How to Choose a Good Book for a Report

Writing a book report is a rite of passage in school, one you'll grow accustomed to in reading, English and literature classes. To complete one, you'll need to analyze, compose and choose a good book. Learn what to look for to make your assignment easier and more successful.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Clarify the assignment. Determine if you need to read a fiction or non-fiction book and what aspects of the work you'll need to discuss. If your teacher hasn't provided a list of possible titles, be sure to run possible choices past her to make sure they're acceptable.

2. Choose a book that's the right length for the amount of time you've got before the project is due. Calculate the number of pages you can reasonable read each night and the amount of time it will take to write the report.

3. Be sure you'll be able to write an accurate synopsis of the plot and analyze it thoroughly. If you can't follow what's happening in the book, the reading level may be too advanced. Consider one that your parents or siblings have read or that has a set of Cliff Notes available in case you have questions or need a little help interpreting the text.

4. Look for complex characters that you can discuss and evaluate. Teachers often ask about main and supporting characters in oral reports, so be sure you can cover their conflicts, characteristics, emotions and motivations.

5. Find a work of literature with noticeable symbolism, an evocative setting and a strong theme that you'll be able to identify and discuss freely.