English 9
Book Report: Nonfiction
Name _____________________________________ Period _________
Book Report – Nonfiction
Overview
Select a non-fiction book that interests you. Be sure to read the book in its entirety and do not
use electronic sources to supplement your original work – it will show up on turnitin and you
will receive a zero for plagiarism.
Second Quarter Assignment
Choose a nonfiction book that interests you. The book must have a minimum of 200 pages.
After reading, write a response to what you have read. Your response should be typed, double
spaced, and contain a minimum of 300 words.
To be included in your response/Grading Criteria:
1. Purpose & Audience – 20 points
Why did the author write this book? How do you know? Who was this book written
for? How do you know? Provide evidence (quotes) to defend your assertions. You must
include a minimum of 2 quotes to support your opinions. Be sure to explain HOW they
support you. DO NOT SIMPLY SUMMARIZE. Be sure to include a page number with
each quote.
2. Insight – 15 points
What is the greatest insight (understanding) you've gained from reading this book? You
may have learned something profound from this book, or made a connection between
this book and your own life or something else you have read. What led you to this book
originally? Would you read more on the topic? Or by the author? Why or why not? Be
very specific and refer to the exact part of the book that led to your insight. Include a
minimum of 1 quote to support your insights and list a page number with any quotes.
3. Tone & Style – 20 points
What is the author’s tone towards the subject? First, be sure to identify the subject(s)
and discuss any possible relationship the author has to the subject – for example: an
author writing about his/her life would have a very significant, personal relationship
with their own life. Is the author/narrator credible? Why or why not? Choose a
minimum of 3 quotes as examples and evidence of tone and style.
4. Reflection – 10 points
Did you enjoy reading this book? What compliments or criticisms would you provide
to the author? Include at least two compliments or criticisms related to specific
parts/chapters of the text.
5. Style – 10 points
Non-repetitive, writing makes sense, formal tone
6. Mechanics - 10 points
Spelling, grammar, punctuation
7. Organization – 10 points
Focused, events are in sequential order
8. Formatting – 5 points
Includes a heading (name, date, class period), double spaced, indenting used
Total = 100 points
English 9
Book Report: Nonfiction
Book Approval Due Date: Friday, November 22
Book Report Due Date: Wednesday, December 18
Turn-it-In Due Date*:
*You must submit your paper to the site turnitin.com.
Failure to submit to turnitin.com
will result in a zero.
Student Name: ___________________________________
Period: __________
Book Title: ___________________________________________________________________
Second Quarter Book Report
Excellent
Purpose/Audience
Problem Area:
Insight
Problem Area:
Tone & Style
Problem Area:
Reflection
Problem Area:
Style
Problem Area:
20
No quotes
15
No quote
20
No quotes
10
10
Repetitiveness
10
Problem Area:
Few errors
Problem Area:
Formatting
Problem Area:
Average
Weak
15
12
18
No author explanation
14
10
12
Needs to be more developed
7
No personal opinion
8
Weak sentences
9
Several errors
Heading
4
Double spaced
Total Score: ______________________
No connection to text
0
Ideas do not flow smoothly
Informal tone
7
0
Many errors
8
Events are not in sequential order
5
0
7
8
9
0
Lacking author connection to subject
8
9
0
More explanation needed
15
9
0
10
Missing examples
18
Unacceptable
No audience identified
13
Missing compliments/criticism
Mechanics
Organization
Good
7
0
Unfocused
3
Indenting/spacing
Comments:
2
0
Author/Book title
English 9
Book Report: Nonfiction
Suggested Book List – Nonfiction
You may elect to choose a book not on this list, but it must be approved by the deadline in the
packet or it cannot be used.
Abbott, Edwin
Adams, Ansel
Appleman, Juman, Alicia
Flatland
Ansel Adams: An Autobiography
Alicia: My Story
Armstrong, Jennifer
Ashe, Geoffrey
Berlitz, Charles
Bitton-Jackson, L.
Bontemps, Arna
Burke, James
Campbell, Susan
Delassus, Jean
Fleischman, John
Freedman, Russell
Gantos, Jack
Glover, Savion & Weber, Bruce
Gould, Stephen, Jay
Greene, Meg
Gut Opdyke, Irene
Hall-Quest, Olga
Hamilton, Edith
Hamilton, Edith
Hampton, Wilbron
Hawk, Tony
Heyerdahl, Thor
Hickman, Homer
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of
Shackelton and The Endurance
The Discovery of King Arthur
Bermuda Triangle
I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing up in the Holocaust
Story of the Negro
Missions of Old Texas
Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845 - 1850
The Japanese
Phineas Gage: Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science
Life and Death of Crazy Horse
Hole in My Life
Savion: My Life in Tap
An Urchin in the Storm
Buttons Bones, and the Organ Grinders Monkey: Tales of Historical Archaeology
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
Old New Orleans, The Creole City
The Greek Way
The Roman Way
Meltdown: A Race Against Nuclear Disaster at Three Mile Island
Hawk: Occuption: Skateboarder
Kon-Tiki
October Sky
Jackson, Donna
Jiang, Ji-li
Jones, Charlotte Foltz
Krakuer, Jan
Krull, Kathleen & Hewitt,
Kathryn
Krull, Kathleen & Hewitt,
Kathryn
Krull, Kathleen & Hewitt,
Kathryn
Lewin, Ted
Mah
Mowat, F.
Murphy, Jim
The Bone Detectives: How forensic anthropologists solve crimes
and uncover mysteries of the dead
Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution
Fingerprints and Talking Bones: How real-life crimes are solved
Into Thin Air
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (And What the Neighbors Thought)
Lives of the Presidents
Lives of the Musicians
I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler
Chinese Cinderella
Never Cry Wolf
Pick & Shovel Poet: The Journeys of Pascal D'Angelo
English 9
Book Report: Nonfiction
Murphy, Jim
Murphy, Jim
Myers, Walter Dean
Myers, Walter Dean
Nelson, Pete
Paulsen, Gary
Paulsen, Gary
Pelzer, Dave
Pfezer, Mark
Rawlings, Marjorie
Spiegleman, Art
Spinelli, Jerry
Wormser, Richard
Zindel, Paul
The Great Fire
The Blizzard
Patrol: An American Solider in Vietnam
The Greatest
Left for Dead: A Young Man Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis
My Life in Dog Years
The DK Secret Worlds Series
A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive
Within Reach
Cross Creek
Maus
Knots in my Yo-Yo String
American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America
The Pigman and Me