BOOK REPORT ASSIGNMENTS SHOULD BE PART OF A CAREFULLY PLANNED READING PROGRAM TO MOTIVATE STUDENT INTEREST IN LITERATURE. GOOD READING PROGRAMS CAN BE CREATED BY--(1) ASSESSING STUDENT NEEDS, INTERESTS, AND REGIONAL BACKGROUND, (2) APPRAISING THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S READING ABILITY AND THE AMOUNT OF OUTSIDE READING REQUIRED IN OTHER COURSES, (3) PLANNING A SEQUENTIAL READING PROGRAM WHICH MOVES FROM UNSOPHISTICATED QUESTIONS TO MORE COMPLEX LITERARY PROBLEMS, (4) SPENDING CLASS TIME IN READING AND DISCUSSING ASSIGNED BOOKS, (5) PHRASING THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS TAILORED TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF EACH BOOK, (6) ESTABLISHING A CLASSROOM PAPERBACK LIBRARY, (7) CREATING A SUMMER READING PROGRAM, (8) ASSIGNING TO SLOW LEARNERS BOOKS WHICH MOTIVATE THEM TO WANT TO READ, REQUIRING WRITTEN REPORTS OF ONLY A PARAGRAPH IN LENGTH, (9) ENCOURAGING ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO "SHARE" BOOKS ALOUD RATHER THAN TO WRITE REPORTS, A PRACTICE WHICH OFTEN STIFLES THE INTEREST GENERATED BY THE BOOKS. IN ADDITION, THE TEACHER'S OWN READING, KNOWLEDGE, ENTHUSIASM, AND IMAGINATION IN TALKING ABOUT BOOKS WILL PROVE CONTAGIOUS. (APPENDICES INCLUDE SAMPLE APPROACHES TO BOOK REPORTS, THEMES FOR GROUPING LITERATURE, AND A DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK REPORT IN MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS.) (JB)