Talk It Out!

Friends, family members, fellow students and teachers can be great audiences. They can help you find the right way to tell what happened in your book.

Try this. In two minutes or less, tell a person or group what happened in your book. This is called a synopsis or mini-version of the plot. Remember, you only have two minutes, so don't get lost in details. Stick to the facts.

This is also a good time to ask any questions you have about anything that happened in the book or about the time period in which it occurred. Talk about what you liked best --and least--about the book. If you think your teacher would let you present your book in a different style, brainstorm with your audience creative ways to present it.

A Note about Parents and Book Reports: Although it's a good idea to talk your book report ideas over with your parents, it's not a good idea to get them so involved that they almost do all the work for you. You know what we mean. So--how else can parents (and even teachers) help? Here's how.

It's time to begin writing the first draft of your report.