A good book report should tell some important information and give thoughtful evaluation. It should not retell every detail of the story.

Write your report in four paragraphs. Be sure to indent the first word of each paragraph. Please use your best handwriting. Do not skip lines between paragraphs.

In paragraph one tell in the first sentence the name of the book, underline it, and give the name of the author. Next tell if the book is fiction or non-fiction. Then tell what the book is about in three to four sentences. You are briefly summarizing the plot. Also include the environment (the place and the time in history). For example, the setting of Johnny Tremaine by Esther Forbes is Colonial Boston, and the time is the period before the American Revolution. In this book the environment is very important to the story. Of course in a fantasy the setting may be imaginary and the time not historical time, (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), but the environment should be described as it may be an important part of the story. Finally, include the "clock" time of the story. How many days, months, years went by during the course of the story?

Paragraph two deals with important characters in the book. Take each character who is important to the plot of the story. Tell what he/she looks like, age, and personality. Mention why you find the character interesting and why you like or dislike him. Also look at each character you have described and think whether he has changed at all during the course of the action (learned anything, grown kinder, wiser, etc.); is he different in any important way at the end of the book? Also mention if the character has an influence on another. In Johnny Tremaine a boy named Rab, who is older than Johnny, has a steadying effect on Johnny and helps him to grow up and change his values. Sometimes a character may have an influence for evil. (Do you remember what happened in Pinocchio ?)

In paragraph three describe one incident or scene which you found interesting. This should include details and should give a full picture of the incident you have picked. (It can be an emotional encounter between two characters.) Be sure to tell how the incident made you feed: sad, excited, angry, frightened, joyful, etc. Why did you pick this particular incident to write about?

In the fourth and last paragraph give a short evaluation of the book. What did you learn from reading it? What did you especially like about the book? Was there anything which you felt could have been improved? Tell honestly if the book was too easy, just right, or too difficult for your reading level. Tell if this was an enjoyable story to read but could be easily forgotten. If you think of this book in the future, what will you remember about it? Imagine you have a bookshelf in your bedroom which includes only your "favorites". Why or why not would this book be included?

The final copy of this book report, which you hand into me, must be in ink.

Do not tense switch! Your verbs must be all past or present.