker today and streamline the process! Create custom rubrics tailored to your specific requirements, focusing on book summary, critical assessment of text, presentation of ideas, use of language and conventions, and word choice.

With our Rubric Maker , you can save time grading, provide clear expectations to your students, and foster their growth as analytical thinkers and skilled communicators. Visit [your website] now and revolutionize your book report assessments!

Conclusion: Rubric for Book Report

Mastering the art of book reports is no longer an overwhelming task. By utilizing a well-designed rubric that incorporates book summary, critical assessment of text, presentation of ideas, use of language and conventions, and word choice, you can create engaging assessments that foster critical thinking and effective communication.

Rubrics provide clarity, fairness, and targeted feedback, benefiting both you and your students. So, take the leap, try our Rubric Maker, and witness the positive impact it will have on your students’ book report journey. Happy assessing and happy reading!

Use the Book Report Rubric Now! 

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Today's Wordle Hints and Answer: Help for April 25, #1041

T oday's Wordle answer could trip you up. It's not an obscure word, but it's not one I thought qualified for Wordle. If you're stuck, read on.

Every day, we'll post hints and then the answer for the current day's Wordle, just in case you need it.

Today's Wordle hints for April 25

Warning: If you keep reading, you'll see the  Wordle  answer for Thursday, April 25, puzzle No. 1041. That could be a devastating spoiler for some players. But if you just need the answer -- maybe you're on your last guess and just don't want to see an 800-game streak go poof -- keep reading. 

Wordle hint No. 1: Vowels

Today's Wordle answer has two vowels.

Wordle hint No. 2: Consonants

That leaves three consonants, and oddly, they're all in the middle of the word, in spaces two, three and four.

Wordle hint No. 3: Starter letter

Today's Wordle answer begins with the letter I.

Wordle hint No. 4: Abbreviated

Today's Wordle answer is short for a longer word.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today's Wordle answer refers to the beginning of something, such as a book or piece or music.

TODAY'S WORDLE ANSWER FOR APRIL 25

Here comes the spoiler: Today's Wordle answer is INTRO. I admit it, I was surprised the Wordle editors used this word, because I think of it as an abbreviation or slang for "introduction" and for some reason expected that would make it off-limits for Wordle. But after all, there are only so many five-letter words out there.

Yesterday's Wordle answer

Yesterday's answer, #1040, was OVERT.

Past Wordle answers

April 20, No. 1036: LUCID

April 21, No. 1037: JOLLY

April 22, No. 1038: LASER

April 23: No. 1039: ROVER

Everyday Wordle tips

I've written a lot about Wordle -- from  covering its 1,000th word  to my list of the  best starter words  to a  helpful two-step strategy  to news about  controversial word changes . I've even rounded up  what I learned playing the hit online word puzzle for a full year . So if you're rethinking your need for the actual answer, you might try tips from one of those stories.

Still need a starter word? One person told me they just look around and choose a five-letter object that they've spotted to use as their starter word -- such as COUCH or CHAIR. I tend to stick to starter words that have the most popular letters used in English words. I like TRAIN as a starter, though I have a friend who uses TRAIL. I've read that people  use the financial term ROATE , but I like to use words I actually know.

What is Wordle?

If you read this far, you know how to play. You have six chances to guess a five-letter word, and the game gives you feedback as to whether the letters you've guessed are in the puzzle, and if they're in the same spot where you guessed they are. The New York Times  bought the game from creator Josh Wardle  for seven figures in 2022. Wardle famously created the game for his partner, and let her narrow down the 12,000 five-letter words in the English language to just 2,500, creating the database of answers. It was convenient, too, that he has a name that plays off "word."

A Times spokesperson told me it lists the very first Wordle as appearing on June 19, 2021, and the paper  celebrated the game's 1000th word on March 15 . Spoiler: That 1000th word was ERUPT. As in, "Dad will erupt if the Wordle is so tough he loses his streak."

There are other fun games in the Times Games stable. My  latest addiction is Connections , which I think is trickier than Wordle. This is the game where you look at a grid of 16 words and try to put them into four groups of related words. Sometimes the relationships between the words are pretty out there -- like the time when it was four words that all began with rock bands, such as "Rushmore" and "journeyman." (Connections got a little sassy on April Fools' Day with an  all-emoji puzzle . Some gamers did NOT find that funny.)

Spelling Bee  is a popular Times game too. And there's a new game that's still in beta,  Strands , which I'm trying to master.

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Biden Administration Releases Revised Title IX Rules

The new regulations extended legal protections to L.G.B.T.Q. students and rolled back several policies set under the Trump administration.

By Zach Montague and Erica L. Green

Reporting from Washington

The Biden administration issued new rules on Friday cementing protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students under federal law and reversing a number of Trump-era policies that dictated how schools should respond to cases of alleged sexual misconduct in K-12 schools and college campuses.

The new rules, which take effect on Aug. 1, effectively broadened the scope of Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding. They extend the law’s reach to prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and widen the range of sexual harassment complaints that schools will be responsible for investigating.

“These regulations make it crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights,” Miguel A. Cardona, the education secretary, said in a call with reporters.

The rules deliver on a key campaign promise for Mr. Biden, who declared he would put a “quick end” to the Trump-era Title IX rules and faced mounting pressure from Democrats and civil rights leaders to do so.

The release of the updated rules, after two delays, came as Mr. Biden is in the thick of his re-election bid and is trying to galvanize key electoral constituencies.

Through the new regulations, the administration moved to include students in its interpretation of Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark 2020 Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. The Trump administration held that transgender students were not protected under federal laws, including after the Bostock ruling .

In a statement, Betsy DeVos, who served as Mr. Trump’s education secretary, criticized what she called a “radical rewrite” of the law, asserting that it was an “endeavor born entirely of progressive politics, not sound policy.”

Ms. DeVos said the inclusion of transgender students in the law gutted decades of protections and opportunities for women. She added that the Biden administration also “seeks to U-turn to the bad old days where sexual misconduct was sent to campus kangaroo courts, not resolved in a way that actually sought justice.”

While the regulations released on Friday contained considerably stronger protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students, the administration steered clear of the lightning-rod issue of whether transgender students should be able to play on school sports teams corresponding to their gender identity.

The administration stressed that while, writ large, exclusion based on gender identity violated Title IX, the new regulations did not extend to single-sex living facilities or sports teams. The Education Department is pursuing a second rule dealing with sex-related eligibility for male and female sports teams. The rule-making process has drawn more than 150,000 comments.

Under the revisions announced on Friday, instances where transgender students are subjected to a “hostile environment” through bullying or harassment, or face unequal treatment and exclusion in programs or facilities based on their gender identity, could trigger an investigation by the department’s Office for Civil Rights.

Instances where students are repeatedly referred to by a name or pronoun other than one they have chosen could also be considered harassment on a case-by-case basis.

“This is a bold and important statement that transgender and nonbinary students belong, in their schools and in their communities,” said Olivia Hunt, the policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality.

The regulations appeared certain to draw to legal challenges from conservative groups.

May Mailman, the director of the Independent Women’s Law Center, said in a statement that the group planned to sue the administration. She said it was clear that the statute barring discrimination on the basis of “sex” means “binary and biological.”

“The unlawful omnibus regulation reimagines Title IX to permit the invasion of women’s spaces and the reduction of women’s rights in the name of elevating protections for ‘gender identity,’ which is contrary to the text and purpose of Title IX,” she said.

The existing rules, which took effect under Mr. Trump in 2020, were the first time that sexual assault provisions were codified under Title IX. They bolstered due process rights of accused students, relieved schools of some legal liabilities and laid out rigid parameters for how schools should conduct impartial investigations.

They were a sharp departure from the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law, which came in the form of unenforceable guidance documents directing schools to ramp up investigations into sexual assault complaints under the threat of losing federal funding. Scores of students who had been accused of sexual assault went on to win court cases against their colleges for violating their due process rights under the guidelines.

The Biden administration’s rules struck a balance between the Obama and Trump administration’s goals. Taken together, the regulation largely provides more flexibility for how schools conduct investigations, which advocates and schools have long lobbied for.

Catherine E. Lhamon, the head of the department’s Office for Civil Rights who also held the job under President Barack Obama, called the new rules the “most comprehensive coverage under Title IX since the regulations were first promulgated in 1975.”

They replaced a narrower definition of sex-based harassment adopted under the Trump administration with one that would include a wider range of conduct. And they reversed a requirement that schools investigate only incidents alleged to have occurred on their campuses or in their programs.

Still, some key provisions in the Trump-era rules were preserved, including one allowing informal resolutions and another prohibiting penalties against students until after an investigation.

Among the most anticipated changes was the undoing of a provision that required in-person, or so-called live hearings, in which students accused of sexual misconduct, or their lawyers, could confront and question accusers in a courtroom-like setting.

The new rules allow in-person hearings, but do not mandate them. They also require a process through which a decision maker could assess a party or witness’s credibility, including posing questions from the opposing party.

“The new regulations put an end to unfair and traumatic grievance procedures that favor harassers,” Kel O’Hara, a senior attorney at Equal Rights Advocates. “No longer will student survivors be subjected to processes that prioritize the interests of their perpetrators over their own well being and safety.”

The new rules also allow room for schools to use a “preponderance of evidence” standard, a lower burden of proof than the DeVos-era rules encouraged, through which administrators need only to determine whether it was more likely than not that sexual misconduct had occurred.

The renewed push for that standard drew criticism from legal groups who said the rule stripped away hard-won protections against flawed findings.

“When you are dealing with accusations of really one of the most heinous crimes that a person can commit — sexual assault — it’s not enough to say, ‘50 percent and a feather,’ before you brand someone guilty of this repulsive crime,” said Will Creeley, the legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

The changes concluded a three-year process in which the department received 240,000 public comments. The rules also strengthen protections for pregnant students, requiring accommodations such as a bigger desk or ensuring access to elevators and prohibiting exclusion from activities based on additional needs.

Title IX was designed to end discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities at all institutions receiving federal financial assistance, beginning with sports programs and other spaces previously dominated by male students.

The effects of the original law have been pronounced. Far beyond the impact on school programs like sports teams, many educators credit Title IX with setting the stage for academic parity today. Female college students routinely outnumber male students on campus and have become more likely than men of the same age to graduate with a four-year degree.

But since its inception, Title IX has also become a powerful vehicle through which past administrations have sought to steer schools to respond to the dynamic and diverse nature of schools and universities.

While civil rights groups were disappointed that some ambiguity remains for the L.G.B.T.Q. students and their families, the new rules were widely praised for taking a stand at a time when education debates are reminiscent to the backlash after the Supreme Court ordered schools to integrate.

More than 20 states have passed laws that broadly prohibit anyone assigned male at birth from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams or participating in scholastic athletic programs, while 10 states have laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms based on their gender identity.

“Some adults are showing up and saying, ‘I’m going to make school harder for children,” said Liz King, senior program director of the education equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “It’s an incredibly important rule, at an incredibly important moment.”

Schools will have to cram over the summer to implement the rules, which will require a retraining staff and overhauling procedures they implemented only four years ago.

Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities, said in a statement that while the group welcomed the changes in the new rule, the timeline “disregards the difficulties inherent in making these changes on our nation’s campuses in such a short period of time.”

“After years of constant churn in Title IX guidance and regulations,” Mr. Mitchell said, “we hope for the sake of students and institutions that there will be more stability and consistency in the requirements going forward.”

Zach Montague is based in Washington. He covers breaking news and developments around the district. More about Zach Montague

Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Erica L. Green

Word of the Day

What it means.

An exodus is a situation in which many people leave a place at the same time—in other words a mass departure or emigration .

// The resort town eagerly anticipated the mass exodus from the cities to its beaches as summer approached.

See the entry >

exodus in Context

“Experts link lower rents to a possible drop in demand after population losses during a recent exodus from parts of Southern California. As the state’s population has stagnated, some believe demand may cool and dampen rent growth.” — Anthony de Leon, The Los Angeles Times , 14 Mar. 2024

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Challenging standardized test words, vol. 2.

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Did You Know?

The Biblical book of Exodus describes the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, so it's no surprise that the word exodus , uncapitalized, has come to refer more generally to any mass departure. Exodus was adopted into English (via Latin) from the Greek word Exodos , which literally means “the road out.” Exodos was formed by combining the prefix ex- , meaning “out of,” and hodos , meaning “road” or “way.” Indeed, many roads led out of hodos into English; other hodos descendants include episode , method , odometer , and period . While exodus is occasionally encountered in reference to an individual’s leaving (e.g., “his/her/their exodus”), such usage is likely to raise the eyebrows of editors who feel it should only refer to the departure en masse of a large group of people, as when novelist Nnedi Okorafor writes in her science fiction novel Lagoon (2015): “Everyone was trying to get somewhere, be it a church, a bar, home or out of Lagos. Then there was the exodus of people … to the parts of the city that had the least chance of flooding if the water rose too high.”

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Rearrange the letters to form a word that means “a coming in”: XUFILN

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