Getting Ready for Book in a Bag Book Reports

We are about to embark on our first big book report project. Checking out these recommendations on how to be successful will help us envision what we are bout to do. 

 1) Take a look at your bookshelves!

You've learned a lot about the design elements of books over the years. Think about what you have considered while preparing to vote for the Sutherland award in 3rd and 4th grade.  Use that knowledge to study your own books. 

- Look at the way the whole cover of the book is used.

- Looking at the whole cover means you need to look at the "spaces in between". What shapes are made between the drawings and letters that are on the cover? What is the background color? What do these things make you feel or think about? 

2) Think about the themes of your book. 

- Use your sticky notes to remind you what are the emotions and messages that are important throughout the book. You may be able to find images of these things or symbols that represent them to use on our bag.

3) DON'T just copy the book cover that already exists for the book. That's another artist's interpretation of things. You can incorporate that design in your design, but you have to share your connection to the book and your interpretations. It's fine if they are similar but it's not OK if they are exactly the same.

Check out these websites for some inspiration:

50 Book Cover Designs Plus some Tips on How to Design a Cover

Paste Magazine Young Adult Book Covers

We Are Teachers - Best Children's Book Covers