It’s been years since I stepped into a classroom, but I still crave that close interaction with the texts we had in school. Diving into themes, character arcs, and prose cemented those books in my mind in a way I just don’t experience anymore. Thankfully, with a new bookish challenge, adult book reports, I can recreate that feeling.
As someone who reads countless viral books a year and writes about them for a living, people always ask me how I remember everything I read, and the truth is…I don’t. If you quizzed me in December about that five-star read I had in January, I’d recall how it made me feel and the largest plot points, but beyond that, the words all start to blend together. And those countless three-star reads that were already middle-of-the-pack before months passed? My brain has long tossed out the info to make room for other things. But adult book reports might just be the solution to forgetting the details I spend hours consuming. Below, what adult book reports are, why readers are doing them, and how to complete your own.
What are adult book reports?
It may sound crazy to some that those same essays we used to dread in school are now ones people are assigning themselves, but that’s exactly what’s happening with the adult book report trend. Instead of finishing a book, marking your rating on Goodreads, and immediately moving on, adult book reports are mini essays that dive into your thoughts on the book. These essays can follow any format you’d like, but TikTok user @collectedwrks suggests answering these questions in your adult book report: What did you read? What was it about? What did you think of it? Why was it important? What you write about is less important than taking the time to actually reflect on the book.
Why are people doing adult book reports?
Sitting with your feelings after turning the last page and considering what you liked about a book, the themes, and how it made you feel, not only helps you actually remember the media you consume, but it also makes you a better reader. Yes, reading is an entertaining pastime, but it’s important to remember that reading is also so much more than that. It introduces us to other people’s stories, ways of life, and realities in a way nothing else can. When we breeze past these important moments, we don’t truly get everything out of books that we can.
Looking for your next read to inspire your adult book report? Look no further:
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How to complete your own adult book report
The most important thing about adult book reports is allowing yourself to pause and reflect on the text. There’s no need for elaborate bibliographies or page requirements—you aren’t completing your adult book report for a grade, but for yourself. Readers online recommend annotating books while you read with tabs to help you engage more closely with the book and organize your thoughts for your report. You can take that route, or jot down notes as you read in a journal to look back at while you complete your adult book report.
Once you’ve finished your book (with or without annotating), set aside time to write out your thoughts and feelings. These mini essays should dive deeper than the typical couple-sentence review you might post on Goodreads, but beyond that, there’s a lot of freedom to be had. If you’d like to follow the recommended structure from @collectedwrks, hit these points in your report:
- What did I read? (book title, genre, author)
- What was it about? (a brief summary of the story, characters, and settings)
- What did I think about it? (themes you noticed, quotes that stuck out, how it made you feel)
- Why or what was important about it? (What you think the author was trying to accomplish, your opinions, whether or not you’d recommend it)
A research component can be helpful for your writing process as well, but it doesn’t have to take the regimented approach you’re used to in school. Scrolling through book reviews and author interviews, and even asking friends who have read the book what parts connected with them and what their takeaways are, can inspire your writing.
To make it super easy, copy and paste the above list into your Notes app and duplicate it for each book you read. If you prefer a more analog approach, you can write down those questions in any notebook you have and keep a record of your books that way. With this approach, you’ll have a physical record of every book you read to look back on.
If you aren’t sold on the whole writing an essay thing, but still want to spend more time dissecting a book in this way, try adding an adult book report discussion to your book club meetings. Sharing your thoughts with others can really replicate that classroom feeling. Plus, it can help you cement the details and lessons from each book you read for years to come.
Book annotation supplies to help complete your adult book reports
You don’t need annotation supplies to complete your adult book reports, but if you’re looking to make this practice totally analog, a solid notebook, sticky tabs, and pen should be on hand. Below are a few book annotating supplies that will help you make the most of your new ritual.
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Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.
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