I found this idea a several years ago in a VERY old magazine while I was cleaning out cupboards in a spare classroom. It comes from Scholastic, Inc.

If the recipe is followed correctly and all the ingredients are mixed according to directions, the result will be a tantalizing report that will tempt the appetites of many new readers.

Book Report Recipe

1. 1 cup of plot
   Tell briefly what the story is about, but don't give away the ending.
2. 2 teaspoons of characters
   Who are the main characters? Describe them briefly.
3. 2 tablespoons of excitement
   Select ashort passage from the book that describes something exciting that happened. Try to find a passage that has the main character in it.
4. Mix thoroughly and bake. When cool, frost with this special icing:
   • 1/2 cup of opinion
     What did you like about the book? What didn't you like?
   • 1 teaspoon of recommendation
     Whom do you think would enjoy this book? Why?
5. Finally sprinkle on the following information:
   • title of book
   • name of author
   • name of publisher
   • number of pages
   • literary genre

I have had my students write these reports on simulated recipe cards that we then displayed on a bulletin board. Makes for a nice change from the traditional book report.