READING RESPONSES
Reading Responses allow you to explore, examine, and explain the ideas you have about the book you are reading. Reading is a thinking process. Writing is thinking, too. Responses Responses are a way to write about your thinking in an organized way – in an essay. It is expository writing because you are explaining your ideas or your thinking to your readers.
How to start:
- Select a topic from the list given.
- Use the RACES formula to write your response.
- Be sure to explain, defend, or support your ideas thoroughly.
- Proofread for clarity and organization.
- Be sure you have a title – not the book title, but a title that suggests the topic of your response.
- Write this in the “Freewrite” section of your Journal
1. Connections: Are there connections you can make with this book? t2s, t2t, t2w?
Identify what type of connection it is and explain it in detail.
*Thesis statement: There are strong connections (or some connections) I can make between this book and ________________.
2. Personal interest in meeting a character: Who would you like to meet with and talk to in this book and why? Describe what the conversation might be about and how you think the character would respond. Provide reasons for how and why your character would respond in that way.
*Thesis statement: It would be interesting to meet and talk with ________________ character in my book.
3. Character traits: What is it about a character that you particularly like? What trait would you like to develop in yourself? Explain why you admire this trait and how it would affect your life if you had it.
*Thesis statement: I’d love to develop (character’s name) trait of ________________ in myself.
4. Important ideas or lessons learned as a result of reading this book: What important ideas or lessons do you have after reading this book?
*Thesis statement: I learned an important lesson or several important ideas (or lessons) from this book (or from a character).
5. Favorite quotes or lines that are meaningful to you: What line or quote from this book really caught your attention and why? Copy the line(s) exactly into your journal using quotations, then explain why they are important to you.
*Thesis statement: There are several lines (or quotes) in this section of the novel that are important to me OR that caught my attention..
6. Questions you have for the author: What is confusing you in this book and what questions do you want to ask the author to help you understand it better? Explain why you have these questions and how the author might answer them.
*Thesis statement: I’d live to ask the author several questions to help clarify my understanding of this book.
7. How the book has changed your thinking: What issue, situation, or event in the book has changed your thinking? Explain how and why.
*Thesis statement: My thinking has changed as a result of what I have read.
8. Analyzing a character’s emotions (heart), thinking (brain), and/or motives/morals (soul): Examine how an author feels, thinks, or acts and why using evidence or proof from the story to support your answer.
9. A dislikable character: Identify a character you particularly dislike based on their actions, attitude, or words. Thoroughly explain why you dislike this character.
*Thesis statement: _____________ is a character I particularly dislike in this book.