book report alternatives pdf

60+ Book Report Alternatives

Laurie Bennett

Last Updated:

Not everyone loves book reports as much as I do, so I created this list of book report alternatives to help homeschooling moms and classroom teachers alike come up with their own ideas for alternatives to the written book report. If you have other ideas please share them with me in the comments!

Table of Contents

Book Report Alternatives

1. Choose a character from the book and create sentences for each letter of the alphabet. For example, A is for the APPLE Snow White ate. B is for the BEAUTY she shared with everyone.

2. Write a poem that explains the book and what you loved about it.

3. Create a diary as if you were one of the characters from the story.

4. Make a time line of the events in your book. Draw pictures for major events.

5. Write an alternate ending – one that makes sense for the story line, but did not take place.

6. Design a quiz for the book you read, and an answer sheet as well.

7. Make a crossword puzzle or word search using character names, events, and other words from the book.

8. Write a letter to one of the characters from the book, and write a reply as if you were the character.

9. Pretend you are a talk show host and interview your favorite character. Either write the interview down (your questions and your character’s answers), or do it “podcast” style like mentioned below.

10. Prepare a travel brochure to convince tourists to visit your character’s home town.

11. Write a news article about an event from the book.

12. Keep a list of new words you learned by reading your book. Use them each in a sentence.

13. Write an acrostic poem about the book using the letters in the title of the book.

14. Create a job listing for a character in the book. Then, create a resume for that character.

15. Read a book that has been made into a movie, then watch the movie. Draw a diagram doing compare/contrast.

16. Write a letter to the author of the book letting them know what you liked, as well as how you would have changed their story.

17. Compare and contrast two characters from the book.

18. Do some research on the area your book took place. Write 10 quick facts about it.

19. Tell (out loud or on paper) the story from a different point of view. For example, instead of telling it from Snow White’s POV, tell it from the Dwarves’ or the evil stepmother’s.

20. Use a Venn diagram to tell how you are alike (and different) from your favorite character in the book.

21. Plan a party based on the book: invitations, food, games, decorations, and even music choices.

21. Imagine you’re going to join your favorite character in the book. What will you pack? How will you get there? How long will you stay?

22. Write an obituary of your favorite character. Be sure to include who they left behind, as well as what they accomplished in their life.

23. Invite your favorite character from the book to dinner. What will you cook? How will you dress?

24. Create a new character, and add him or her to the story. What role will they play? How will they change the outcome?

25. Write the pros and cons of the book. What did you like and dislike? What would you change and why?

26. Write about a new adventure for the characters in the book. For example, instead of going into the woods, where does Snow White go? How does this change the entire story?

27. Make a diorama (think science fair project/tri-fold) describing the book and its time line.

28. Make up an alternative title for this book. Explain why you chose the new title and why the old one didn’t fit as well.

29. Create a dictionary using difficult words (and their definitions) from the book.

30. Make a list of the top 5 television shows and top 5 singers your favorite character would love. Explain.

31. Figure out which astrology sign your favorite characters from the book would be. Explain why you think they fit these signs.

32. Invite your favorite character to your talk show. What will you talk about?

33. Create a word collage using words from the book, character names, and even the title of your story.

34. Plan a dream vacation for your favorite character from the book. Where would they go? Why? Write an itinerary for the days they’ll be on vacation.

35. Create an award for the main characters of the book. What are the awards for?

36. Draw a picture of what you think your favorite character’s bedroom looks like. Do the same for your least favorite character.

Hands-On Alternatives to Book Reports

37. Create a life-sized model of your favorite character from the book. Use real fabric to create cut-out clothes for them.

38. Do a science experiment based on a character from the book. What did the character like to learn about? Make the experiment interesting to them.

39. Make a sculpture of one of the characters from the book.

40. Create a shoe box diagram about your book.

41. Make a banner out of cloth or a long roll of paper telling about your favorite parts from the book.

42. Nominate one of the characters for President. Design campaign billboards, and a catchphrase/slogan.

43. Design a model town like the one from the book. If they don’t talk about the town, design the house or other setting.

44. Put on a puppet show! Create puppets (even if they’re out of brown bags) of the characters from the book, and write and act out a play with them.

45. Create a scrapbook about the book.

46. Do a soap carving of a character (or animal) from the book. Parent supervision required!

47. Gather items described in the book and put them in a shadow box.

48. Design costumes that your book’s characters would have worn. You can do this on paper or with fabric!

49. Put together a visual book report collage using magazine photos/cut-outs.

50. Dress up and do a presentation about your book in full costume.

51. Design a bookmark about (and for!) your book.

52. Do a brown bag book report and collect items that tell about the book. For example, an apple (or a drawing or cut-out of one) for Snow White.

53. Make a mobile using a hanger or popsicle sticks, and magazine cut-outs or your own drawings, giving details about the book.

Book Report Alternatives Using Technology

54. Create a short video clip or podcast about the book (also known as a “bookcast”). Bookcast a review of the book you just read, being as creative as possible for your audience.

55. Create a commercial about your book.

56. Design a Power Point presentation telling all about the book.

57. Write an online review of the book, using a site like wetpaint.com. You can read reviews from other students, and share your book reviews as well. If you have a classroom or homeschool group, you can create a classroom book review wiki as well. Then, all of the students can add their own book reviews.

58. Create a movie poster advertising the book. You can create one online using a website like glogster.edu, or create one with actual poster board and markers. Be sure to include the title, author, key characters, etc.

59. Design a comic version of the book, using a program like PicMonkey online – or by using pen(cil) and paper.

Pssst… while you’re here, be sure to check out all of my PicMonkey tutorials , plus learn 17 Things You Didn’t Know You Could do With PicMonkey !

60. Pretend you are a TV reporter, and give a “live news report of a scene from the book.

61. Use bookwink.com (no longer valid) to create a “video book talk” letting other students know all about your book. Watch other videos to find new books to read!

62. Use YouTube to create a summary of the book – no spoilers!

Download this list in a FREE PRINTABLE by clicking below.

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Creative Alternatives to Book Reports

Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students’ understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for students—and reading them can be equally tedious for educators. Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students (and yourself) out of the report rut.

Movie pitch

Making movies based on popular books is a Hollywood staple. Have students create an “elevator pitch” (i.e., a pitch delivered in the time it would take to ride an elevator) that explains to a producer why the book would make a good movie, give suggestions about who should play the characters, and identify an element that might need to change for the movie version. This activity obviously works best with books that have not already been made into movies.

Book/movie comparison

If students read a book has already been made into a movie, they can write a comparison between the book and the movie. They should include information about key changes from the book and develop ideas about why these changes were made and how effective they were.

Character portrait

Have students create a portrait of a character from the book they read. The portrait should be made up of words and symbols that represent the character. For example, if a character is a computer whiz, the outline of her face might be made up of ones and zeros like binary code, and her eyes might be computer screens. This is a great way to integrate the arts into a literacy lesson.

New character introduction

Have students introduce a new character into the book they read. They should explain who the character is, which book characters the new character would interact with, what role the new character would play (Advisor? Foil? Comic relief?), and how the new character would affect the rest of the book.

Book cover analysis/design

Have students take a close look at several book covers and make a list of common elements they see, such as the title, author, images, book blurbs, etc. They can also list some examples that were effective and some that were less successful. Then, have students design a cover for the book they read. They should be able to explain the elements they chose to include and how they relate to the book.

Blind date with a book

Related to designing a book cover, give students plain paper that is not see-through, such as butcher paper, and have them each wrap the book they read like a present. Then have them write words or short phrases that describe the book on the paper without giving away the title of the book or its author (and, of course, no spoilers). Place all the books on a shelf and let students browse through the offerings and select the next book they want to read based on the words and phrases on the cover. You could also make this an ongoing project and designate shelf space in the library for “blind date” books.

Interview with a character

Sometimes a character in a book feels so real that you can almost imagine talking to them. Have students write questions they would ask a character in the book they read. When they have finished writing the questions, have them answer these from the perspective of the character. If a video camera is available, students could create a mock talk show with literary characters as the interviewed guests.

Book trailer

Almost everybody has seen a movie trailer that made them really want to see the movie. Students can create a similar trailer for the book they read. There are many choices for free video editing software—including WeVideo, Windows Movie Maker, and iMovie—that students can use to create transitions, add special effects, edit out mistakes, and add audio. This type of alternative book report also helps develop 21st-century digital skills!

Book club questions

Some books have a section in the back with questions for facilitating discussion at a book club. In this vein, have students write a section of discussion questions for the book they read. Remind them that discussion questions don’t have an easy answer. Instead, they should enable people to express their own perspectives while answering the question.

Debate time/"The hard sell"

Have students create a persuasive argument—without spoilers—about why other students should read the book. To make it more exciting, have one student be the “chooser” and let two students take turns trying to persuade that student. Encourage the persuaders to adapt their arguments based on which classmate they are trying to persuade.

Have students create a podcast relating to their book. They could podcast from the perspective of a character or retell the book’s story in a series of short episodes. Students can easily record the audio for their podcasts on a computer or smartphone. They can also use a free sound editing program—such as Audacity or GarageBand—to edit their recording. Then, they can upload the audio file to your school website to share with colleagues and parents. If students aren’t familiar with podcasts, they can listen to podcasts such as Youth Radio and StoryCorps before creating their own.

Comic strip or picture book

Have students condense the book they read into a comic strip/graphic novel or a picture book. Challenge them to tell the whole story in the new format, not just one section of the book. If appropriate, students could read their books to younger students.

Selecting the right excerpt from a book to share with an audience can be challenging. You might select an excerpt that gives a good sense of a particular character, or one that showcases the author’s writing style, or even one that ends on a cliffhanger so your audience will have to pick up the book to see what happens next. Have students select an excerpt from their book to read to the class. Ask them to write an explanation of why they selected that excerpt and how it relates to the book as a whole.

Alternate ending

Have you ever loved a book, but wished it ended differently? Give students the chance to get the resolution they want by rewriting the ending of the book they read. Then, have them explain why they made the change they did.

Roller coaster

Have students analyze the plot of the book they read by creating a roller coaster on a large piece of paper. The coaster should have the five stages of a plot from Freytag’s pyramid: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Students should draw cars along the roller coaster that use words and/or symbols to visually explain each part of the book.

Sequel pitch

Sometimes a book is so good, you just don’t want to say goodbye to its characters. Have students pitch an idea for a sequel to the book they read as if they were speaking to the editor. They should include a basic outline of the plot, any new characters, and an explanation of why the book deserves a sequel. Taking this a step further, you could have students write the first chapter of the sequel after making their pitch.

Another point of view

Point of view is a key literary device. Have students retell a part of the book they read from a different point of view. They may choose to use first-person point of view or third-person narration to switch to the perspective of a different character. This is an opportunity for students to explore the unsaid motivations of secondary characters.

Board game

Have students create a board game about the book they read. For example, the game could advance players when they answer a question about the book or move players backward or forward based on problems and solutions from the book. In her article "Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report," Diana Mitchell writes, "Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it." This lesson invites students to respond to texts in a new way while also helping them focus on key points in their books.

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February 17, 2021 ·

10 Book Report Alternatives Your Students Will Love to Complete

Reading & Literacy

The children groan as you close the book and begin to give instructions…They know the dreaded book report is coming. When you were planning your novel unit , you likely included a project to wrap things up. However, many of these end up being nothing more than a colorful book report. So how do you find a post-novel activity that serves as book report alternatives?

Much like your pre-reading activities , wrapping up your novel study is a key part of making the learning stick. Making post-novel activities fun and engaging is a large piece of that. That’s why I’m sharing some book report alternatives to help you think outside the box.

10 Novel Study Activities to Wrap up Your Unit

This list is designed with students in mind. I firmly believe there’s no point in considering book report alternatives unless you’re considering your learners. The students in your class need to have activities that excite them. That’s why it is important to consider their interests and passions when you’re trying to plan meaningful novel study activities. You’ll also want to make sure you incorporate websites and tech tools that are engaging and build 21st Century skills.

With that being said, here’s the list of my 10 favorite book report alternatives.

1. Have students extend the story instead of writing a book report.

This option is perfect for your creative writers and is a great fit for many popular novels. Ask students to write about what else happened in their own words.

For some books, this might be adding a chapter that picks up where the story ends. However, that isn’t the only option. Many books also have plot holes where students could use their knowledge of the plot to write a scene.

The benefit of taking this approach is it requires students to examine multiple various elements of the novel. They need to have a strong understanding of the plot to make their addition fit the story. Analyzing the plot can encourage students to step into the character’s shoes. In turn, they can begin to empathize with characters at a deeper level.

They also need to spend time analyzing the author’s writing style. Many times we forget to look at novel units as a chance to teach the author’s craft. However, novels can easily serve as mentor texts for writing, too.

Alternatively, students could retell a piece of the book from the perspective of another character. They could even approach it from a totally different point of view. This can help students focus on the plot and feelings without the pressure of developing plot points.

2. Create a commercial as a post-novel activity.

A book commercial is a creative way to have students write about a book. It’s different from a book report because the student is trying to persuade others to read the book, without giving away too much of the plot. By creating a short video, reluctant writers can share what they learned from the book.

camera and popcorn for filming book trailer

If you decide to go this route, encourage students to include details about why they liked the book or what makes it stand out. Have them mention if there are any other books in this series or by this author that would be good for people who like this one.

Ideal for your budding filmmakers, ask students to create a visual summary about the best parts of the book. This might include having peers act these out, using stop-motion videography, or even using animation tools (like Powtoon ).

Your future marketing gurus may enjoy planning the target market or creating a sales pitch for the book. Similarly, they may use the author’s message to explain how the book will change readers’ lives.

Adding an imaginary or actual review can also add to their advertisement. Was there a movie made? They could compare their review to a movie review and evaluate how well the story was retold!

3. Have students create character text messages to wrap up their novel unit

Text messaging is a great way to communicate with friends and family, but what if we could use it as an alternative to book reports?

Creating text message threads between characters in a story is a great way to examine character relationships. It can also help students explore plot points from different perspectives. This option is perfect for students who struggle to write long passages, but it is also a great choice for students who struggle to be concise.

By creating a text conversation or a chat on social media, students can analyze the characters and their relationships differently than just describing them. They need to take the perspective of both characters in the conversation to create a believable text thread.

Helping them empathize with the characters will help your students evaluate the plot in a more approachable format than a full book report. Assign chapters to various literature circle groups. Their product can be creating a message that represents their section in detail.

Here are a few great online tools:

Text Me! SMS Generator
iFake Text Messages
Messenger Chat Fake

4. Design a yearbook as a post-novel activity.

Designing a yearbook as an alternative to writing a book report is a great way to engage learners and provide them with a memorable post-novel activity. For this project, students will create their own yearbook that features personal photos of the characters, summaries of important events in the story, thoughts on what they learned from reading the novel, predictions for what might happen next in the story, and how it relates to real-life issues or problems that exist today.

Creating yearbook pages for the characters will help students sum up their ideas in a short and punchy way. This works best with access to computers, but providing pictures can work for classes without access to technology.

This will help students reflect on the most important parts of the book and why they remember the characters. Drawing out the story elements will help the students analyze how the characters develop the plot.

Particularly creative students might want to write poems to include. This can use quotes and even retell important scenes.

5. Create book jackets as a book report alternative.

A book cover or jacket redesign can help students explain an important part of the plot while allowing their creativity to shine. Encouraging them to illustrate a scene for the front cover will help them take their favorite scene and show how that can encourage people to read the book.

design novel book jacket as alternative to book report

Symbolism is an important, higher-order skill. Allowing your students to put complex ideas into picture form will encourage them to grow their understanding of the plot. Additionally, using the text to create something new is an excellent example of synthesis!

For students who prefer to write, creating a new blurb with a cliffhanger would help them review the book and analyze the plot.

6. Instead of a book report, have students create a character social media profile.

Making a task relevant to students can be a challenge. Using social media opens opportunities for creative writing, graphic design, and acting for videos.

If your students want to focus on Facebook-style writing, they can write a long-form post with pictures and retell the story. Fakebook offers a great digital format for this. A more succinct option would be to ask them for a Tweet instead.

Students who prefer video could create a Snapchat story using pictures or a series of short clips for Tik Tok. Acting as the characters will make students engage with character analysis, copying their mannerisms and how they act.

7. Have students plan an interview for a post-novel activity.

Perfect for writers, an interview with a character can help them think of questions that need to be answered after they’ve finished the novel! Learning to take perspectives will help them analyze the character’s motivations and summarize it in a sound bite.

plan an interview with the book author or a character

Instead of simply imagining and writing, students might prefer to work in pairs or small groups and directly ask the questions to their peers. The interviewer can create questions and develop ideas for the interviewees to role play and answer.

Alternatively, they could interview the author and imagine what they might say. You could even encourage them to try and directly contact the author – if they get a response, you can turn this into further analysis!

8. Write a parody after you finish the novel.

Perfect for musical students, writing a parody song of the story will help them focus on the main themes, summarize the content, and fit it into a different format.

Using a popular song, they can rewrite the lyrics to tell the story from one character’s perspective or about the entire plot. If you have a student who loves to perform, they might even create a recording or play it live for their peers!

Teaching students to sequence the important events and how they cause each other is also easier with a song – you don’t have as much time to analyze, so they need to show causation in a clear and snappy way.

9. As a post-novel activity, let students create a comic or graphic novel

Comics and using pictures to explain can help students who struggle to put their ideas into words. You can provide a template for the students to use, pictures for them to base their ideas around, or just let them draw and write everything originally.

drawing a comic or graphic novel as an alternative to a book report

Learning to retell a story and sequence their ideas can help them creatively reimagine the story and use art to show what they think was most important. They could also create a symbol for a theme to show underlying, important ideas.

This can be turned into a whole class project by asking students in small groups to each retell a part of the story as a picture and then join them all together to create a giant comic strip. This will require a lot of space for the display!

10. To wrap up the book create a visual or written mind map

For a quick wrap-up activity, you can ask them to mind map the key ideas of the novel. This will help students remember the main events, link them together, and expand on the key ideas.

using graphic organizers and mindmaps as a post-novel activity

With effective modelling, you can show students how to bring ideas together and arrange them. For example, you could ask students to create a few sections – themes, problem, solution, characters, setting, and relationship. This will help organize and create connections between ideas.

Working in a group can also help students bring ideas together. Using chart paper will give students space to share ideas and develop understanding. If that isn’t available, you can ask students to put ideas on a post-it and create a post-it mind map on a table or wall.

Book reports aren’t designed for today’s student.

Although writing a book report as a post-novel activity might show what some students can remember, using a variety of tasks that encourage artistic and creative work will help all students show off what they’ve learned.

Summative assessment is important for showing that students have engaged with the novel and can help them evaluate and analyze. This is excellent for tracking your students’ grades and identifying what they need to improve on.

These strategies can be a quick win for adding engagement and interest into your classroom novel unit.

10 Alternatives to Book Reports book report alternatives, post-novel activity

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Five Alternatives to Book Reports Your Students Will Love

Book reports and summaries are a thing of the past. Engage your middle and high school students with five book report alternatives that will leave them asking for more and, most importantly, building vital reading and analysis skills along the way.

1. Assign one pagers at the end of a novel.

One pagers are engaging, allow for creativity, and lead to higher level thinking and analysis. Assigning a one pager is easy and works for any novel. Follow these simple guidelines:

Make it standards based: choose a standard to focus on, and design the content of the one pager around that standard. For example, these directions help students to master standard RL3:

Grade the learning, not the art. While I require my students to fill the blank space of their one pagers, I make it clear that students are not graded on their artistic ability. Then, I give suggestions for filling the blank space that do not require artistic ability: magazine cutouts, color, or filling blank space with powerful words and quotes.

Share models and a rubric with students so expectations are clear.

2. Make paper airplanes.

Paper airplanes are not just for kids to toss around when the teacher is not looking. They can also provide a fun alternative to book reports. Here’s how:

Instruct students to fold a paper airplane.

On the outside of the plane, instruct students to draw the plane’s windows with the protagonists on one side and the antagonists on the other. Instruct students to label each character and give a brief description of each.

On the inside of the plane, instruct students to write an analysis of the characters. How did the characters change throughout the novel? How were the characters impacted by (the plot, the setting, the conflict, etc. )? How do the characters affect each other?

Require students to back up their analysis with text based evidence, just like they would in a more traditional essay.

On the day airplanes are due, instruct students to fly their planes to a classmate (you might want to model a proper flight vs. an aggressive flight!). Students read their classmate's analysis, then share one fact they learned about the characters with the rest of the class. Allow students to make several "flights" so students can hear a wide range of perspectives.

If you want to save time on making a paper airplane book report assignment, you can grab my Best Ever Reading Response project set here , which includes four other projects plus Paper Airplane Book Report instructions, a rubric, and an airplane template that makes implementing this project easy!

3. Make it a book talk.

Book talks are the perfect interactive alternative to a traditional book report. Book talks give students an authentic audience, motivation to succeed, and require higher level thinking that can help push students to be more analytical in response to their reading.

Book talks can be implemented in several ways:

Students can prepare their book talks ahead of time, then sign up for times to present their book talks to the class. Require students to bring their book on the day they give their talk. The great side effect of book talks is that kids in the audience get interested in new books!

Students can complete book talks speed dating style. Ask students to complete this form:

Line up chairs in the classroom so students are facing each other with half of the class on one side and half on the other. Set a timer for five minutes and instruct students to give their book talks to and listen to the book talk of the person sitting across from them. When the timer is finished, instruct students on one side to shift one seat to the right. The student on one end will move to the beginning of the row so each student has a new partner. Reset the five minute timer and repeat the book talks. When the timer is up, the same row shifts to the right again. Repeat as many times as you see fit.

Do FlipGrid Book talks. Students can use FlipGrid to record their book talk using laptop cameras, their phones, or iPads. This is a great way to save class time (you can show selected book talks or the book talks of students who volunteer--watch the rest for grading outside of class). It's also a great alternative for students who are not comfortable getting in front of the class for their book talks.

4. Create book trailers using iMovie.

Want instant engagement? Offer book trailers as a culminating book project. iMovie makes it SO easy. Students can use phones or iPads to create a professional looking book trailer.

To create a book trailer, students must first choose a design template from iMovie:

Next, students will complete a storyboard for their book trailer. To create storyboards, students will need images and videos that connect to their novels.

For the best storyboards, instruct students to follow these simple steps:

Choose a focus for your book trailer. Entice your audience to read your novel by hinting at major themes that readers will take away. Highlight characters and conflicts that viewers will be able to connect with.

Next, examine the titles of the story board. Brainstorm titles that will help to tell the story of your novel with a focus on themes, relatable characters, and conflict.

Last, brainstorm a list of images and videos you will need to capture. The images and videos will show for a certain number of seconds indicated by iMovie. Be sure to limit your videos to indicated seconds.

Begin taking pictures and videos!

Put it all together. Write your title and subtitles. Insert pictures and images, and choose audio.

Preview your book trailer and revise as needed, adding or changing pictures and video and editing grammar.

After students finish their book trailers, have a viewing party complete with books and popcorn. Beware: students will want to read more books after viewing their classmates' trailers!

5. Create professional looking book covers using Canva.

If you haven't used Canva in the classroom--go, right now! Canva is an amazing design tool that allows teachers and students (or the average Joe) to design anything from posters to greeting cards. They also have the option of creating book covers!

To create book covers in Canva, visit the Canva website linked here . Create an account if you don't already have one. Click on Templates and do a search for Book Covers. Choose one of the free options (there are LOTS of great free options--there is no need to purchase templates or images). Start editing!

In order for your students to create a book cover on Canva, they will need to create a Canva account using their email. Make sure this works for your district (check FERPA requirements for using outside apps--in my school, I share the website with admin before using anything with my students).

Recommendations for implementing a standards-based book cover project:

Master standard RL 2: Student's book cover must reflect the theme of the novel. The back of the cover must include an objective summary of the text.

Master standard RL 3: Student's book cover must reflect the interaction of at least two different elements of the novel. For example, the cover might show how characters are affected by the setting or by a major event (with no spoilers!).

Master standard RL 6: Student's book cover must reflect the development of two different characters' points of view. For example, the front might reveal one character's point of view and the back another.

Display book covers in your classroom to entice your readers to read even more!

With a little creativity, we can engage students to analyze their texts in more meaningful, interactive ways. Try one of the five alternatives to book reports and let us know how it goes! Share your reflections, comments, questions, and suggestions below. Enjoy!

Want to save time and implement some fun alternatives to book reports? Check out my Best Ever Reading Response Projects here .

Independent Reading

50 alternatives to the book report

Providing choices and alternatives to the “ways things are done around here” is not only a strategy for differentiating instruction but a way to encourage students to “show up” differently in the classroom and demonstrate new skills and competencies. This post at Sharing and Collaboration: English Classroom on 50 Alternatives to the Book Report may inspire you even if you are not an English teacher. It may help you to consider 50 alternatives to some common practice in your own classroom. 5o alternatives to the research paper? 50 alternatives to lab reports? 50 alternatives to chapter tests?

My Differentiation Books

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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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Blogs about homeschooling

Great Books Deserve Great Projects: 7 Alternatives to Book Reports

Feb 25, 2021

Do you remember writing book reports as a kid? I do.

Do you remember what books you wrote about? I don’t.

Why is that?

Let’s be perfectly honest: A book report is boring with a capital B. They are boring to write, and I can assure you from a teacher’s point of view, they are boring to read. It’s really a shame, too, because more often than not, the books are wonderful!

Because a great book deserves a great project, we need alternatives to traditional book reports.

I remember squealing with joy as a new English teacher when I discovered this idea of outside-the-box book reports. My students did, too. Each time I gave an alternative book report assignment, excitement grew in the classroom with calls of “I’m going to choose this one!” and “I can’t choose. They are all so good!”

Over the years, I ate food that represented symbols, listened to monologues, watched skits, poured over diaries, and repeatedly saw students engaging, analyzing, and enjoying literature.

Now, as a homeschooling mom, I get to experience those same experiences and joy with my own children. Each time my daughter finishes a book from her BookShark Reading with History curriculum , she completes an alternative to a book report.

These creative projects allow her to deep dive a little more deeply into the novel and continue to build on all sorts of skills — all while having a lot of fun.

Sharing and discussing projects is one of the most important aspects of these alternate book reports. So encourage your student to talk about what they created, telling why and how it’s relevant to the novel they read. This might look like an informal presentation around the kitchen table or a more formal speech. Videotaping projects can also be a lot of fun and a great way for students to practice public speaking.

I’ve also found children and teens relish being able to choose which project they do, so give them a list like the seven options below, and let them take the lead.

1. Write a New Ending or Fan Fiction

Does the book leave you hanging or wishing things worked out differently? Does it inspire you to write your own story?

Write an alternative ending to the novel you read. Make sure to include details from the original telling and change it in a way that makes sense.

You can also use the author’s style and writing to inspire your writing. Write a retelling of the story or create a spin-off from the perspective of a particular character's point of view.

2. Create a Game

Use the setting, conflicts, and characters to create a game. Using a favorite board or card game as inspiration, design the game board, questions, and even the game pieces to show your understanding of the novel and help others learn all about it.

3. Cook or Bake

There are many ways to go about creating a food project. Answer any of the following questions to get started.

If the main character were a food, what food would they be and why?

What do foods in the novel symbolize?

What recipes are important to the characters or culture?

You can also create an edible scene that's integral to the story. After you present it, you can eat it.

4. Pack a Suitcase

Great Books Deserve Great Projects: 7 Alternatives to Book Reports

These items might be things someone would truly put in a suitcase, like a favorite shirt, book, or journal, or they could be more figurative like the ocean, a pet, or a particular dream.

5. Interview a Character

The main character of a book has a lot to share. Secondary characters do too.

Choose a favorite character in the novel and interview them like one might for a magazine or news show. Write out questions and answers that show your understanding of the character.

6. Create a Graphic Novel or Comic Strip

Turn an important scene, your favorite part, or the entire novel (condensed) into a graphic novel or comic strip. Use artistic license and details from the text to create the characters, setting, and important details.

7. Create a Social Media Page or Profile

If a character in your novel had a Twitter or Instagram profile...

What would they post?

What types of things would they share?

Who would be their friends or followers?

What might their profile look like and say.

What hashtags would they use?

Create a social media profile (either digitally or on paper) for your character, using details from the novel to stay true to who they are.

Use these book-based project ideas to inspire your own alternatives to book reports. I bet your children can come up with brilliant project ideas on their own. The sky's the limit, and each book lends itself to different projects.

The books we read deserve projects that reflect the same delight we had when reading the intriguing characters, detailed settings, and twisting plot lines. You don’t have to settle for another dull book report!

About the Author

Kelly left teaching middle and high school English to homeschool her children and reclaim how she and her family spent their time. Followers of interest-led learning, her family's days rarely look the same, but they tend to include a lot of books, art supplies, and time outside.

Kelly facilitates local writing circles for women and children and blogs about nurturing the love of learning on her blog, Curiosity Encouraged . She loves to journal, read memoirs, hike, and travel. She seeks quiet mornings and good coffee daily.

Posted in Reading

Homeschooling
Middle School
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25 Alternatives to a Traditional Book Report

The words “book report” can elicit groans from students at any age. Writing a summary of a book isn’t necessarily the most effective way to demonstrate learning in the digital age. With summary book websites online, the traditional book report is no longer an enriching task. Here are 25 alternatives to the traditional book report for students to demonstrate their comprehension and deeper understanding of a book.

25 Book Report Alternatives

Interview a character from the book. Write a series of questions and answers from the protagonist or antagonist. You can even try focusing on a flat character.
Write a diary or journal from the main character’s point of view. This can be done in a physical format or through blog posts online. Try a student-friendly blog site like kidblog.org or edublogs.org .
Create a stop-motion video of major scenes from the book. Here are some tutorials on using stop motion in education.
Draw a comic book version of the book.
Give a book talk convincing someone to check out this book from a library.
Write a script for a scene or scenes from the book. Cast famous actors as the characters.
Create a playlist of songs that go with important moments or characters in the book. Explain the reason you chose each song.
Design your own Google Lit Trip for the novel.
Make a book jacket for the novel. Look at traditional book jackets for inspiration.
Write the climax of the story from a different character’s point of view. (If it’s in the third person, try telling it in first person or vice versa.)
Write an alternate ending for the story.
Make a picture book or children’s version of your novel.
Choose one of the themes (lessons) of the book and write about how it relates to current events.
Write a narrative poem based on the plot of the novel.
Make a scrapbook for one of the characters in the book.
Explain why this book should or should not be read by students in your grade level. Back up your argument with specific evidence from the text.
Create a glossary of vocabulary words from the book. Use images and specific sentences and context from the novel.
Read a related book (same author, related theme, same series) and compare and contrast them in a short essay or Venn diagram.
Create an online Jeopardy game based on themes, characters, plot questions, and other elements from the novel.
Write a resume for the main character of the book. Use what you know about the character to make inferences to their experience and qualifications.
If the main character is a child, write a short story about an event that happens in their adult life. If the main character is an adult, imagine an event that happened in their childhood and write about it.
Create a social media profile (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat) and some posts for a character in the book. Use these templates or create real pages that comply with terms of service.
Design the setting in Minecraft. Build a character’s home, neighborhood, city, or even country.
Make a family tree for the main character of your novel. Create some artifacts (birth certificates, newspaper articles, scrapbook entries, photographs, etc.)
Write a letter to the author suggesting changes in the novel.

These 25 ideas will have your student excited about reading and sharing what they learned from their latest book!

Of course, there is nothing wrong with writing a traditional book report, either. Check out this link for a lesson for middle schoolers on writing a book report.

Also published on Medium .

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Beyond the Book Report: Ten Alternatives

In my last post I described 10 ways to cultivate a love of reading in kids. I want to expand on that theme by suggesting 10 alternatives to the book report. I'm not a fan of book reports; I don't think they are an effective way for a student to demonstrate understanding of a book and I don't think they help students enjoy or appreciate reading.

Let's consider some activities that allow a student to show understanding of a book and that might be enjoyable. This selection of activities is also intended to meet the needs of different kinds of learners -- or to contribute to the development of skills beyond writing. I often allowed students choice in deciding how they wanted to respond to a book -- they could choose from a list like the one below.

1. The Graphic Novel: Students draw scenes from a selected part of the book-perhaps a scene that represents the beginning, middle and end if you're working on understanding chronology; or three scenes that depict how the main character changed. If the book is rich in setting, then asking them to illustrate where the story takes place can also be revealing. Drawing will help students remember or find details. Then you can also ask them to highlight or copy the textual evidence for their illustrations.

2. An Alternative Ending: Asking students to create an alternative ending to a book -- one that makes sense -- pushes them to really demonstrate an understanding of characters and plot. What makes a gripping novel is often that you don't know what's going to happen in the end. Asking students to diverge from but build on a writer's style is very hard -- and an exciting challenge for skilled readers.

3. A Sequel: Sequels are also fun for kids to write. How many of us have reached the end of a book and wanted more? This gives them an opportunity to predict what would happen next. It's also challenging because a sequel has to make sense; there must be a continuity of some elements of theme and plot. If there are other students who have read the same book, they can be the judges -- is this sequel believable? Students can write a few pages, a short chapter, or a whole book.

4. Diary of a Character: What might Professor Snape (of Harry Potter) have written in his diary? Students can select a character and compose a few pages -- or many pages -- of a diary. For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid they can emulate that author's style and include illustrations. Such an assignment reveals a student's understanding of the character and the genre of the personal narrative.

5. A Monologue: What might a major or minor character want to say? How might they say it? Students can take this in many directions. Again, this is another way for a student to communicate how she understands a character, as well as to practice speaking skills.

6. The Talk Show: When several students read the same book, they can put on a talk show for the class with each student representing a different character. The "host" prepares a list of questions to ask each guest, pushing the student to develop higher level thinking questions such as "Can you explain why you...?" or "What regrets do you have about..." Again, as you (the teacher) listen, you can assess how well each student understood the book.

7. Letter to the Author: If a book really moved a student, he might be interested in writing a letter to the author. There might be more information he'd like ("Did any of this really happen to you?") or he might want to share his reflections and thoughts about the book. It's no uncommon for authors to respond -- and that's a thrilling experience for a kid. This kind of assignment helps you assess how a student connected with a book and responded to it.

8. Review for Peers: This could be done in writing (and posted online somewhere including Amazon.com) or it could be shared verbally with a class. This is a way for students to practice persuasive writing and to share their opinions.

9. A New Cover: Creating a different cover for the book is a great project for artistic students. They might use traditional mediums -- paper, markers, and so on, or those with the skills and resources could create one using digital tools. This assignment is really a persuasive one: we all judge books by their covers, so how can students communicate their thoughts and feelings about a book through an image?

10. A Reading Guide: At the end of some novels there are a set of questions that are designed for a book club to use in discussion. This is a challenging project, but one that some readers love because it allows them to direct the conversations of others. In order to formulate good questions, they are required to have a deep understanding of the book. This activity is also great if you have book clubs or literature circles as students can provide their peers with this guide.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of alternatives to book reports, but I hope it's spurred some thinking about how to get students to respond to books they read.

What alternatives to book reports have you offered students? What would you like to try? Share with us in the comments' section below.

Jan 21. 2019

I never wrote a book report for In Grandma’s Attic , but nearly thirty years later, I still remember Sarah Jane and Mabel’s antics. This staying power of stories is what makes book reports unnecessary.

What’s the purpose of a book report, anyway?

A classroom teacher needs to make sure each student actually read the book. She can’t have an in-depth conversation about the book with every student. So a book report works in that case.

But the homeschool parent—who has just finished reading aloud a book alongside her child—has the luxury of meaningful conversations about the books.

How Do You Discuss a Book?

As parent-teachers, we tend to make book discussions complicated. We overdrill vocabulary or approach questions as a tool for comprehension, rather than an invitation to talk. But book discussions are meant to be a natural, back-and-forth exchange.

Not sure where to start? Your Sonlight Instructor’s Guide is ready to walk you through each book it schedules, offering conversation prompts, comprehension questions, and cultural and historical context.

7 Book Report Alternatives

Beyond discussions, there are times when you may want a hands-on approach. These ideas can help.

Interview a Character

Invite your children to write down questions they would ask when interviewing a book character. Encourage them to delve into the backstories of characters and contemplate their motivations. Your kids could even compose answers to the interview questions and act it out in a mock talk show format.

Create a LEGO Scene

Ask your students to recreate a key scene from a book using LEGO bricks. Or have them set up several smaller scenes, and let the LEGO minifigures progress through each scene sequentially.

Sketch a Storyboard or Comic Book

Kids with an artistic bent will have fun creating storyboards that recap entire books or individual chapters. They can be as simple and sequential—or as a colorful and complex—as desired. In the process, kids are forced to differentiate between minor details and those which are critical to the overall plot.

Stage a Skit or Dramatic Reading

This idea works especially well for multiple ages, since each student can interpret his part differently. Bonus: Since your kids will have to imagine themselves in the shoes of each character, they practice empathy.

Cook a Book-inspired Dish

This idea scales well as children get older. You can help younger children cook a simple recipe related to the story. Older kids can take on the challenge of creating—and serving—an entire book-inspired meal.

Record a Commercial

Create commercials to advertise the book. Produce these in video format or in audio as if for radio or a podcast.

Write a Newspaper Article

This is a creative way for kids to work together. Younger kids can provide illustrations, and older kids can write about scenes from the book. Compile the results into mini newspaper!

Trust the Process

As you read together with your kids, don’t complicate it. Give them freedom to expand on what they’ve read with the book report alternatives above, but resist the urge to over-explain. Trust the simplicity of the read-aloud process !

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About the Author

Gina Munsey is a Mexico-born, Eastern Europe-raised missionary kid who ended up in Nashville, Tennessee. A blogger for 16+ years, editor, magazine contributor, co-op teacher, and writer who has only completed four chapters of her languishing memoir, Gina spends her days full of coffee and adventures while helping her asynchronous daughter with Chinese homework. You can find Gina at oaxacaborn.com , or in the middle of [home]school surrounded by stacks and stacks of books.

Sonlight Curriculum

Sonlight is a complete, literature-based, Christian homeschool curriculum with every subject for students from preschool through high school. Our curriculum uses a variety of materials to deliver an engaging and complete education that extends beyond textbooks and memorization: literary fiction and nonfiction, biographies, illustrations, and hands-on experiments. These resources come with thorough lesson plans and notes, so that you can enjoy successful homeschooling. Customers who buy from Sonlight enjoy a liberal arts education that produces critical thinkers who are ambassadors for Christ with a heart for the world.

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

A student sample of a concrete found poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

A picture of a piece of text with comments and visuals added as commentary as an example of creative book report ideas

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

A mint tin is converted to a book report with an illustration on the inside lid and cards telling about different parts of the book inside as an example of creative book report ideas

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

A purple cake made from paper cut into slices

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

A book report made from different sheets of paper assembled to look like a sandwich as an example of creative book report ideas

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

A tri-fold science board decorated with a paper head and hands peeking over the top with different pages about the book affixed

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

A child wears a t-shirt decorated as a book report as an example of creative book report ideas

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

A pizza box decorated with a book cover and a paper pizza with book report details as an example of creative book report ideas

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

A group of students pose with their paper bag book reports

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

A manilla file folder decorated with elements of a book report as an example of creative book report ideas

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

A pyradimal shaped 3D book report with illustrations and words written on all sides

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

A girl stands next to a book report mobile made from a wire hanger and index cards as an example of creative book report ideas

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

A dodecahedrom 3D sphere made into a book report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

A book made from folded grocery bags is the template for a student book report as an example of creative book report ideas

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

A decorated paper hand with paper charms hanging off of it

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

A book report made from cardboard made to resemble a tv set as an example of creative book report ideas

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

A book report made from a paper background and attached flaps as an example of creative book report ideas

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

A girl stands holding a comic strip book report as an example of creative book report ideas

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

Book reports don't have to be boring. Help your students make the books come alive with these 42 creative book report ideas.

Book tasting sample books on a picnic background

Expand Your Readers’ Palates With a Book Tasting

A perfect way for kids to nibble on a book. Continue Reading

Book Report Alternative: Characters for Hire! Studying Character in Drama

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

After reading a play, students create a resume for one of the characters. Students first discuss what they know about resumes, then select a character from the play to focus on and jot down notes about that character. Next, they search the internet for historical background information. Students then explore the play again, looking for both direct and implied information about their characters and noting the location of supporting details. Finally, students draft resumes for their characters and search a job listing site for a job for which their character is qualified.

Featured Resources

The OWL at Purdue Resume Workshop : This resource from Purdue OWL provides detailed explanations for writing a resume.
Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters : Students can use this online tool offers to guide them through the process of writing a resume for a fictional character.

From Theory to Practice

In her article "Teaching Ideas: Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report," Diana Mitchell explains "Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it" (92).

Mitchell's observation is supported by Jim Cope's survey of 272 high school seniors in five Georgia high schools. In the article reporting his findings, Cope states, "Book reports were listed as the third most negative school reading experience, and can be considered a subset of students' general disdain for assigned reading" (21). Like Mitchell, Cope suggests that teachers "move away from the traditional book report and consider more exciting activities" in order to raise students' interest and engagement in reading. The end result of book report alternatives, such as the one explored in this lesson plan, is that the activities "whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater depth to the books they read" (Mitchell 92).

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

Copies of the play the class is reading
Computers with access to the Internet and word processing software
Sample Resume for William Shakespeare
Character Resume Rubric

Preparation

Have students read the selected Shakespearean drama. Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream all work well with this activity and are appropriate for high school classes. Other plays that would work well include The Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, and Our Town.
Determine whether this activity would suit your students best as a group or individual assignment. The activity requires a significant amount of inference and creativity, so students may benefit from a cooperative arrangement.
Arrange for students to have appropriate computer access (Internet and word processing capabilities) for Sessions Two, Three, and Four.
Preview and bookmark Websites from the Shakespeare and Resume Writing Web Resources as well as other favorites on drama and business writing.
Test the Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters student interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

gain knowledge of the historical and social context surrounding the setting of the chosen play.
apply information from other characters, noting the context in which the character is speaking and the reliability of the character, to discover additional information about their chosen character.
compile disparate and/or unconnected information about the chosen character into a coherent format (the resume).
learn appropriate resume techniques.

Session One

Explain to students that they will be preparing a resume for one of the characters in the drama they have just read.
What is a resume?
Why are resumes used?
What information does a resume convey?
How is a resume typically organized?
Discuss with students whether this is an individual or cooperative assignment and proceed accordingly.
Have students (in groups or on their own) choose a character to investigate and jot down preliminary notes they can recall about their characters.

Session Two

Begin the session by reminding students of the activity and sharing the Character Resume Rubric . Answer any questions students may have.
Introduce students to the resources available for research on their characters, relying on both print and Internet materials. Direct students to the Shakespeare and Resume Writing Web Resources you bookmarked and provide a brief overview of each to guide students' use of the sites.
If desired, use the Writing Resumes for Fictional Characters student interactive to highlight the requirements of character resumes.
Give students the session to do background research to discover such information as the customary education of a Roman official or the type of women's education available for the time period when the play takes place.

Session Three

Discuss the difference between direct and implied information presented in the drama. To provide an example without exploring a character that students are using for their projects, you might talk about what is directly stated about the setting of a play and what is implied by the characters' comments and the stage directions.
To prepare students for their search through the text, remind them of the notation system typically used for Shakespearean plays: act in uppercase Roman numbers, scene in lowercase Roman numbers, and lines in Arabic numbers (e.g., III.ii.3-6).
Have students explore the text for supporting information, direct and implied, making note of what they find using the notation system.

Session Four

At this point, students have gathered enough information to create a draft of the character's resume.
By searching the U.S. Government Job Announcements site, students can choose a job for which their character is qualified.
By the end of this session, ask students to revise their draft into a final resume, tailoring the resume to meet the job description provided in the vacancy announcement.
ReadWriteThink lessons that can extend and enhance the activities in this lesson include Preparing a Character for a New Job: Character Analysis Through Job Placement , Book Report Alternative: Creating Careers for Characters , and Help Wanted: Writing Professional Resumes .
After students have completed resumes for the characters in the play, host a job fair in which students take turns interviewing each other in character.
Compile all the resumes and have students review them to create a new company showcasing the combined skills and strengths of the characters they studied. Students can name the company, describe the work the company does, and create job titles and descriptions for each of the characters.
Have students use the Character Trading Cards interactive tool to look further into the personalities of the characters they chose.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Assess students or groups using the Character Resume Rubric .
Lesson Plans
Calendar Activities
Professional Library
Student Interactives

This resource is an introduction to William Shakespeare's tragic play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar , through the study of universal themes using multiple-perspective investigations of betrayal scenarios.

In this article, Versaci details the many merits of using comics and graphic novels in the classroom, suggests how they can be integrated into historical and social issues units, and recommends several titles.

This tool guides students through the creation of a resume that can be saved and edited. Written and audio tips provide extra support.

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60+ Book Report Alternatives
Create a diary as if you were one of the characters from the story. 4. Make a time line of the events in your book. Draw pictures for major events. 5. Write an alternate ending - one that makes sense for the story line, but did not take place. 6. Design a quiz for the book you read, and an answer sheet as well. 7.
PDF List of Alternatives to the Traditional Book Report
List of Alternatives to the Traditional Book Report (from various sources - compiled by Jennifer L. Bell) SCULPTURE. Create a sculpture of a character. Use any combination of soap, wood, clay, sticks, wire, stones, old toy pieces, or any other object. An explanation of how this character fits into the book should accompany the sculpture ...
Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report
Book Report Alternative: Examining Story Elements Using Story Map Comic Strips. Comic frames are traditionally used to illustrate a story in a short, concise format. In this lesson, students use a six-paneled comic strip frame to create a story map, summarizing a book or story that they've read. Each panel retells a particular detail or ...
PDF Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report (Teaching Ideas)
Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report. Diana Mitchell. Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it. It is hoped that this diverse group of suggestions will whet the interest of students in exploring new direc-tions and in responding with greater ...
Creative Alternatives to Book Reports
Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students' understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for students—and reading them can be equally tedious for educators. Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students (and ...
10 Book Report Alternatives Your Students Will Love to Complete
Particularly creative students might want to write poems to include. This can use quotes and even retell important scenes. 5. Create book jackets as a book report alternative. A book cover or jacket redesign can help students explain an important part of the plot while allowing their creativity to shine.
Five Alternatives to Book Reports Your Students Will Love
Book reports and summaries are a thing of the past. Engage your middle and high school students with five book report alternatives that will leave them asking for more and, most importantly, building vital reading and analysis skills along the way. 1. Assign one pagers at the end of a novel. One pagers are engaging, allow for creativity, and lead to higher level thinking and analysis ...
PDF Book Report Alternatives
Book Report Alternatives • Design and make your own t-shirt-illustrate a scene or character from the book on a t-shirt • Create a mobile from 10 items related to the story • Make a new book cover for the book • Create a collage to represent the book • Write a comic book version of your book
10 Book Report Alternatives
10 Book Report Alternatives. The traditional book report format is definitely not my favorite. Forcing kids to write a summary and/or reflection about their book often feels dull…and, in my opinion, may sometimes lessen a student's love of reading. There are so many alternatives out there that are more engaging to consider (10 ideas listed ...
50 alternatives to the book report
50 alternatives to the book report. Providing choices and alternatives to the "ways things are done around here" is not only a strategy for differentiating instruction but a way to encourage students to "show up" differently in the classroom and demonstrate new skills and competencies. This post at Sharing and Collaboration: English ...
How to Write a Book Report
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. ... Education World offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.
7 Alternatives to Book Reports
5. Interview a Character. The main character of a book has a lot to share. Secondary characters do too. Choose a favorite character in the novel and interview them like one might for a magazine or news show. Write out questions and answers that show your understanding of the character. 6.
25 Book Report Alternatives
25 Book Report Alternatives. Interview a character from the book. Write a series of questions and answers from the protagonist or antagonist. You can even try focusing on a flat character. Write a diary or journal from the main character's point of view. This can be done in a physical format or through blog posts online.
Beyond the Book Report: Ten Alternatives
Drawing will help students remember or find details. Then you can also ask them to highlight or copy the textual evidence for their illustrations. 2. An Alternative Ending: Asking students to create an alternative ending to a book -- one that makes sense -- pushes them to really demonstrate an understanding of characters and plot.
Better book reports: 10 techy alternatives
Think of it as a big digital hangout where they can talk about a book. Resources: 10 ways to use Wakelet's new collaboration feature. 12 curation ideas for students and teachers with Wakelet. Creating student blogs with Wakelet. 3. Record with Seesaw's creative canvas. Seesaw's creative canvas is like a big sketchbook.
Book Report Alternative: Hooking a Reader with a Book Cover
In her English Journal article "Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report," Diana Mitchell explains "Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it" (92). Mitchell's observation is supported by Jim Cope's survey of 272 high school seniors in five Georgia high schools.
After You Read a Book: 7 Book Report Alternatives
Sketch a Storyboard or Comic Book. Kids with an artistic bent will have fun creating storyboards that recap entire books or individual chapters. They can be as simple and sequential—or as a colorful and complex—as desired. In the process, kids are forced to differentiate between minor details and those which are critical to the overall plot.
42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Every Grade and Subject
15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report. This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person.
Book Report Alternative: Characters for Hire! Studying Character in
In her article "Teaching Ideas: Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report," Diana Mitchell explains "Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it" (92). Mitchell's observation is supported by Jim Cope's survey of 272 high school seniors in five Georgia ...
Alternatives to book report
This is a book report alternative project based on differentiated instruction. Students get to choose one of five different formats to demonstrate their knowledge on a book they have read. You will get the project as a .PDF file and as an .ODT file (Open Office) compatible with most word-processing software. Targeted for 5th through 10th grade.
Alternatives To Book Reports Teaching Resources
1 Rating. 5.0. $3.00. PDF. This is a fun alternate to the traditional book report that I use with my students. Upon completing a book, students must bring in items relating to the book to share with the class. All items must fit in a brown paper bag that I distribute. There is a written explanation component as well.
(PDF) Book Report Alternative: Summary, Symbol, and Analysis in
14matototo 2,= "" NME ataeopolo r Rubric for Bookmark Book Reports Summary Lists all the important events that occur in the book without revealing the conclusion. Review Uses multiple criteria to judge the book, such as creativity, plot, characterization, setting, and figurative language.