My daughter is really starting to bloom as a reader. Sometimes I can’t believe the books she pulls out and tries to read. Is she really comprehending the large words she skims over? That’s why I made this free printable book journal to help her record what she was reading. This helps me evaluate if there is any area she needs more work on and also helps her internalize the main points of a story.
What favorite books will your kids write about in their journals?
Her favorite books to read right now are from our Fun Stories, Great Lessons Series. There are 10 different books in the series and she has devoured about half of them.
We don’t want to just read them though. They aren’t that kind of story. The values they teach are ones that I want her to dwell on and remember. That’s why this free printable is a great follow up activity.
How to Use the Free Printable Book Journal
My daughter is 8 so she can use this book journal on her own. If you have younger children, you can still use it! They can draw the picture and then dictate what they want you to write for them. You could also write what they want to say on a separate piece of paper and have them copy it into the journal as a copywork activity.
When we use the journal we might not work on this right after we ready the story. It could be a day or two after which really requires my daughter to recall the different parts from memory. Of course, we go back to the book if she can’t remember something. Your child might like to start out using it while they read or while you are reading to them.
Since she doesn’t get much practice writing in this form, it is a little more difficult for her. I help her with spelling and proper grammar. It’s great practice and the areas where she can draw in make this project fun and a keepsake too!
The Free Printable Book Journal has 8 half-pages that include: Cover, Favorite Part of the Story, Setting, Main Character, Other Characters, Beginning, Middle, and End. Put your email below to download.
How to Put Together Your Book Journal
I made this simple video to show you how to put the pages of the printable together so that they are in the right order. You can staple the pages together or sew them and get extra fine motor practice.
What stories would your children like to use their book journal for?
Thank you for creating this journal! My son needs to work on his fine motor skills over the summer. I wanted something we could use to incorporate into our daily bible reading. By using the journal, he can summarize what he reads to me through drawing and writing. This is also great for my two-year old! Thanks again! Blessings to you and your family!
So glad Pammy! That is such a great idea.