Book Report Model

 

Every book report project in Odysseyware Language Arts has questions to help you think and write about what you read.  To help you write a good book report, we’ve provided a model to show you how to use questions to gather ideas for writing.  We’ve also included a sample report to show you how to organize your ideas into a written report.

 

The model below reports on the fairy tale “Cinderella.”   If you would like to reread “Cinderella” before looking at the model, use your own copy or read it on the Internet at:

 

http://members.aol.com/surlalune/frytales/cinderel/index.htm#SIXTY3RET OR

 

http://sailor.gutenberg.org/by-author/an0.html  OR

 

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new?id=LanBlue&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=7&division=div1

 


BOOK REPORT QUESTIONS

 

The questions you will answer are divided into three groups.  The first group asks for general information about the book you’ve read.  The second group asks you to retell the most important parts of the story in just a few words.  The third group of questions asks you to think about the story’s purpose and what you thought about the story.

 

 

I. Questions about the parts of the story

 

What is the story’s title? Cinderella

Who wrote the story? The story was one collected by the Brothers Grimm

What type of story is it? The story is a fairy tale.

Where and when does the story take place? The story takes place in an imaginary land but it seems like it might be some kingdom in Europe.

Who are the main characters? Cinderella, her two sisters and stepmother, the prince, the fairy godmother

 

II. Questions about the most important parts of the story  (What happens to whom and why?)

 

What is the situation as it stands at the beginning of the story? Cinderella lives as a slave because of the cruelty of her sisters and stepmother.  Nevertheless, she is kind and good to her family.

What happens to get the story moving? Many young ladies are invited to a ball at which the prince will choose a bride.

What things happen to lead you up to the most exciting part of the story? Cinderella’s sisters are invited, but Cinderella is not allowed to go.  However, because Cinderella is kind and good, her fairy godmother helps her by providing beautiful clothing and a horse and carriage to transport her to the ball.  Once there, Cinderella charms everyone present, particularly the prince.  Heeding the warning of her godmother, Cinderella leaves the ball before midnight at which time she and her livery would be transformed to their former condition.  Returning to the ball the second evening, Cinderella manages just barely to leave in time, and in her haste she leaves behind a glass slipper, which the prince soon finds.

What is the most exciting or tense part of the story? The prince decrees that any girl whose foot the slipper fits would become his queen.  The search narrows down to the stepsisters and Cinderella.

How does the story end? (What is the situation as it stands at the end of  the story?) Cinderella forgives her family and marries the prince.

 

III. Questions about what you thought about the story

 

What makes the story believable?  Even though the story is a fairy tale, it deals with situations that people really face, jealousy and hatred in families, and the challenge of doing what is right even if those around you don’t give you a reason to.

What actions or events in the story strongly connect to situations in your own life?  Cinderella was patient and kind, even though others were mean to her.  She is a model of what it means to do good to those who hate you.

What makes the story enjoyable?  It has a happy ending.  Everything works out. Cinderella gets to marry the prince. The mean sisters don’t get their way.

What really caught your attention or surprised you in reading the story?  Cinderella was the only one in her family who was good.

What point does the story seem to be making?  (i.e. what's the big idea in telling the story? author's purpose?)  For the one who is truly good and kind, all will be made right in the end. 

Why is this a story you would or would not reread/retell/or recommend?  I would recommend this story because it is fun and interesting.  It takes you away from everyday life. The happy ending leaves you feeling hopeful.

 

 

BOOK REPORT

 

Once you’ve thoughtfully answered the book report questions, you have ideas you can use to write your report.  Since the questions are already divided into three groups, you can write your report in three paragraphs.  Just make your answers to each group of questions into a paragraph, like the model below.

 

 

Cinderella is a very old fairy tale told in many countries.  The one I read came from France and was written down by Charles Perrault.  Everything in the story happens in a kingdom somewhere, maybe in Europe since the story has a king’s palace, a prince, and a ball.  The main characters in the story are Cinderella, her stepmother, her two stepsisters, her fairy godmother, and the prince.

 

Cinderella is a beautiful, kind girl who goes through a lot of trouble.  It all turns out right in the end, though, like a good fairy tale should.  Cinderella’s problems begin when her new stepmother and stepsisters move in.  Because they are greedy, selfish, and jealous of Cinderella, they treat her like a slave, even though she is kind and good to them.  When the mean stepsisters get invited to a ball, Cinderella has to stay home.  Her fairy godmother helps Cinderella by turning her rags into a beautiful dress and a pumpkin and some mice into a carriage and horses.  Cinderella charms everyone at the ball, especially the prince, but she has to leave before midnight, when her godmother’s charm winds up.  On the second night of the ball, she loses one of her glass slippers as she runs from the palace.  When the prince finds it, he promises to marry the girl whose foot fits the slipper.  When the search party gets to Cinderella’s house, everyone is surprised to discover that the shoe fits Cinderella.  She forgives her family for being mean and marries the prince.

 

Cinderella is a great story.  It begins sadly but ends happily.  It has a good message, too.  I learned that if a person is truly good and kind, he will receive help when he really needs it.  The story had lots of fun scenes, like when the rats were turned into coachmen. One thing I thought was interesting and kind of sad was that Cinderella was the only one in her family who was good.  She was one-of-a-kind, just like her slipper. That’s why she was just the one for a prince. I think I’ll be reading Cinderella again, soon.  I hope my friends do too.

 

 

Not all of your books will be stories.  Some will be poems or books telling about science or history.  Even so, the model above will still help you take the answers to any questions and write them out in a report.