book reports projects

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Have You Seen Our List of Favorite Graphic Novels?

42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful for kids.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

6. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

7. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. Teacher blogger Teacher Thrive describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

8. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best-looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

9. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. Learn more about book tastings .

10. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

11. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc.

12. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

13. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over this book report.

14. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

15. T-shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint.

16. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

17. Rays of Sunshine Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

18. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

19. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

20. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

21. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

22. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8″ x 11″ sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

23. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

24. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then provide a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

25. Triorama Book Report

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but you can also try an accordion-folded book report, a quadrama, or an info-sphere.

26. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

27. Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

28. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

29. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels, and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

30. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

31. Charm Bracelet Book Report

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

33. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

34. Letter to the Author

Have kids write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

35. Cardboard Box TV

This cardboard box TV book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

36. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment.

37. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach, this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

38. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

39. Comic Strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strip book reports. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

40. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a Wanted poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Wheaties Box Book Report

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report to look like an old-fashioned Wheaties box that features sports heroes. Include a main image on the front side of the box. Decorate the sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

Come share your own creative book report ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, dont’ miss 100 famous children’s books every kid should read (plus free printable).

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• BookWidgets Teacher Blog

15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students excited to read

Not all students are excited to read a book. So how can you make reading a book more engaging and fun? This is a huge challenge for most teachers, so I hope I can help you out!

Here’s what you’ll find in this blog post (click on the title if you want to jump to the section directly)

5 tips to get your students excited about reading

• 15 creative and digital book report lesson plans (free & ready to use!)
• The complete collection of book report lesson ideas in one assignment (your students get to choose!)

Instructions on how to use these digital book report lesson activities

Before you dive into the book reports, you have to get your students excited about reading first. In this previous post about reading, I’ve listed 10 tips that will encourage your students to read . I’ve come up with 5 more amazing tips! Here we go:

1. Use AR apps

Here are a few apps with amazing storylines and AR books.

• Wonderscope , for example, is an excellent storytelling tool. It uses augmented reality to transform ordinary places into real-time stories. Students also learn to read with the app. They ask questions to the characters in the story and listen to the characters’ answers.
• The Ghostkeeper’s journal and field guide : This book is an immersive adventure for readers aged 10 and up, offering several AR experiences to enhance the storyline. These are accessed via a mobile app “ Ghost-o-Matic ”.
• Bookful creates an engaging reading experience and brings stories and characters in books to life. The app holds the world’s largest 3D/AR library with hundreds of titles from leading publishers and brands such as: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, DK’s Encyclopedia, and children’s favorites such as Barbie, My Little Pony, Thomas & Friends, Transformers, and The Smurfs.

2. Escape lessons

Here are 3 fun ready-to-use escape lessons to spark your students’ joy of reading:

• A Halloween Murder : Let your students investigate the murder of the victim: Brat Spook. When they find the murderer, they get their “inspector” badge. Let them look for evidence in the murder scene, talk to suspects, analyze lab results, and so on!
• Finding Rudolph : Save Christmas by helping Santa find back Rudolph. Students go through different challenges, talk to eye-witnesses, and follow Rudolph through a winter maze, so Santa can deliver all the presents to the children.
• Easter Bunny Substitute : Can your students find a good Easter Bunny replacement? In the last breakout game for the classroom, the Easter Bunny is hurt, so your students need to interview the possible applicants and take tests to replace the Easter Bunny themselves. If they succeed in the challenges, they get an Easter Bunny substitute badge.

3. Storytelling

If you bring cultural elements into your lessons by telling a story, your students will be more eager to learn. Storytelling makes students want to “live the story”. And they do this by reading it. If your story is strong enough, your students will love learning and reading. They will even remember the lesson content better.

Here’s a fun & ready-to-use example: The life of William Shakespeare

4. First chapters

5. Books & sleepovers

You can even add different parts to your sleepover. For example, let students read their favorite passage in a book of choice out loud, and 1 hour before bedtime, all your students take their book and read in silence. Or how about creating cozy themed corners? Fantasy, science fiction, detectives,… When your students are reading in themed corners, they get the full experience. They can even dress up as a character in their book whilst reading.

15 Creative and digital book report lesson plans

Step 1: Get your students excited about reading. ✅ Step 2: make sure they don’t lose their interest when you’re announcing the book report assignment! ☑️ This part can be demotivating.

As the lower grade students often still get fun book report assignments, the higher grade students often get a dull worksheet where they have to describe the characters and give a summary. Change up your book report assignments with these creative, free & ready-to-use lesson ideas.

Take a look at all these ready-to-use and free digital book report activities. They’re all made with BookWidgets . You can even make exercises like these yourself in your own BookWidgets account.

Keep on reading to find out how to use these exercises in your lessons.

How did your students experience the book? Let them fill the glasses with drawings of the storyline/the book. The glasses represent the view of the students. Students can get really creative and use the toolbar at the bottom to draw and type.

You can ask your students to present their book report artworks to the other students as well. This way, your students can explain what’s on their drawing.

2. Bookworm

3. Timeline

This interactive book report asks your students to create a timeline of the story. When did what happen, chronologically? The have to add the biggest events in the story to the timeline.

4. Comic book

In this book report exercise, your students have to write a comic book based upon the book they’ve just read. When they click on the “start” icon, they can choose fitting text balloons to go with their story.

Here are three other fun websites that let students create comic books: Storyboard That , Comic Life , and Toonytool . They already give you creative templates and drawings. This is a bit easier for students. This way, they don’t have to start from scratch.

5. Character portrait

6. Randomness task

Just… add a little spice. I’ve turned the ordinary book report task, where students have to describe characters, the setting, plot, etc., into an exciting one. Your students don’t know yet what they’ll have to describe. They spin the randomness wheel and their task appears. The fun thing about this one is that all of your students will write a different book report.

7. Book cover

Here, students get to be creative and invent their own book cover (front and back) of the book they just read. Or maybe just a cover for of a piece of text you’ve read out loud. They can use the whiteboard tools: pencil, type tool, switch colors, add images, etc.

8. Character family tree

This digital mind map exercise allows your students to add boxes with text and connect them to each other. This is perfect for a book report activity focusing on the characters in their book.

9. Facebook Profile

Modern days call for modern book report lesson ideas. Image the main character having a Facebook profile. What would be on it? That’s exactly what your students have to figure out here. Create a Facebook profile about the main character.

10. Book Collage

Here, students have to add 10 pictures or images that have to do with the book. They can do so by clicking on the photo icon and adding images into their collage.

11. Mirror selfie

In this creative book report, students have to dress up like the character in their book, including holding 3 attributes that refer to the personality of the main character. They have to take a picture or mirror selfie of themselves dressed up, and add that picture to the whiteboard. You can ask them to come forward and present their images and explain why they’ve chosen those specific attributes.

The fun thing about all of these exercises is that they work on smartphones as well. So in this case, students can just open the exercise on their smartphones, take a mirror selfie with their phones and add it to the mirror in the digital whiteboard exercise.

12. Email to the author

Your students have the chance to write a friendly email or letter to the author of the book they just read. Students have to share:

• their opinion;
• the character in the book they liked most, and why;
• their favorite part of the book and why;
• questions that they have about the book.

If you have an email address of the author, ask your students to submit their works to you, the teacher, first. After having given feedback on their letters, they can make some changes and send it over to the author.

If you have the author’s postal address, it’s much more fun to write a classic letter.

13. Conversation between characters

There is something called a “texting thumb” or a “smartphone pinky”. This shows that students like to send texts. A lot of them. So why not include it in your book report lesson plan? In this digital book report, students have to invent a conversation between two characters in their book.

14. Movie vs. Book

A lot of books have a movie version too. If your students choose a book that also has a movie, it’s interesting to let your students make a comparison. With this book report exercise, you’re also sure your students actually read the book instead of just watching the movie and write a summary of the movie and not the book.

15. Emoji summary

The last exercise is also one students can relate to. Nowadays, we use emojis after almost every sentence when we’re communicating with friends. Emojis also have a strong meaning and can be used to express feelings or say something without actually saying it.

The complete collection of book report lesson ideas in one assignment

All these book report exercises are so much fun and yet they don’t take up a lot of time. Perhaps they just ask your students to only describe a certain part about the book. Cue… the planner widget.

With this type of BookWidgets activity, you can combine several lessons into one. You can let your students take matters into their own hands and choose which book report activities they’d like to finish.

It’s actually pretty easy. Your students read the instructions in the instructions widget and then start adding at least three book report activities to their planner. They finish the activities, submit them to their teacher, check off their planner, and that’s it!

Above, you can find the 15 ready-to-use book report activities. You can use these lesson examples for free. Since they’re all made with BookWidgets, I’ve listed them in this BookWidgets group . Here’s what you need to do:

• Click on this link . It will immediately bring you to the group with all of the book report activities. If you don’t have a BookWidgets account yet, you’ll have to sign up first for free .
• Duplicate all the book report activities. Click on the settings wheel , select all widgets , click on the settings wheel again, choose duplicate selected widgets . Choose where you want to save the activities in your BookWidgets account.
• Go to your saved book report lessons. You can now click on the black dropdown arrow next to the ‘Show’ button of a particular exercise and select Edit . You can make some changes to this activity (if you want). If it’s perfect for you, click on Share in the upper right corner.
• Share this link with your students. When they click on it, they can fill it out. A lot of the book report examples above have been made with BookWidgets’ Whiteboard widget, in which students can use the tool menu at the bottom to switch tools (draw, type,…), and to switch colors. When done, they can submit the book reports to you by clicking on the envelope in the upper right corner.
• As a teacher, you go to “Grades & reporting” in BookWidgets to find your students’ answers.

Of course, now that you’ve got your own BookWidgets account, you can also create book report activities or other assignments yourself!

Attention! Once your free trial runs out, you’ll only be able to use the widgets you’ve already finished/shared with students. While your BookWidgets account will still work and you’ll still get your students’ results with the free BookWidgets version, you won’t be able to duplicate widgets nor create new widgets yourself anymore.

So that’s it! I hope these lesson ideas are useful for your classroom or at least give you lots of new ideas for your book report lessons! You can even create ones yourself!

Create your first digital book report with BookWidgets

Have fun, share this with fellow teachers and keep on rocking your classroom!

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Elementary Assessments

11 Fun Book Report Ideas That Teachers and Students Love

If you’re seeking fun book report ideas students will love, then you’ll find here creative ideas that are sure to engage.

The following book report project ideas deepen students’ reading comprehension by prompting them to analyze information beyond the literal.

What’s more, these book report ideas can be used with any book type and/or subject area.

They also serve well as student choice reading projects and monthly book reports.

These book report project ideas are a great fit for all grades and levels, even gifted students.

Modify projects to accommodate learners’ academic needs. 

Book Report Ideas

These projects include easy book report ideas that take little time to prepare.

Transform a Graphic Organize Into a Foldable.

A foldable is essentially a graphic organizer that is three-dimensional. As the teacher, you decide what particular reading skill you would like students to practice (e.g. main idea, character traits, sequencing). 

Then you choose a foldable activity that aligns with your objective.

Students now create the foldable project, focusing on that skill while they’re analyzing the book. 

Story Tell.

Encourage students to retell the main elements and/or events of their book using a digital storyboard . 

Storyboarding motivates students to share stories while exploring their imaginations.

This online app, which provides storyboard templates to make things easier for students, utilizes powerful visual components to engage learners in a meaningful way.

Make a File Folder Reading Project.

If you’re looking for easy reading report ideas, this one is a good choice. For this simple project idea, all you need is a manila folder in any color. 

Using the 5Ws + H (who, what, when, where, why, how), students will record the parts of the book that answer those questions. 

Alternatively, you could have students respond to the 5 parts of a book report:

• author/title

To make the project neater and/or more structured, use separate pieces of paper to respond to each question. Then glue each piece of paper inside the manila folder in an organized fashion. 

Afterward, students illustrate a cover page on the outside of the manila folder. The cover may include a picture that reflects an important part of the story. 

Put Together a Slideshow Presentation.

Students will use either PowerPoint or Google Slides to make a presentation that summarizes the book. 

Alternatively, students could focus on discussing one aspect of the story such as recurring themes, character analysis, compare/contrast of scenes or characters, etc. 

Design a Book Jacket.

Today, quite a few books don’t come with book jackets. However, this is still a good book report idea for engaging students and helping them to stretch their creativity.

Before starting this book report activity, it might be helpful to show students a book jacket so that they can visualize exactly what they will be creating. 

For this book report project idea, students will design a nice cover for their book jackets. 

Then they will write a summary of the book, draft a short biography of the author, and also include some reviews of the book on the back of the book jacket to make it look authentic.

To take things to the next level, encourage students to make the book jacket to scale so that it would actually fit on the cover of the book if they had it.

This book report idea makes for a nice bulletin board display.

Compare and Contrast Two Things.

For this book report idea, students will choose either two characters, two scenes, or two books by the same author. 

They will write about how those two things are the same and different. Encourage students to think beyond the obvious. 

Also ask students to share how the differences or similarities affected the outcome of the book.

Create an Alphabet Book.

For this fun reading book report idea, students will take 14 blank, white sheets of 8.5 x 11 inches paper and cut each into halves. 

Two of the pages will serve as a cover page and an outro page. The other sheets will each represent one letter of the alphabet. 

Students will brainstorm a significant word from the book that starts with the letter A, drafting a short description of why that word is important to the overall idea of the book. 

As an example, in the book James and the Giant Peach , for the letter D, the student might come up with the word “desolate”. Now he or she will summarize how the word relates to the book in some way. 

This is done for each letter of the alphabet. 

After all the letters are completed, students will combine plus staple all pages horizontally, including the illustrated intro and outro pages, to form an alphabet booklet.

Make a Diorama.

For the diorama, students will create a 3D model of a scene from the book and write a description of the scene.

Students may use a shoebox to create the scene and any other materials they have on hand at home. 

See these dioramas for inspiration .

Draft a Book Review.

Book reviews promote critical thinking, getting students to analyze what they liked and disliked about a book. 

Students may also share what type of person would be most interested in reading the book. 

To make things even more authentic, have students rate the book using a visual five-star rating scale. 

This is one of the book report ideas that make for a cool bulletin board.

Creative Book Report Ideas

Following you will find creative book project ideas that students of all ages enjoy making.

Make a Word Search Puzzle.

Reinforce important vocabulary by having students choose 20 to 30 important vocabulary words from their book.  

Using a word search template , they will first record their chosen words in the bank section. 

Then they will randomly place the vocabulary words on the template either diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Afterward, they will fill the empty spaces with random letters.

As an extension for this activity, on a separate page, students will define each term and explain how it is significant to the overall main idea of the book. 

When all is done, students exchange their word search puzzles with a classmate.  

Generate Questions and Answers For a Memory Game.

Here’s another creative book project idea students love to create because it’s a game! 

It’s especially popular with gifted and talented students. 

First, they come up with about 15 to 20 questions and answers. Using index cards, they write the questions and answers with each on their own card.

Then with a partner, pairs shuffle all the cards, arrange them on the floor or a desk face down in an array, and then take turns choosing two cards that must match … meaning that a question card must accompany the correct answer card.

If the two cards match, the student who selected the cards keeps that set of two cards. 

In the event that the cards don’t match, the student must return the cards to their original positions in the array. Now it’s the next student’s turn to draw two cards. 

The game continues as such until there are no cards left. 

What’s great about this game is that in order for students to know that two cards match, they have to have understood the book. 

That’s what makes the memory game book report idea so engaging and challenging. 

Write a News Article.

Students will become a journalist by taking a scene from the book and turning it into a news article using the 5Ws + H. 

They need to have a catchy title, interesting details, and a memorable ending. 

Afterward, they will share their news article with the class. For added fun, have them speak in a “News Anchor” voice.

Final Thoughts On Book Report Ideas

Book reports promote critical thinking and help students see things in books from a different lens.

Armed with this collection of book report ideas, you’re ready to plan fun book report projects that they will love. 

Keep these reading project topics in your teaching toolkit so that you have yet another way to creatively assess students.

These are reading assessments that students will actually be excited about doing!

100 Creative Book Report Ideas (Kids Will Love)

Writing a book report doesn’t have to be boring. Infuse creativity and fun into your assignments with these 100 innovative book report ideas. From edible projects to multimedia presentations, there’s something for every student and book lover.

Here’s a comprehensive list to inspire your next book report.

All 100 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

Table of Contents

Next, here is a massive list of book report ideas that I hope will inspire you and help students love learning.

1. Flip Book Report

Create a flipbook that illustrates a key scene or series of events from the book. Each page should show a progression of the action, culminating in a complete visual summary. This project combines art and storytelling in a compact, interactive format.

2. Newscast Video Book Report

Create a newscast-style video summarizing the book. Students can write a script, dress as news anchors, and report on key events, characters, and themes. This project encourages public speaking skills and creative scriptwriting while making the book report more engaging.

3. Meme Book Report

Create a series of memes that summarize key events, characters, and themes from the book. Use popular meme formats to make the content relatable and humorous. This project encourages students to think creatively and engage with the book’s content in a modern, entertaining way.

4. Diorama Book Report

Build a diorama inside a shoebox or small container, depicting a crucial scene from the book. Use clay, paper, and other craft materials to create characters and settings. Accompany the diorama with a written explanation of the scene’s importance and how it relates to the overall story.

5. Comic Strip Book Report

Draw a comic strip that retells the book’s story or highlights key scenes. Use dialogue bubbles and illustrations to capture the essence of the plot and characters. This project allows students to showcase their artistic talents and understanding of the narrative in a visually appealing format.

6. Scrapbook Book Report

Create a scrapbook as if you were a character in the book. Include diary entries, photos, mementos, and drawings that represent significant events and personal reflections. This immersive project helps students explore the book from a character’s perspective, enhancing their empathy and comprehension.

7. Board Game Book Report

Design a board game based on the book. Create game pieces, a board, and rules that incorporate the plot, characters, and themes. Players should navigate through the story, encountering challenges and questions that test their knowledge of the book. This interactive project encourages critical thinking and creativity.

8. Newspaper Book Report

Write a newspaper edition featuring articles, interviews, and advertisements related to the book. Include a headline story summarizing the plot, character profiles, opinion pieces, and even classified ads. This project helps students practice journalistic writing and understand the book’s context in a fun way.

9. Character Diary Book Report

Write a diary from the perspective of a main character. Include entries that cover significant events, personal thoughts, and emotional responses throughout the story. This project encourages deep character analysis and creative writing skills, allowing students to connect more intimately with the book.

10. Mobile Book Report

Create a mobile that hangs from a hanger or dowel, with various elements of the book represented by hanging objects. Include characters, scenes, symbols, and themes, with brief descriptions attached to each piece. This visually dynamic project makes the book report interactive and engaging.

11. Travel Brochure Book Report

Design a travel brochure that promotes the setting of the book. Highlight key locations, cultural aspects, and significant events that take place in the story. Use images, catchy headlines, and persuasive language to make the setting come alive. This project helps students focus on the book’s world-building and descriptive details.

12. Shoe Box Book Report

Turn a shoebox into a creative display of the book’s elements. Decorate the outside with the title and author, and inside, create compartments for characters, plot points, themes, and favorite quotes. Use small objects and miniatures to represent different aspects of the story.

13. Interview Book Report

Conduct an imaginary interview with a character from the book. Write questions and answers that delve into the character’s thoughts, motivations, and experiences. This project encourages students to think critically about character development and engage in creative dialogue writing.

14. Poster Book Report

Create a large poster that visually represents the book. Include sections for the plot summary, characters, themes, and personal reflections. Use drawings, magazine cutouts, and other materials to make the poster colorful and informative. This project is great for visual learners and allows for creative expression.

15. Book Trailer Video Report

Produce a video trailer that teases the book’s plot and characters, similar to a movie trailer. Use video editing software to add music, transitions, and effects. This project combines storytelling and technical skills, making the book report exciting and modern.

16. Collage Book Report

Make a collage using images and words cut from magazines and newspapers to represent different aspects of the book. Include characters, settings, themes, and important quotes. This project encourages creativity and helps students visually organize their thoughts about the book.

17. Social Media Profile Book Report

Create a fictional social media profile for a character in the book. Include posts, comments, and interactions that reflect the character’s experiences and relationships. This project helps students think about the characters’ personalities and how they would present themselves in a modern context.

18. Puzzle Book Report

Design a puzzle that represents the book’s plot or themes. Create pieces that fit together to form a picture or message related to the story. This project is interactive and can be a fun way for students to review the book’s content while engaging in a hands-on activity.

19. Letter Exchange Book Report

Write a series of letters between two characters in the book. These letters should cover key events, emotions, and conflicts in the story. This project encourages students to explore character relationships and develop their creative writing skills.

20. Timeline Book Report

Create a detailed timeline that outlines the major events of the book. Include dates, brief descriptions, and illustrations for each event. This project helps students organize the plot chronologically and understand the sequence of events.

21. Puppet Show Book Report

Create puppets for the main characters and perform a puppet show that summarizes the book’s plot. Write a script and use a simple stage to act out key scenes. This project is great for younger students and encourages public speaking and performance skills.

22. E-Book Book Report

Design an e-book that includes summaries, character descriptions, themes, and personal reflections. Use digital tools to add images, links, and interactive elements. This project combines technology with traditional book report elements, making it engaging and modern.

23. Pizza Box Book Report

Transform a pizza box into a creative book report. Decorate the top with the book’s title and author. Inside, create slices with different sections: plot summary, characters, themes, favorite quotes, and a personal reflection. This hands-on project allows students to visually and interactively present their understanding of the book.

24. Recipe Book Report

Write a recipe that represents the book or a character. Include ingredients and instructions that metaphorically relate to the plot or themes. This creative project encourages students to think about the book in an abstract, symbolic way.

25. Interactive Notebook Book Report

Create an interactive notebook with flaps, fold-outs, and pockets that explore different aspects of the book. Include sections for plot summary, character analysis, themes, and personal reflections. This hands-on project is great for tactile learners.

26. T-Shirt Book Report

Design and decorate a T-shirt that represents the book. Include key quotes, symbols, and images that capture the essence of the story. Wear the T-shirt to class and present it, explaining each design element and its significance.

27. Infographic Book Report

Create an infographic that visually summarizes the book. Use charts, graphs, and icons to represent characters, plot points, and themes. This project is great for visual learners and helps students condense information into an easy-to-read format.

28. Poetry Book Report

Write a series of poems that capture the essence of the book. Each poem can represent a different character, theme, or event. This project encourages creative writing and allows students to explore the book through a different literary form.

29. Map Book Report

Draw a detailed map of the book’s setting. Include important locations and a legend explaining each one. This project helps students visualize the book’s world and understand the geographical context of the story.

30. Character Scrapbook

Create a scrapbook for a character in the book. Include diary entries, photos, mementos, and drawings that represent significant events and personal reflections. This immersive project helps students explore the book from a character’s perspective.

31. Podcast Book Report

Record a podcast episode discussing the book. Include a summary, character analysis, themes, and personal reflections. This project combines technology with traditional book report elements, making it engaging and modern.

32. Drama Performance Book Report

Write and perform a short play based on a key scene from the book. Include dialogue and stage directions. This project encourages public speaking, performance skills, and a deep understanding of the book’s content.

33. 3D Model Book Report

Create a 3D model of a significant object or scene from the book. Use clay, cardboard, or other materials. Present the model to the class, explaining its significance and how it relates to the story.

34. Vlog Book Report

Create a vlog (video blog) summarizing the book. Discuss the plot, characters, and themes, and share your personal reflections. This project combines technology with traditional book report elements, making it engaging and modern.

35. Character Playlist Book Report

Create a playlist of songs that represent different characters or themes in the book. Write a brief explanation for each song choice and how it relates to the book. This project allows students to connect music with literature, enhancing their understanding of characters and themes through a different medium.

36. Character Facebook Page

Design a Facebook page for a character from the book. Include status updates, friend interactions, and photos that reflect the character’s journey and experiences. This project encourages students to think about how characters would present themselves on social media and explore their personalities in a modern context.

37. Newspaper Obituary

Write an obituary for a character who dies in the book. Include details about their life, accomplishments, and the impact they had on other characters. This project helps students practice their writing skills while analyzing the significance of the character’s role in the story.

38. Game Show Book Report

Create a game show with questions about the book. Include categories for plot, characters, themes, and quotes. Host the game show in class, encouraging classmates to participate and test their knowledge. This interactive project makes learning fun and engages students in a competitive yet educational way.

39. Pinterest Board

Create a Pinterest board dedicated to the book. Pin images, quotes, and articles that relate to the book’s themes, setting, and characters. Write brief descriptions for each pin explaining its significance. This project encourages students to research and curate content that enhances their understanding of the book.

40. Scene Reenactment

Reenact a key scene from the book with classmates. Write a script, assign roles, and perform the scene in front of the class. This project encourages collaboration, public speaking, and a deeper understanding of the book’s pivotal moments.

41. Interactive Timeline

Create an interactive timeline using a digital tool like Prezi or TimelineJS. Include major events, character developments, and significant plot points. Add images, videos, and links to enhance the presentation. This project helps students organize and visualize the book’s sequence of events.

42. Character Interview Video

Record a video interview with a character from the book. One student can play the interviewer, and another can play the character. Prepare questions and answers that delve into the character’s thoughts, motivations, and experiences. This project encourages creative dialogue writing and performance skills.

43. Virtual Book Club

Organize a virtual book club discussion using a platform like Zoom or Google Meet. Invite classmates to join and discuss the book’s plot, characters, and themes. Prepare discussion questions and encourage everyone to share their thoughts. This project promotes collaborative learning and enhances comprehension through group interaction.

44. Character Trading Cards

Create trading cards for the main characters in the book. Include a picture, character traits, and important information on each card. Distribute the cards to classmates and explain each character’s significance. This project is fun and helps students summarize and share key character details.

45. Animated Book Report

Create an animated video summarizing the book using a tool like Powtoon or Animaker. Include key plot points, character descriptions, and themes. Add voiceovers, music, and effects to make the animation engaging. This project combines storytelling with technology, making the book report dynamic and entertaining.

46. Book Report Blog

Start a blog dedicated to book reports. Write a detailed post about the book, including a summary, character analysis, themes, and personal reflections. Encourage classmates to read and comment on your post. This project combines writing skills with digital literacy and encourages ongoing literary discussion.

47. Postcard Book Report

Design a postcard from a character’s perspective. Include a picture on one side that represents the book, and on the other side, write a message summarizing the book and sharing the character’s thoughts. This project is creative and helps students condense their analysis into a concise format.

48. Twitter Thread Book Report

Create a Twitter thread summarizing the book. Write a series of tweets that cover the plot, characters, and themes. Use hashtags, images, and links to enhance the thread. This project encourages brevity and helps students practice summarizing information in an engaging, modern format.

49. Character Map

Draw a character map that shows the relationships and connections between characters in the book. Use lines and arrows to illustrate how characters interact and influence each other. This project helps students visualize complex character dynamics and understand the story’s interpersonal relationships.

50. Soundtrack Book Report

Create a soundtrack for the book, selecting songs that match different scenes, characters, and themes. Write a brief explanation for each song choice and how it relates to the book. This project allows students to explore the book’s emotional tone through music and enhances their analytical skills.

51. Infographic Poster

Design an infographic poster that summarizes the book. Use charts, graphs, and images to represent key elements like plot, characters, and themes. Present the poster to the class and explain each section. This project is visually engaging and helps students distill information into an easy-to-understand format.

52. Character Twitter Profile

Create a Twitter profile for a character in the book. Write tweets that reflect the character’s thoughts and actions throughout the story. Include interactions with other characters and use hashtags relevant to the plot. This project helps students think creatively about character development and social media use.

53. Movie Poster

Design a movie poster for a hypothetical film adaptation of the book. Include the title, author, cast, and a tagline that captures the essence of the story. This project encourages artistic skills and helps students think about how to market a book visually.

54. Email Exchange

Write a series of emails between two characters discussing key events and their thoughts about them. This project encourages students to explore character relationships and develop their creative writing skills through a modern communication format.

55. Character Resume

Create a resume for a character in the book. Include their background, skills, experiences, and goals. This project helps students think about characters in a professional context and analyze their traits and accomplishments.

56. Video Diary

Record a video diary from a character’s perspective. Share their thoughts and feelings about key events in the book. This project encourages creative performance and deepens students’ understanding of character motivations and emotions.

57. Newspaper Editorial

Write a newspaper editorial discussing a controversial issue from the book. Take a stance and support it with evidence from the story. This project helps students practice persuasive writing and critical thinking while engaging with the book’s themes.

58. Infographic Timeline

Create an infographic timeline that highlights the book’s major events. Use visuals and brief descriptions to make the timeline engaging and informative. This project helps students organize and summarize the plot in a visually appealing way.

59. Book Report Podcast

Record a podcast episode where you discuss the book’s plot, characters, and themes. Invite a classmate to join as a guest and share their perspectives. This project combines technology with literary analysis and encourages collaborative discussion.

60. Interactive Google Map

Create an interactive Google Map that includes locations from the book. Add descriptions and images for each location, explaining their significance in the story. This project helps students visualize the setting and understand the geographical context.

61. Comic Book Adaptation

Adapt the book into a comic book, illustrating key scenes and adding dialogue bubbles. This project combines artistic skills with storytelling, making the book report engaging and creative.

62. Character Family Tree

Draw a family tree for the characters in the book. Include descriptions and relationships for each character. This project helps students understand character connections and lineage, especially in books with complex family dynamics.

63. Blog Post Series

Write a series of blog posts that analyze different aspects of the book. Cover the plot, characters, themes, and personal reflections in separate posts. This project encourages ongoing literary discussion and digital literacy.

64. Virtual Reality Tour

Create a virtual reality tour of the book’s setting using a tool like Google Tour Creator. Include 360-degree images and descriptions of key locations. This project combines technology with literary analysis, making the book’s world come to life.

65. Character Speech

Write and deliver a speech from a character’s perspective. Include their thoughts, feelings, and motivations related to key events in the book. This project encourages public speaking skills and deep character analysis.

66. Digital Storyboard

Create a digital storyboard that outlines the book’s major events. Use images and brief descriptions to visualize the plot. This project helps students organize their thoughts and present the story in a clear, visual format.

67. Illustrated Scene

Draw an illustration of a key scene from the book. Include a brief description explaining the scene’s significance. This project combines artistic skills with literary analysis, making the book report visually engaging.

68. Interview with the Author

Write an imaginary interview with the author of the book. Prepare questions and answers that explore the author’s intentions, themes, and character development. This project encourages critical thinking and understanding of the author’s perspective.

69. Character Trading Card Game

Create a trading card game with cards representing characters from the book. Include stats and abilities based on their traits and actions. This project is fun and helps students summarize and analyze character details in an interactive way.

70. Book Report App

Design a mock-up of an app that provides book reports. Include sections for summaries, character analyses, themes, and reviews. This project combines technology with literary analysis and encourages innovative thinking.

71. Puppet Show Video

Record a puppet show video summarizing the book’s plot. Write a script and use simple puppets to act out key scenes. This project is great for younger students and encourages public speaking and performance skills.

72. Character Pinterest Board

Create a Pinterest board dedicated to a character. Pin images, quotes, and articles that relate to the character’s journey and experiences. Write brief descriptions for each pin explaining their significance. This project encourages students to research and curate content.

73. DIY Book Cover

Design and create a new book cover for the book. Include the title, author, and an illustration that captures the essence of the story. Write a brief summary for the back cover. This project combines artistic skills with literary analysis and encourages students to think about visual representation.

74. Book Report Slideshow

Create a slideshow presentation summarizing the book. Include slides for the plot, characters, themes, and personal reflections. Add images, transitions, and effects to make the presentation engaging. This project helps students organize their thoughts and present their analysis in a dynamic format.

75. Interactive Quiz

Design an interactive quiz about the book using a tool like Kahoot or Google Forms. Include questions about the plot, characters, themes, and quotes. Share the quiz with classmates and test their knowledge. This project is fun and encourages engagement with the book’s content.

76. Character Instagram Profile

Create an Instagram profile for a character from the book. Post pictures and captions that reflect the character’s experiences and personality. Include interactions with other characters. This project helps students think creatively about character development in a modern context.

77. Time Capsule Book Report

Create a time capsule with objects that represent the book. Include letters, drawings, and items that reflect key events and themes. Write an explanation for each item. This project encourages hands-on creativity and helps students connect with the book in a tangible way.

78. Book Report Mural

Collaborate with classmates to create a mural that represents the book. Assign sections to different students and include scenes, characters, and themes. Present the mural to the class and explain each part. This project encourages teamwork and artistic expression.

79. Radio Show Book Report

Record a radio show episode discussing the book. Include segments for plot summary, character analysis, and themes. Add sound effects and music to enhance the presentation. This project combines technology with literary analysis and encourages creative audio production.

80. Character Mood Board

Create a mood board for a character using images, colors, and textures that reflect their personality and journey. Include brief descriptions explaining each choice. This project helps students explore character traits in a visually creative way.

81. Book Report Jigsaw Puzzle

Design a jigsaw puzzle that, when assembled, reveals an image related to the book. Include clues and quotes on the pieces to make it interactive. This project is fun and helps students review the book’s content in a hands-on manner.

82. Character Letter Exchange

Write a series of letters between two characters discussing key events and their thoughts about them. This project encourages students to explore character relationships and develop their creative writing skills through a modern communication format.

83. Character Fan Art

Draw or create fan art for a character from the book. Include a brief description explaining the artwork and its significance. This project combines artistic skills with literary analysis and encourages students to express their interpretation visually.

84. Virtual Field Trip

Create a virtual field trip to the book’s setting using a tool like Google Earth. Include descriptions and images of key locations and explain their significance in the story. This project combines technology with literary analysis, making the book’s world come to life.

85. Character Resume and Cover Letter

Create a resume and cover letter for a character applying for a job. Include their background, skills, experiences, and goals. This project helps students think about characters in a professional context and analyze their traits and accomplishments.

86. Interactive Word Cloud

Create an interactive word cloud using a tool like WordArt.com. Include important words and themes from the book. Present the word cloud and explain the significance of the largest words. This project is visually engaging and helps students summarize key concepts.

87. Book Report Collage Poster

Make a collage poster using images and words cut from magazines and newspapers to represent different aspects of the book. Include characters, settings, themes, and important quotes. This project encourages creativity and helps students visually organize their thoughts about the book.

88. Scene Diorama

89. book report cookbook.

Create a cookbook with recipes that represent different elements of the book. Include ingredients and instructions that metaphorically relate to the plot or themes. This creative project encourages students to think about the book in an abstract, symbolic way.

90. Book Report Trading Cards

Design trading cards for the main characters in the book. Include a picture, character traits, and important information on each card. Distribute the cards to classmates and explain each character’s significance. This project is fun and helps students summarize and share key character details.

91. Book Report Escape Room

Design an escape room with puzzles and clues related to the book. Include challenges that require knowledge of the plot, characters, and themes to solve. This project is interactive and encourages engagement with the book’s content in a fun, immersive way.

92. Character Video Diary

93. book report journal.

Keep a journal while reading the book. Write entries summarizing each chapter, reflecting on characters and themes, and noting important quotes. This project helps students organize their thoughts and track their understanding of the book as they read.

94. Book Report Memory Box

Create a memory box for a character in the book. Fill it with objects that represent their experiences and memories. Write an explanation for each item. This project encourages hands-on creativity and helps students connect with the book in a tangible way.

95. Book Report Flipgrid

Create a Flipgrid video summarizing the book. Discuss the plot, characters, and themes, and share your personal reflections. This project combines technology with traditional book report elements, making it engaging and modern.

96. Character Fashion Design

Design an outfit for a character based on their personality and experiences in the book. Create a drawing or collage of the outfit and write a brief explanation of each design choice. This project encourages creativity and helps students explore character traits through fashion.

97. Book Report Newspaper

Create a newspaper edition featuring articles, interviews, and advertisements related to the book. Include a headline story summarizing the plot, character profiles, opinion pieces, and even classified ads. This project helps students practice journalistic writing and understand the book’s context in a fun way.

98. Character Instagram Story

Create an Instagram story from a character’s perspective. Include pictures, captions, and interactions that reflect the character’s journey and experiences. This project helps students think creatively about character development and social media use.

99. Book Report Digital Scrapbook

Create a digital scrapbook using a tool like Canva or Google Slides. Include pages for plot summary, character analysis, themes, and personal reflections. Add images, stickers, and interactive elements to enhance the presentation. This project combines technology with traditional book report elements, making it engaging and modern.

100. Pop-Up Book Report

Create a pop-up book that illustrates important scenes from the book. Use paper engineering techniques to make the scenes three-dimensional. This project combines artistic skills with literary analysis and makes the book report interactive.

How to Do It:

• Select key scenes from the book.
• Design and construct pop-up elements for each scene.
• Write a brief description for each pop-up page.
• Assemble the pages into a book format.

Now that you have your ideas, here is a quick video on how to write a book report:

Top 10 Creative Book Report Ideas

Here are the top 10 creative book report ideas that will make your assignment both fun and engaging.

Final Thoughts: Book Report Ideas

Turn your book reports from dull to dazzling with these inventive ideas.

Not only will you enjoy the process, but your reports will also leave a lasting impression. Get started now!

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

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Fun book report ideas for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

Book reports don’t need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. There are loads of great book report ideas out there just waiting to happen in your classroom!

Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love:

1. cereal box book report.

These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates’ creative reports. Read more about Cereal Box Book Reports HERE .

2. Paper Bag Book Report

This is a super simple idea that is quite fun for students. Provide each student with a lunch-sized paper bag. Tell them to think about 5 objects that relate to the main character of their book . The objects have to be small enough to fit into the bag . Send the bags home and have students place the 5 objects in the bag and bring them back to school. On the day they are due, have students take turns sharing the objects in their bags and explaining how they relate to the main character of the book. You can even make a great display with the bags, objects, and books to pique the interest of other students.

3. Character Day

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character’s story in first person point of view.

4. Book Report Lap Book

you need are two file folders, some cardstock or construction paper, scissors, glue, and the FREE book report template found here . The finished products are quite amazing, and your students will probably keep theirs forever! Check out my photo tutorial for making a lap book .

5. Book Scene Diorama

Have students construct a diorama of one of the main events of their book. They will make a 3-dimensional scene, including models of characters, the setting, and objects. A shoebox makes a great place to build a diorama. Require students to write a description of the scene.

6. Book Report Posters

This might be the easiest option of the book report ideas. Have students first sketch their posters on a sheet of notebook paper. Then, provide students with a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters in the classroom or on hallway walls.

7. Book Report Mobiles

Mobiles are easy to make, and it’s fun to watch students use their creativity in designing their own projects. A paper plate folded in half makes a great base/topper for mobiles. Have students write the title of the book on this paper plate semi circle and hang the mobile pieces from it. Provide students with construction paper, yarn, markers, paper hole punches, and any other materials they might need.

8. Book Report Mini Books

With just one piece of paper, your students can make a complete, creative book report!

In these clever book projects , students identify:

• Title/Author
• Main Character

No tape, glue, or staples required! Photo directions are included in this download.

9. Design a Book Jacket

Show your students several examples of some outstanding book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the two inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

10. Ready-to-Print Templates

Use NO PREP book report templates to save your sanity AND to keep things fun for your students. You could print out all 12 templates in this Book Report Templates Packet and let students choose the one they want to do each month! There is even a really nice digital option for Google classroom included!

Regardless of which of these book report ideas you choose, be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. It’s best if you can model a project to demonstrate the quality of work your students should strive for.

Keep it fun and engaging, and your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects!

Check out these ready to go, easy to use book report projects in my store:

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board  so you can come back for these book report ideas!

To recap, the 10 Book Report Project Ideas are:

• Cereal Box Book Report
• Paper Bag Book Report
• Character Day
• Book Report Lapbook
• Book Scene Diorama
• Book Report Posters
• Book Report Mobiles
• Design a Book Jacket
• Ready-to-Print Templates

Shelly Rees

Hi, I’m Shelly! Thank you for being here. I love helping third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers with fun and engaging activities that require no to little prep! Let me help you by taking some of the stress and work off your plate.

Hi, I'm Shelly

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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