Q&A for How to Write a Good Summary for a Book Report

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Why are summaries so hard to write?

Jake Adams
Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist
Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University.

Jake Adams

Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist

Expert Answer

It's hard to try and remove your opinion from something and just objectively describe what happened. This is actually why I always recommend starting with how you feel about the work before you write anything down. Processing your perspective should make it easier to remove it from the summary.

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Question

What are the main objectives for a book report?

Community Answer

Show your understanding of the book's plot; characters (who they are, how they change); and overall meaning and message (look for motifs and themes).

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How can I write a short and snappy book summary?

Community Answer

Pretend you are explaining the plot of the book to a friend, then 'translate' what you have written into a more appropriate academic tone.

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Question

How do I write a book summary?

Community Answer

Include the author and title of the book. Introduce the characters, and recount what happens in the book.

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How do I start the summary?

Kathy5421

Community Answer

You start a summary by writing what the topic is about, including your thesis statement for the subject.

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Question

What am I supposed to put in a book summary -- am I just supposed to put in the plot, characters and the theme, or am I supposed to include other things, too?

Community Answer

Retell or summarize the book, then relate and make connections to your life. Then, reflect on how you liked the book and your thoughts. When you just do a summary, give an overall explanation on what the book is about -- everything that you mentioned, plus how all those aspects fit together.

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How can I write a summary of a scary book?

Community Answer

Follow what the article says, but don't give away big plot twists (a lot of horror book tend to have those, so try to avoid writing them in).

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If it's a detective book, do I give away the ending?

Donagan

Top Answerer

A typical book report hints at -- but does not explicitly describe -- the climax or ending of a fictional work.

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