Parts of a Book Report

Introduction/Overview
The first part of an oral book report is the introduction. In this section, the reader includes
information about the book's title, author, publication details and a very brief overview of the plot.
Pertinent information about the author's history or life circumstance may also be mentioned in the
introduction if it relates to plot or messages of the book. A note regarding the book's popularity and
circulation can also be added into the introduction to provide a more robust context for the story.
The reader should also include a brief statement regarding their reactions to the text or presence of
any persistent themes.

Summary of the Text

The information following the introduction should be an overview of the book's plot. This
description will include information on the important characters, the story's physical location and
time period and the basic plot movements. It is also important to include details pertaining to the
narrator of the story or the point of view from which the story is told. The overview of the book
should not contain opinions, analysis of themes or any other inferred information. If the book is a
nonfiction work, then a broad dissection of the book's purpose, argument and conclusions will
suffice.

Textual Analysis
After a summary of the book has been established, the reader may proceed to expound on any
salient themes, symbols, analogies or exterior references found in the text. Analysis on the author's
overall purpose can also be included in this section. When considering these points, the reader may
include educated opinions as to whether or not the author achieved their goals or successfully
carried themes by reference specific aspects of the text, such as language, grammatical use and
character structure.

Personal Reaction
Before concluding the book report, the reader may want to personally react to the book. In this part,
the reader has the right to comment on the book's qualities, themes and plot without needing to
provide textual evidence. Depending on the regulations of the instructor, this section may be
expressed in the first person or in the subjective third person. Some common points that may be
covered in the personal reaction section include whether the reader would recommend the book to
others or if they liked the book.

Conclusion
All book reports should end with a short conclusion that summarizes the points made in the
analytical and personal reaction sections. The conclusion should weave the objective and subjective
opinions together to create the ultimate judgment on the piece, the author's motivations or the
actions of the characters. The inclusion of a poignant quotation from the text is often inserted in the
concluding section, as well.