Book Report Student Examples
Poem Write a poem or song that is at least 16 lines (3-4 stanzas) and based on your novel. It must include at least four of
the following: Alliteration, Simile, Metaphor, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia, Repetition, Personification Example
Quote to Live By Essay: Choose a quote from a character. Write a 5 paragraph essay explaining why it would or wouldn't
be a good motto by which to live your life. Give context to the quote and give support/evidence to your claim about the
quote.
Book Talk: Give a book talk for the class, explaining author, characters, or the beginning plot. The writing about these
elements should total at least three paragraphs. Finally, read an exciting, interesting passage from your book. Stop
reading to leave the audience hanging.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. BUD, NOT BUDDY. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999. Print.
VISUAL DISPLAY- For a prop I would find an old beat up suitcase and inside I would place a
made up flyer announcing the limited engagement of “Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky
Devastators of the Depression!!!!”
ENAGE THE AUDIENCE- I'd follow with questions similar to these: If you were an orphan what
worldly possessions would mean the most to you? If you your father was alive would you try to
go find him? If you were treated terrible in a foster home would you run away? Does anyone
know what the depression time period was like? Would you take a ride with a complete
stranger?
READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK- I would read to the students a short portion about this
scene starting on page 108. Bud meets Lefty Lewis on his way to find his father and can't decide
if he is a vampire or not. Lefty Lewis eventually gets Bud to Grand Rapids and they find Herman
E. Calloway.
BOOK SUMMARY- "Hi my name is Bud, not Buddy," is the way ten-year old Bud Caldwell
introduces himself. His mother named him Bud and now that she is dead he isn't going to let
anyone call him otherwise. Tired of living in foster homes Bud sets out to find his father,
Herman E. Calloway of the famous Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the
Depression band. Unsure of exactly where to find his father, Bud relies on a few old flyers, the
Bud Caldwell Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of
Yourself, and self determination to make his way from Flint, Michigan to Grand Rapids. Along
the way Bud confronts his own fears including a car driven by a vampire. Once he arrives in
Grand Rapids, Michigan Bud finds the man he thinks is his father, or is he...?
Letter to a Movie Producer: Write a 1 page+ letter to a movie producer trying to get that person interested in making
your book into a movie. Explain why the story, characters, conflicts, and theme would make a good film. Suggest a
filming location and the actors to play the various roles.
Open Mind Diagram: Create a diagram of a character’s mind that reveals that character’s motivations and mindset.
Must include: 3 images that symbolize the character, 12 descriptive/statement words, & 3 quotations from that
character.
Scrapbook: Make a scrapbook that displays all the major literary elements of your novel. Must include definitions and
examples of plot, character, setting, point of view, types of conflict, problem, solution, protagonist, antagonist, and
theme.
Figurative Worksheet: Create a figurative language worksheet based on your novel. Make sure you include Hyperbole,
Simile, Metaphor, Onomatopoeia, Imagery, and Personification. You may create it however you would like (matching
word and example, crossword puzzle, etc.).
Teach This Book! Write a one page application for this book to be taught in schools. State the educational significance
(why teach this book?). Address the grade level difficulty and appropriateness of content. Make a claim about what skills
can be taught with the book. Defend any controversial language or subject matter.
Grade Level: 6-8 reading level, taught in 7th grade
Title of Selection: Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science
Genre: Non-Fiction
Author: John Fleischman
Provide a brief summary of the work: Phineas Gage, a railroad worker, was blasting rock near Cavendish, Vermont
in 1848 when a thirteen pound iron rod was shot through his brain. Miraculously, he survived to live another eleven
years and become a textbook case in brain science. At the time, Phineas Gage seemed to completely recover from
his accident. He could walk, talk, work, and travel, but he was permanently changed. Gage was “no longer Gage”
according to his Vermont doctor, meaning that the old Phineas was dependable and well liked, and the new Phineas
was unpredictable and crude. His case astonished doctors in his day and still fascinates doctors to this day. What
happened and what didn’t happen inside the brain of Phineas Gage will tell you a lot about how your brain works
and how you act human.
What is the educational significance of the book? (Why teach this book?): The language arts program does not
currently teach any nonfiction books, so this nonfiction book will fill that need. This book also allows for crosscurricular learning in science and social studies. Presenting an argument with evidence is a skill that students will see
demonstrated in the text and could practice themselves during research, similar to the research gathered in order to
tell the story of Phineas Gage.
Discuss any potential problems with the work, and how these can be handled (Ex. Appropriate content for grade
level or controversial language or subject matter): This book may already be read in 6th grade because of its lower
reading level and length. In that case, the book could be supplemented with brain science articles to make it more
meaningful for those students who have already read it.
Alternative books an individual student might read: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Trivia Game: Create a trivia game that reviews the major literary elements of your novel. It has to be able to actually be
played in class. Must include: plot, character, setting, point of view, types of conflict, problem, solution, protagonist,
antagonist, and theme.
Article Report : Select an article on a topic that relates to your book. Write a one-page report explaining how the article
relates to the book, summarizing: Who? What? Where? When? and Why? Also identify the author’s purpose of the
article. Attach the article and citation.
Interview: Write a one page scene (at least) where a character from your book is interviewed. Use dialogue with
thoughtful questioning so the character has the opportunity to discuss his/her thoughts and feelings about his/her role
in the story and write responses that character would realistically give.
Playlist: Create a playlist of songs that could be the soundtrack to your novel. Must have at least 10 songs, including title
and artist. You must also explain in 3+ sentences per song when and why the song fits. Focus on how the songs could
develop the mood of the scenes.
Hero’s Journey Poster: Mark the hero’s journey of the novel on a poster timeline/diagram. Include at least 12 steps:
ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the call, mentor, crossing threshold, tests, allies, enemies, approach, ordeal,
reward, road back, resurrection hero, return with elixir.
Character Diary: Write a multiple entry (3+) diary that one of the story's main characters might have kept before, during,
and after the book's events. Remember that the character's thoughts and feelings add to point of view.
Book Review: Write a book review for a magazine. Your critique should judge the overall book based on the how the
characters are portrayed, the quality of the storyline and interest garnered. Your critique should total at least five
paragraphs with an introduction and conclusion.
Character Essay: Write a 5 paragraph essay explaining how and why a character in your novel is similar or different from
you. Make sure that you include all the elements of an essay and write formally. (This means you follow ALL of my rules
for writing.)
Character Speech: Write a speech comparing and contrasting the story’s protagonist and antagonist of your novel to
those of another novel’s main characters. Your speech must contain your opinions about all of the characters.