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MERG LET´S LEARN ABOUT READING LOGS OR BOOK JOURNALS!
EFOR
MAT7 The following information provides the readers with fundamentals about the importance
of keeping logs during the reading process. Read them carefully and take them as
guidelines in your READING LOGS WRITING process.

What is a reading log or book journal?

A reading log or book journal allows the reader to NOTE reactions, opinions, feelings,
ideas about a reading text. The reading log permits the students to express responses
naturally, and at the same time to gain insight into the theme and plot, and to deepen the
overall enjoyment of reading a text of literature.

Positive aspects of keeping a reading log:

✓ It can be hand-written or electronic.
✓ It makes connections to personal learning: question, analyze, relate, respond and
interpret information.
✓ It helps to gain new understanding and improve communication: written and oral.
✓ It does not focus on punishing grammar or usage.
✓ It allows to write for a real purpose and to interact naturally with the literature
text.

TIPS:
o Use it for works of literary: poetry, plays, short stories or novels.
o Great writers have kept these strategies to document their reading experiences, in
order to gain ideas, and techniques among others.
o Write informal, naturally and to communicate ideas.

If you want to learn more about READING LOGS, here you have some pages to visit:
- How to Write a Journal Response to a Book
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Journal-Response-to-a-Book
- How to Write a Journal Response
http://penandthepad.com/write-journal-response-5022270.html

REFERENCES
This document is a summary done by Claudia Uribe Hoyos based on
Lombardi, E. (2016). How to Keep a Reading Log or Book Journal. Retrieved from
http://classiclit.about.com/od/forstudents/ht/aa_readinglog.htm

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
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MERG
EFOR
MAT7 READING LOG #1
(Record your reactions on the story following the instructions.)
Title of the text: ________________________________________
Author: ________________________________________________
Two facts I looked about the author:
1) _______________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________________

A QUESTION I have to share with the class after reading this text.

WRITING DOWN MY FEELINGS

My first impression when I started reading the beginning of this story was

In addition, when I reached part _____, I was feeling ______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

At the end of the story, I was thinking _________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________
English _______ Group __________
Class Day:_______________
Today´s Date: ____________

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
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MERG
EFOR
MAT7

RECORDING MY EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

While reading this story I was __________________________. It was when I read the
following paragraph:

PASTE OR COPY THE PARAGRAPH

All these lines made me felt_________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
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MERG If you ask me about this story, I have to tell you that ______________________________
EFOR _________________________________________________________________________.
MAT7
Do I recommend this story?

YES

NO

Reading Log devised by Claudia Uribe H. March, 2017

Lombardi, E. (2016) How to Keep a Reading Log or Book Journal. Retrieved from
http://classiclit.about.com/od/forstudents/ht/aa_readinglog.htm

READING LOG #2
(Record your reactions on the story following the instructions).
Title of the text: ________________________________________
Author: ________________________________________________
Two events that took place during the life of the author.
1) _______________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________________

Two other things written by this author.

1) _______________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________________
CONNECTING THIS STORY TO MY OWN LIFE.
(Sometimes when we are reading, the story makes us think about other aspects, example: personal events, situations
around, other books, the news, etc. think of those connections by answering the prompt).

While I was reading this story, I remembered ____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
I think this aspect is _________________ because ________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Another CONNECTION I could think of is….

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
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MERG
EFOR
MAT7

(Use your imagination here! Be creative!)

Name: _______________________________________
English _______ Group __________
Class Day:_______________
Today´s Date: ____________

CONNECTING WITH THE CHARACTERS

(Characters are fundamental in stories. It is time for you to start observing and analyzing them. Follow the instructions).
✓ Is there any character that you consider your favorite?
✓ What aspects are the ones that you like about the character?
✓ Why?
✓ What traits could you change from this character? Is this character similar to real
people?
✓ Why?
__________________________________________
(Character´s name)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Based on all the things I have written about the selected personage, here it is my
character´s portray. (Dare to draw or paste how you visualize the selected character).

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
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MERG
EFOR
MAT7

If you ask me about this story, I have to tell you that ______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________.

Do I recommend this story?

YES NO

Reading Log devised by Claudia Uribe H. March, 2017

Lombardi, E. (2016). How to Keep a Reading Log or Book Journal. Retrieved from
http://classiclit.about.com/od/forstudents/ht/aa_readinglog.htm
READING LOG #3
(Record your reactions, connections, and ideas while reading the short story)
Title of the text: ________________________________________
Author: ________________________________________________

Two facts I looked about the author:

1) _______________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________________

Two events that were taking place during the life of the author. (These could have
happened anywhere in the world).
1) _______________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________________

WRITING DOWN MY FEELINGS

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
\*
MERG
EFOR My first impression when I started reading the beginning of this story was
MAT7 _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

In addition, when I reached part ______, I was feeling

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

At the end of the story, I was thinking _________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________
English _______ Group________
Class Day:_______________
Today´s Date: ____________

CONNECTING THIS SHORT STORY TO MY OWN LIFE.

(Sometimes when we are reading, the story makes us think about other aspects, example: personal events, situations
around, other books, the news, etc. think of those connections by answering the prompt).

While I was reading this story, I remembered ____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
I think this aspect is _________________ because ________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)
Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
PAGE
\*
MERG
EFOR
MAT7 CONNECTING WITH THE CHARACTERS
(Characters are fundamental in stories. It is time for you to start observing and analyzing them. Follow the instructions).
✓ Is there any character that you consider your favorite?
✓ What aspects are the ones that you like about the character?
✓ Why?
✓ What traits could you change from this character? Is this character similar to real
people?
✓ Why?
__________________________________________
(Character´s name)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

If you ask me about this story, I have to tell you that ______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Do I recommend this story?

YES NO

Reading Log devised by Claudia Uribe H. March, 2017

Lombardi, E. (2016). How to Keep a Reading Log or Book Journal. Retrieved from
http://classiclit.about.com/od/forstudents/ht/aa_readinglog.htm

Material designed by Claudia Maria Uribe Hoyos (2017)

Medellín: Universidad Católica Luis Amigó