Keeping a Reading Log

A reading log can be as simple or as detailed as you want to make it. At its most basic, a reading log or journal is used to document each book you read, giving the book’s title, its author’s name, the date you began reading the book and the date you completed it. Many schools provide mandatory reading logs, helping teachers and parents to keep an eye on a student’s reading habits. The reading log is also a great way to encourage kids to read more and to think carefully, creatively and critically about what they read.

Most simple reading journals have spaces or columns for the details outlined above, as well as a space in which to write a short comment on the book, or to note down a mark out of ten. You can create a basic reading log out of a sheet of A4 lined paper, using a ruler to divide the page into columns. Many reading logs, however, are rather more comprehensive than this. Those keen to write down a little more about their experiences of reading would do well to adopt a notebook for their reading log. Dates, titles and author names should still be noted down but be sure to include further thoughts too. Students keen to write a more detailed reading log would benefit from asking themselves some of the following questions about their reading. These are designed to spark thoughts and get ideas flowing.

Emotions

Did the book affect you emotionally? Did it make you happy, sad or angry? Was it funny? If so, did it make you laugh out loud? Did you think about the book for a long time after reading it? Which parts particularly stood out for you?

Plot

Was it an exciting book? Was it fast-moving? Did the action take place in one location, several or many? Was the book full of tension? At what point did the plot reach a climax? Did it end happily? Was the ending resolved or unresolved?

Character

Was there a clear main character? Did you like or dislike the main character? Could you identify with them? Was there an anti-hero in the book? If you could, which of the characters would you like to become for a day?

Context

Was the book set in the past? If so, when? Do you know much about that moment in time or era? Where was the book set? Have you been there? Did the book focus on a particular historical event? How true to life do you think the book was? Did the book help you to imagine different worlds or experiences? Is the author alive or dead? Are they male or female? Do you know anything about their life?

Style

Was the book long or short? What types of sentences did the author use? Was the book descriptive? Were there many similes or metaphors? Were there any key images that recurred throughout the book? Was the story told in the first person? Was the novel’s narrator reliable or unreliable?

Non-fiction

You can still make useful and interesting notes in your reading journal on non-fiction books. Try to jot down the fact that most stood out for you when reading the book. Was it a History, a Geography or a Science book? What sort of audience was the book aimed at? Did you read the book from cover to cover, or dip into it? Did the book introduce you to any important figures that you didn’t know about before? If so, what were their names and what are they notable for?

The reading log is a great learning tool because it encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning and prompts independent thought. Both school pupils and home learners are sure to derive longterm benefits from keeping a detailed reading log.