The First thing in writing a book report is to actually read the book that the report is to be on. Being careful to note down important plot points or events is critical to having a firm enough grasp on the themes in the book to be able to write a good report. If your don't take the time to thoroughly read the entire book, you may find yourself struggling to remember certain parts of the material.
There are several way to keep your notes on a book. One way is to make an outline of the events as they occur. The main events are written next to Roman Numerals with smaller details falling underneath each main heading. This is an effective way to organize your thoughts before beginning to write your report.
Another way to write your notes is to use note cards. Each card should contain one main event in the book and its subsequent supporting details. This is also an effective way of taking notes. One way of keeping up with main points in the book is to highlight or mark in pencil things that you think might be important. While this is not recommended if you are using someone else's book, it may be a good idea if your are using a cheap personal copy.
After you have read the book entirely and kept up with your notes, it's time to consider the format of your report. The standard format for writing starts with an Introductory Paragraph. This paragraph should include the title of the book and the author's name. You should also include a brief description of the setting and the quickly describe the plot of the story.
The next part in the standard format is the Body Paragraphs. This is where you start to describe the main parts of the story. You should start by telling about the main character and the conflict, of conflicts, that he or she is involved in. In the rest of the body, you should include important parts of the plot and how they relate to the conflict. Basically, the first paragraph should contain the beginning action, or the part of the story when the conflict if revealed.