How to Write a Book Review

whiteman

by Staff Expert

Introduction
Writing a good book report requires summarizing a lot of information in a very small space. Follow these steps to make the task easier.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy


Steps
1Step OneTake thorough and careful notes as you read the book. (See \"How to Take Reading Notes.\") Use Post-it flags to mark pages that contain important passages or quotes.

2Step TwoGather your reading notes and the book and have them by your side as you write your report.

3Step ThreeAsk yourself, What would I want to know about this book?

4Step FourLook through your notes and decide, based on the length of the book report and your answers to the above question, what is essential to include and what can be excluded.
5Step FiveState the main point of the book: Why did the author write the book? Or for fiction, give a brief plot summary.

6Step SixOutline the plot or main ideas in the book (See \"How to Write a Paper Outline\"), or for fiction describe the story and key dramatic points.
7Step SevenFollow your outline as you write the report, making sure to balance the general and the specific. A good book report will both give an overview of the book's significance and convey enough details to avoid abstraction.

8Step EightSummarize the overall significance of the book: What has this book contributed to the knowledge of the world? For fiction: What does this story tell us about the author's take on life's big questions?
Tips & Warnings
Make sure to proofread your book report carefully before turning it in.
Type your report on a computer.