How to Choose a Good Book for a Report (Middle School)
Start working early., Go through the rules for the report., Decide what kind of a book you want., Talk to a librarian., Check the internet., Ask your teacher., Browse., Check out your books., Read about the books you’ve found., Ask your teacher.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start working early.
Starting the night before the book report is due is way too late.
Starting a few days before might also be too late unless you’re an extremely fast reader.
Give yourself time to read the book and understand it fully, then write your report.
This might take a week or more to complete.
This means you need to start looking for your book as soon as you can.
Finding a book can take time, so don’t rush it.
You might find the perfect book, but it’s checked out and has to be returned to the library., You need to follow any of the guidelines your teacher gave you for the report.
Underline the parts that relate to choosing a book.
What do you need to know? Some important information might be:
Whether there is a minimum number of pages you need to read Whether the book should be fiction (made up) or non-fiction (true) Whether a graphic novel is an appropriate choice What kinds of information your teacher wants you to get out of the book , There are millions of books out there, and between your school library and the public library, you have access to thousands.
Within the parameters your teacher has set (number of pages, fiction or non-fiction), figure out what kind of book you would most like to read.
It’s important to choose something you want to read so that the assignment goes as smoothly as possible.
Some possible questions you might ask yourself as you are choosing a book for a report are:
Do you want something with a historical background, or something that takes place now? Is there a particular topic that interests you that might be a good choice – animals, skateboarding, music, for example? Do you like funny books or serious books? Do you like books about real people, or would you rather read fantasy or science fiction? , For some help finding books that might appeal to you, the children’s librarian at your local library is a great resource.
Go and talk to him or her about what you’re looking for.
Explain that you’re writing a book report and ask for the librarian’s help.
He or she is likely to know a number of books that will fit with what you’re wanting.
Make sure to tell the librarian if there is a minimum number of pages you need to read and whether it should be fiction or non-fiction.
Be honest with the librarian about your reading ability and speed.
You don’t want to get stuck with a book that’s too hard and too long. , If it’s hard for you to get to the library, or you’d rather start by doing some research on your own, check online.
There are lots of great sites that review children’s books, and you can often search them by category.
Here are some ideas about searching:
For a book about basketball that is fiction, you might want to search for the words "basketball," together with "novel" and "middle readers." That should give you some ideas.
If you want a nonfiction book about basketball, you might try searching for a particular player's name along with "middle readers." If you're looking for a book you know your teacher will approve, you might want to check the lists of Newbery winners and nominee.
The Newbery medal is the highest honor for books for middle readers, and includes an array of topics and themes., Sometimes your teacher is your very best resource.
He or she probably knows you pretty well – both the level at which you read and your interests – and can suggest a book that wouldn’t be too hard that would appeal to you. , Sometimes you can find a great book just by going and looking at the other books on the shelf around books you’ve liked before.
Non-fiction books in particular are typically grouped by topic, so it’s a good bet that you’ll find books on similar themes next to books you’ve already read on those themes., Even if you’ve decided on one, it’s good to have a backup or two.
You might realize as you’re looking at the books more closely at home that one of them is not as good a choice for a book report.
You also might find that your teacher has advice on which one would be better. , Hopefully, between talking to the librarian, your teacher, and possibly going online and then browsing the library, you have found a few possible candidates for your book review.
With the books you’ve found in front of you, read the plot synopsis, found on paperback books on the back of the book, and on hardcover books typically on the inside of the front cover on the book’s dust jacket.Which of the books looks best to you? Which book is the easiest to read? Which book do you think would be best for the report, based on the assignment? , Even if you think the book is the perfect choice, talk to your teacher.
He or she might have read the book and not think it is the right choice for you.
If your teacher doesn’t like your first choice, share your other options with him or her.
Hopefully one of them will work. -
Step 2: Go through the rules for the report.
-
Step 3: Decide what kind of a book you want.
-
Step 4: Talk to a librarian.
-
Step 5: Check the internet.
-
Step 6: Ask your teacher.
-
Step 7: Browse.
-
Step 8: Check out your books.
-
Step 9: Read about the books you’ve found.
-
Step 10: Ask your teacher.
Detailed Guide
Starting the night before the book report is due is way too late.
Starting a few days before might also be too late unless you’re an extremely fast reader.
Give yourself time to read the book and understand it fully, then write your report.
This might take a week or more to complete.
This means you need to start looking for your book as soon as you can.
Finding a book can take time, so don’t rush it.
You might find the perfect book, but it’s checked out and has to be returned to the library., You need to follow any of the guidelines your teacher gave you for the report.
Underline the parts that relate to choosing a book.
What do you need to know? Some important information might be:
Whether there is a minimum number of pages you need to read Whether the book should be fiction (made up) or non-fiction (true) Whether a graphic novel is an appropriate choice What kinds of information your teacher wants you to get out of the book , There are millions of books out there, and between your school library and the public library, you have access to thousands.
Within the parameters your teacher has set (number of pages, fiction or non-fiction), figure out what kind of book you would most like to read.
It’s important to choose something you want to read so that the assignment goes as smoothly as possible.
Some possible questions you might ask yourself as you are choosing a book for a report are:
Do you want something with a historical background, or something that takes place now? Is there a particular topic that interests you that might be a good choice – animals, skateboarding, music, for example? Do you like funny books or serious books? Do you like books about real people, or would you rather read fantasy or science fiction? , For some help finding books that might appeal to you, the children’s librarian at your local library is a great resource.
Go and talk to him or her about what you’re looking for.
Explain that you’re writing a book report and ask for the librarian’s help.
He or she is likely to know a number of books that will fit with what you’re wanting.
Make sure to tell the librarian if there is a minimum number of pages you need to read and whether it should be fiction or non-fiction.
Be honest with the librarian about your reading ability and speed.
You don’t want to get stuck with a book that’s too hard and too long. , If it’s hard for you to get to the library, or you’d rather start by doing some research on your own, check online.
There are lots of great sites that review children’s books, and you can often search them by category.
Here are some ideas about searching:
For a book about basketball that is fiction, you might want to search for the words "basketball," together with "novel" and "middle readers." That should give you some ideas.
If you want a nonfiction book about basketball, you might try searching for a particular player's name along with "middle readers." If you're looking for a book you know your teacher will approve, you might want to check the lists of Newbery winners and nominee.
The Newbery medal is the highest honor for books for middle readers, and includes an array of topics and themes., Sometimes your teacher is your very best resource.
He or she probably knows you pretty well – both the level at which you read and your interests – and can suggest a book that wouldn’t be too hard that would appeal to you. , Sometimes you can find a great book just by going and looking at the other books on the shelf around books you’ve liked before.
Non-fiction books in particular are typically grouped by topic, so it’s a good bet that you’ll find books on similar themes next to books you’ve already read on those themes., Even if you’ve decided on one, it’s good to have a backup or two.
You might realize as you’re looking at the books more closely at home that one of them is not as good a choice for a book report.
You also might find that your teacher has advice on which one would be better. , Hopefully, between talking to the librarian, your teacher, and possibly going online and then browsing the library, you have found a few possible candidates for your book review.
With the books you’ve found in front of you, read the plot synopsis, found on paperback books on the back of the book, and on hardcover books typically on the inside of the front cover on the book’s dust jacket.Which of the books looks best to you? Which book is the easiest to read? Which book do you think would be best for the report, based on the assignment? , Even if you think the book is the perfect choice, talk to your teacher.
He or she might have read the book and not think it is the right choice for you.
If your teacher doesn’t like your first choice, share your other options with him or her.
Hopefully one of them will work.
About the Author
Kevin Jordan
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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