Independent Reading Assignment
Since this is Literary Focus, you will be expected to read 2 books outside of class material
throughout the semester. You will need to choose 1 book from the reading list and choose
one of your own that is at least 150 pages. Your choice of novel must be approved by the
teacher before you begin. It must be an appropriate level for Grade 12 Literary Focus
English.
You will be submitting assignments for each book on these due dates:
1. March 27, 2014
2. May 22, 2014
There will be 2 assignments submitted for each book:
1. A formal, typed book report (minimum 1.5 pages typed, double-space, 12pt
font). You will need an MLA style cover page as well as a MLA style citation for
your book. MLA format includes page numbers. An outline will be provided.
No point form.
2. A creative project that you will present to the class, chosen from the list
below. Before you present your report you will tell us the name of the book
and the author and give us some background information on the plot. You will
use whichever assignment you choose below to explain to us the major
themes, characters, and style/components of the novel you chose. You may
have to add more information to your project for us to be able to see the
whole picture.
As these assignments are worth 10% of your final grade, your presentations need to be at
least 5 minutes long. The quality and effort put in must match the amount the projects are
worth.
Assignment Choices:
Remember that whatever you choose, you must create a present a project of Grade 12 quality. It should not look
like something a Grade 5 student could do.
You must choose one written and one visual project (and complete one per book).
Visual:
 Draw a character sketch. How you decide to do this is up to you, but make sure that you include lots of
pictures and visuals that show us who the character is. Use lots of symbols.
 Draw an extended metaphor for the book. Examples could be a tree to represent growth, a road or path to
represent a journey, etc. Use the image to represent the things that happen in the book.
 Create a Venn Diagram collage, comparing and contrasting 2 characters from the book.
 Create a book jacket for the book.
Written:
 Summarize the book in poem form (minimum 20 lines). Be sure to add visuals to supplement your writing.
 Write a letter to the author.
 Pretend you’re interviewing a person from the book or the author. Write your interview in question and
answer format.
 Do a written Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting 2 characters.
 Do a written Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting this book with another book you have read.
 Design a timeline for events in the book.
 Top 10 List – list ten things you learned from this book.
 Put together a cast for the film version of your book. You must fully explain each choice you make.
RUBRIC: Independent Reading
Assignment:
 Ideas
 Creativity/Artistry
 Organization/Mechanics
Presentation:
 Voice (clarity, projection, etc)
 Enthusiasm/Body language
 Content (thorough explanations, etc.)
TOTAL
Book Report Rubric
Ideas (Cover all topics, length, quality of ideas)
MLA Format (Cover page, page numbers, Works Cited)
TOTAL
/5
/5
/5
/5
/5
/5
/30
/10
/5
/15
Book Report Format
Each section (aside from the cover page and Works Cited) will be completed in full sentences.
1. MLA style cover page







Your name
Teacher’s name
Date
Course name
Title
Author
Number of pages
2. Setting: Describe the place (location) and the era (time in history) in which the story takes
place.
3. Main Characters: Give their name and a brief description of each. Describe not only their
physical appearance, but also something about their personality.
4. Summary: Write a summary of the story (150-250 words). Divide this section into 4 parts:
a) Describe a few of the main events leading up to the climax.
b) Climax - describe the high point of the story. This is the point or event that the whole
story has been leading up to.
c) Conclusion - What is the ending of the story like? What happens after the climax?
d) What does the title have to do with the story? Or, why did the author give the book the
title that it has?
5. Theme: What is the purpose of the story? What is the author trying to show or do? Does it
show what humans are like? Is it about a struggle between humans and nature, nature itself, man
vs. himself, or a person vs. another person?
6. Personal Opinion: What did you think of this story? Why did you or didn't you like it?
Critique the story. What would you change? Would you recommend it to others for reading? Give
at least 2 reasons for your answers. Don't just say, "I liked this book".
7. Works Cited: MLA style citation for your novel.
List:
 Lawrence Hill:
o The Book of Negroes
o Any Known Blood
 Joy Kogawa: Obasan
 Alistair MacLeod: No Great Mischief
 Rohinton Mistry:
o A Fine Balance
o Such a Long Journey
 Anne Michaels: Fugitive Pieces
 Guy Vanderhaeghe
 Jane Urquhart
 Sharon Pollock
 Margaret Atwood
 Alice Munro
 Mariatu Kamara: Bite of the Mango
 Malala Yousafzai: I Am Malala
 Ishmael Beah: A Long Way Gone
 Theo Fleury: Playing with Fire
 Charles Dickens:
o A Tale of Two Cities
o Great Expectations
 Paul Cohello: The Alchemist
 Wayson Choy: The Jade Peony
 Mitch Albom: The Five People You Meet in Heaven
 David Guterson: Snow Falling on Cedars
 Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
 Khaled Hosseini: A Thousand Splendid Suns
 Kazuo Ishiguro: Never Let Me Go
 Lloyd Jones: Mister Pip
 Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels
 Elie Wiesel: Night
 Markus Zusak: The Book Thief
 Miriam Toews: A Complicated Kindness
 W.O. Mitchell: Who Has Seen the Wind
 Deborah Ellis: Bifocal
 George Orwell: Animal Farm, 1984
 Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird
 J.D. Salinger: Catcher in the Rye