20 Ways of Looking at a Book

(This list was compiled by Rhona Scoville
and is republished here with her permission .)

1. Summarize the book in poem form with rhyme (minimum 20 lines).
2. Discuss in depth the relevance of the title.
3. Write a letter to the author.
4. Use two other sources to research and write a report on an issue from the book.
5. Write a one minute radio advertisement persuading the public why they should buy and read this book.
6. Research and write a report on the author.
7. Q & A - Pretend you're interviewing a person from the book. Write your interview in question and answer format.
8. Compare and contrast the book with another you have read.
9. Discuss cause and effect relationships you found in the book.
10. Write an editorial based on a controversial issue in the book.
11. Design a time-line for events in the book.
12. Write a letter to one of the characters in the book.
13. As a literary agent, write a letter to the publishing company designed to persuade them to publish this book.
14. Create a glossary of unfamiliar words and phrases.
15. Choose your favorite passage from the book. Copy it down and discuss what you found appealing about it.
16. Top 10 List - list ten things you learned from this book.
17. You're the reporter. Write a front page news story or a report live from the scene.
18. Write your own test - a combination of matching, multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and essay.
19. Journal as you go - As you're reading the book, keep a two-sided reading journal. The left side should have quotes from the book and page numbers. The right side should have your questions, thoughts, observations, revelations, etc.
20. E-mail partner - Partner up with some who's reading the same book. Divide the book into four parts. When you've read the first quarter, write a letter to your partner about your questions, thoughts, observations, revelations, etc. Your partner is to respond. Do the same for the next three sections of the book. When you finish, print out your letters and responses (each partner is to have four letters and four responses).