reading response journal lit logs

Reading Response Literature Log
As you read, write your personal response in your reading log. State your feelings, thoughts, reactions, and questions about situations, ideas, actions, characters, settings, symbols, plots, themes, and any other elements in the story. You can't be wrong in your responses, so take risks and be honest. Write about what you like and dislike, what seems confusing or unusual to you. Tell what you think something means. Make predictions about what might happen later. Relate your personal experiences which connect with the plot, characters, or setting. Don't just summarize the plot. Let me hear your voice. These starters are simply suggestions for you to use. Remember your response journal is a place to record your reactions and questions, not a place to simply summarize what you've read. Sometimes a summary will be necessary to get your point across. After you read the selection, ask yourself these questions. Decide which would make the best entry from your response journal. You may certainly use other ideas of your own. Just make sure you include more than just a summary of what is happening. Support your summaries with what you are feeling as you read your book. Doing this will help you get the MOST from your book.

I wonder what this means
I really don't understand this part
I really like/dislike this idea because
This character reminds me of somebody I know because
This character reminds me of me because
This character is like (name of the character) in (title of book) because
I think this setting is important because
This scene reminds me of a similar scene in (title of book) because
I like/dislike this writing because
This part is very realistic/unrealistic because
I think the relationship between ______ and ______ is interesting because
I like/dislike (name of character) because
This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life. It happened when
The character I most admire is ______ because
If I were (name of character) at this point, I would

What you liked or disliked and why
What you wish had happened
What you wish the author had included
Your opinion of the characters
Your opinion of the illustrations, table and figures
What you felt as you read
What you noticed when you read
Questions you have after reading

Sample Sentence Starters
I began to think
I love the way
I can't believe
I wonder why
I noticed
I think
I observed
I wonder
If I were
I'm not sure
I felt sad when
I like the way the author
I wish that
This made me think of
I was surprised
It seems like
I'm not sure
This story teaches
I began to think of