June 2008

Dear High School Students and Parents,

            The high school English department is again asking for book reports from each student who is coming to Highland Hall in the fall. 

These reports are due the first day of class in September (not beach day).

            Enclosed you will find three pages:

                        -- the book report format

                        -- the list of required books for each grade

                        -- a list of books from which to choose for each grade

  We are asking the students to read the required books as well as one book from the appropriate reading list.  However, we are only asking for one written book report from the reading list for grades 9 through 12 (unless there is no English class immediately following, as for the last report in the 10^th grade).  Students will write about the required reports in class. 

            Reports that do not follow the proper format – for instance, reports that are entirely summaries of the books – will be graded down.  A student writing a report on a book that is not on the list will receive a lower grade (two full grades).   The students must remember to be particularly careful about spelling, about double spacing, about using blue or black pen, and about using the correct-sized font (12-point). Students must proofread carefully.  Even the most brilliant book reports will be graded down for silly errors.

            Failure to turn in the book reports will result in a lower grade in the next English track.  Students cannot receive an A in the English track if they haven’t completed the written book report(s).

            Thank you for your support.  Not only are the students reading great books, they are also practicing necessary writing skills and exercising the ability to summarize and analyze.  We also hope they are gaining pleasure from the reading.

Sincerely,

Christine Meyer

for the English Department

            Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (No written report)

            A written report on a book from the reading list. Click here for full reading list.

            The King Must Die - Mary Renault (No written report)

            Written reports on The Great Gatsby -- F. Scott Fitzgerald

            and a book from the reading list. Click here for full reading list.

            Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (No written report)

            A written report on a book from the reading list. Click here for full reading list.

            Dr. Faustus -- Christopher Marlowe– (No written report)

            A book from the reading list – (No written report) Click here for full reading list.

            Brave New World – Aldous Huxley (No written report)

The students will write in class about the books for which no report is due. 

Book Report Guidelines: A Five-Paragraph Essay

Heading, Title, and General Format

            Identify the assignment, teacher, student, page number, and due date as illustrated above, on every page (use the header function of your computer). Create an original title, uniquely relevant to this essay (not the book's title). Center it on the page, not underlined, below the heading and above the first paragraph. Double space and use a legible 12-point font and one-inch margins throughout. Staple multiple pages together.

Introduction (first paragraph)

            Begin with a catchy opening statement. Go on to identify the book's title (underlined or italicized), author, type of work (eg. historical novel, not "fictional novel" or just "book"—all novels are fictional, all novels are books), genre (look it up!), and major themes. Briefly introduce the main characters and describe the setting (time and place). If you wish, you may also mention other titles by the author and /or pertinent details of the author's background. The last sentence of the introduction MUST be a thesis statement that previews the ideas you will explore in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. Be certain that there is a direct connection between this statement and the topic sentence of each of your three body paragraphs (below).

Synopsis (second paragraph)

Begin this paragraph with the book's main idea in a single topic sentence. Go on to present a complete but concise synopsis of the book in one paragraph. This is a brief sketch of what happens: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Think about the major conflict, the rising action, the climax of the story, and the resolution. Keep it brief.

Observations (third and fourth paragraphs)

            In each of these two paragraphs, narrow the discussion to a significant topic. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that makes an observation about a particular aspect of the book: a character, a feature of the plot, an element of style, or a theme. Go on to support and expand upon your idea with specific examples, incidents, details, and at least one relevant quote from the book. Write in flowing sentences, weaving these elements from the book into your writing, not simply listing them. (Cite the page number for each quote used.) End each paragraph with a wrap-up sentence that ties your examples and details together in support of your topic sentence; show how they add up to your main point, what they have in common. The paragraph that makes the most important point should be the fourth one, right before your conclusion.

Conclusion (fifth paragraph)

Begin this paragraph with your reaction to this piece of literature, your response to it as a reader. Avoid writing, "I think," "I feel," "I believe," or "In my opinion," but do try to expresss how the work has affected you, deepened your understanding, alerted or enlightened you (or even a wider audience) in some way. Go on to integrate the themes of your three body paragraphs and your essay's unique title, revealing how they relate to one another. End with a thoughtful closing statement: a concluding remark for the whole report. This could be your most important evaluative point, an intriguing twist on your title, a fitting quote, or a compelling question. (Hint: Save time to sleep on it, read it aloud, and revise.)

Things to be Careful of with Book Reports

2 – Always underline book titles (or italicize, if you have a computer). Book titles never, never, never go in quotation marks. Other things that are underlined are the names of newspapers, magazines, movies, operas, record albums, etc.

3 – Don’t switch tenses in the middle of a report. Stick with either the present or the past. Too many students switch tenses within the same sentence; e.g. “The girl fell down but Mrs. Rappaport comes and helps her.”

4 – Watch out for run-on sentences that just go on and on and even if your idea changes to something else that might be in another paragraph, such as a story about Joan of Arc, you just can’t stop that sentence from running all up and down the page, which, by the way, should always be double spaced.

5 – Fragments. Don’t. Writing in fragments, which don’t have a subject and a verb.   Causing much confusion in the reader. Because your sentences need to breathe, and have a beginning, middle, and end.

6 – Always proofread everything you have written. Expect to write a first draft. Then expect to read it and edit it – cutting out unnecessary words, fixing spelling, etc. Then write the new draft and proofread it. If you find more errors, or areas that need fine-tuning, rewrite the paper again. DON’T EXPECT YOUR FIRST DRAFT TO BE THE FINAL DRAFT – IT NEVER IS!