Book reports do not have to be boring. There are many ways of showing your enjoyment of a book. We show you a few ideas. Read on!

1.	The conventional book report We make writing a book report easy and, we hope, interesting and fun! Download the template. Follow the prompts to help you complete your book report.
2.	Interactive book report Answer the questions in this interactive book report and it will make a book report for you at the end. Then you can print it out and give it to your teacher or your friends, put it on the library noticeboard or why not send it to us? The best reports will go on our website!
3.	Presentation Why not turn your book report into a presentation? Visit this website for a lesson on how to use PowerPoint. You can add sound and movies. If you're shy, why not record your book report and add it to your PowerPoint presentation? www.actden.com/pp/ Check out some book reports by students — See, it is easy to do! www.ncsu.edu/midlink/bkfair/books.alive.html
4.	Design a bookmark Show your enjoyment of the book in other ways. Why not make a bookmark of your favourite scene in the book? Have a look at some bookmarks we have made.
5.	Write a new ending Did you like how the story ends? If not, why not write a new ending?
6.	Interview a character Write 6–8 questions that you would like to ask the main character in the book. Then imagine what the character might say to those questions. Now write up your questions and responses like an article you might find in a magazine.
7.	'I recommend this book' card Download this file. Photocopy onto card and then cut out the cards. Write your views and opinions on the card, colour in the number of stars it deserves and then display them in the library or on your class noticeboard.
8.	Write a letter to the author Write to the author of the book and tell him or her what you thought of the book. Did you like it? Which character was your favourite? What was your favourite bit? What did you think of the ending? Why not send us your letters? We'll put the best ones on the website!

More ideas ...

• Make a wanted poster for the 'baddie' or villain in the story.
• Make a film poster for your book.
• Design an alternative book cover and write a new back cover blurb. Make the blurb short and clear. Write about exciting events near the beginning of the story. Mention only important characters. Don't give the story away!
• Put together a CD of songs for the book, characters, etc. and write notes explaining why you chose each song.
• Create a 'ten facts about this book' sheet that lists ten facts that you have learnt from reading the book.
• Write a playscript for a favourite scene in the book, then perform it with your classmates. Download this fact sheet about writing a playscript.
• Write a film script for a favourite scene in the book, and choose which real-life TV or film stars you would like to play the roles. Give reasons why each of the stars you have chosen would be good for the part.
• Read all about it! Create the front page of a newspaper that tells the events and characters of the book you have just read. The title of the articles should be appropriate to the book.
• Create a comic book for the story, including illustrations and speech bubbles.
• Dear Diary. Create a diary or journal. Write at least five entries that might have been written by a character in the book. It should include key events in the story, and you should describe how you think the character felt about what happened.
• Write a monologue. Pretend to be a character from the book and tell his/her story. Pick someone other than the main character and see how the story looks from their eyes!

Have you created an unusual book report? Why not send us your ideas? We will include the best suggestions on our website.

We've found these useful websites that can help you write book reports.

Tips on reading and writing
BBC Reading Fiction
Looking at character, vocabulary, imagery and sentences
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/english/fiction/index.shtml

BBC Writing
Activities on developing writing skills
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/english/writing/index.shtml

Reading tips: Getting the point of what you read
www.agirlsworld.com/amy/pajama/school/toolbox/effectivereading.html

Writing book reports
HomeworkSpot.com: Guide to writing book reports
www.homeworkspot.com/features/bookreports.htm

Writing a book report
www.lkwdpl.org/study/bookrep/

Skills Now — Reading and Writing 1A

Unit 5 (pp. 33–40) is about writing a book report

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