A book report is an exposition giving a short summary of a book and a reaction to it. While it includes some details, a book report is usually tailored to its readers. Emphasis usually falls on aspects of the book related to the subject matter seen in an academic group of studies.

 

A book report provides the reader with detailed and precise idea of the content of a book and its structural features omitting evaluation and comparison through providing objective information. The main aim of the report is to give enough information about the book to the reader. The book report is supposed to provide sufficient data for its reader to find whether the material the report narrates about is valuable and interesting enough to spend time on reading it. (http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/bookreports.html)

The book report emphasizes author’s ideas depicted in the book, the subject matter that is presented in a descriptive and summarizing rather than analytical manner. (http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/writing/handouts/Book%20Reports%20and%20Book%20Reviews.pdf)

Length

The book report length may vary from one to three pages long as older students are often asked to identify advanced topics such as symbolism and find deeper meaning in the text.

In academic studies the purpose of a book report is to give full and deep description of a book within two or three pages. The book report has to be long enough to provide sufficient information and, at the same time, short enough to remain interesting and not to go into unnecessary detail.

Time required

The time required for book report research and writing may vary from one to several weeks depending of the number of pages of the book and the time necessary to write the report.

The complexity and the size of the book are the turning points in writing a book report.

A book report is considered to be well-written when it is organized in appropriate way and gives complete information about the book including publication details. Such process may take time making the work not an easy task for the students.