book report diorama examples

Teachnet.com

Creative perspectives on education and classroom management, not your same old book report – dioramas, trioramas, quadramas.

October 26, 2010 Teachnet Staff Language Arts , Reading 0

For some ideas that really make you rethink the concept of three dimensional reports, we’ve pulled together ideas from some of our T2T contributors. Perfect for book reports and author studies, these are bound to make your students go that extra mile when putting together their information. If you have a great idea you’d like to share, simply drop us an email.

Accordion Folded Book from Sharon Brandt 1. Folded a 12 x 18 sheet of newsprint in half long-wise (I call it a hot dog). 2. Open in and fold it in half width-wise (I call it a hamburger). 3. Fold it again while in the hamburger stage. 4. Open hamburger once. 5. Folded part should be by the students’ stomachs. 6. Cut on the middle fold going only so slightly past the next fold. 7. Open it back to the hot dog. 8. Accordion it to make a folded book. Should have about 7-8 pages to use for a book report project. Sizes vary according the size of the paper use.

Book Jackets from Laura B. The 4th grade teacher in our school does a book jacket book report. She has the kids fold the paper like it’s a hard cover book book jacket. On the ‘cover’ they illustrate a cover for their report (this is usually any picture that they want that will describe the story – not the cover of their book). On the inside flap they write a description of the main character. On the inside back flap they write a description of either the setting or the problem (she switches it every now and again). On the back ‘cover’ they write a summary of their story.

Info-spheres from Pamela Udelhofen Materials: Scissors, glue, markers, a length of string, a 9×12 sheet of colored paper, a hole puncher and assorted craft materials 1. You need to create a large (symmetrical) flower with only four petals on the 9×12 sheet. 2. On one petal: Write the title of the book, the author’s name, and your name. 3. On the second petal: Write the name of the main character. Describe this character using three verbs, three nouns, and six adjectives 4. On the third petal: Write a brief summary of the book’s plot. 5. On the last petal: Describe the setting of the book. Use words and/or pictures to tell where and when the story took place. Construction: 1. Carefully cut out the flower. 2. Using a hole puncher, make a hole in the center of the flower. 3. Choose an object from the book that symbolizes the story. Use colored paper and other craft materials to create a figure to represent that object. The figure must be small enought to fit inside the completed ornament. 4. Tie one end of the string to the top of the figure, thread the other end of the string through the hole. 5. Glue the ends of the four petals together by carefully curing each strip around the center figure and then overlapping the tips.

For a quick list of folded paper book report ideas, check out this site from About.com.

Don’t miss our related page, More Ideas Than You’ll Ever Use For Book Reports!

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Book Report Diorama

Skill Level: Beginner

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• FloraCraft® Diorama Kit
• Raffia - Natural
• (20) Toothpicks or Loose Straw
• Paint Marker - White
• 3 1/2" White Sheep
• 5 1/2" Brown Horse
• 2" Pink Pig
• 2" Babe Chick Set
• 1.5" Black Spider
• Scissors 
• Small Rubber Band
• Mechanical Pencil
• Transparent Tape
• (2) Straight Pins
• Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
• Old Newspapers

Instructions

• (Optional: To create a “barn board” look inside Diorama, horizontal or vertical grooves can be made. Hold side panels up against back panels to see that they will run vertically – sides will overlap the top and bottom of the Diorama. Then decide which way you want the grooves to run inside the back and side panels.)
• Place back and both side panels of Diorama on the work surface. Use pencil and ruler to mark and draw vertical or horizontal lines 1/2″ apart. Then go back over the lines pressing with a pencil (with lead retracted) to make grooves.
• Turn over grooved panels (grooved side down). On a newspaper-covered work surface, paint all pieces and edges of Diorama sheets red. Let dry. Turn over pieces and paint tan. Let dry.
• Refer to package instructions to assemble Diorama using tacky glue and toothpicks.
• For the roof, trace half-pattern twice on white cardstock and cut it out. Place roof pieces side by side and use transparent tape on the back to tape them together. Similarly, trace, cut, and tape two red roof pieces—position by centering red on white roof pieces and use tacky glue to spot glue together.
• For the barn door, measure and use scissors to cut a 3 1/2″ x 4″ white rectangle; two 3/8″ x 4 1/2″ white strips; and a 2 1/2″ x 3 1/4″ red rectangle. Position and white glue strips in “X” on the red rectangle and trim excess strips. Center mount and glue red on white rectangles. Position and glue the door to the roof.
• Referring to the photo, use a paint marker to draw a spider web and write the book’s name on the roof. Let dry.
• To attach the roof, squeeze a line of tacky glue along the top front edge of Diorama and position the roof. Use straight pins to hold in place until the glue dries. Then remove pins.
• For barn straw, grasp a bunch of raffia and diagonally cut all at once into 2″ lengths. Scatter straw on the floor of Diorama.
• Use a rubber band to gather the doll’s hair into a ponytail to represent the book’s character—position animals and doll in Diorama. Ask an adult to use a glue gun to glue a spider to the roof.

Click on the pattern to enlarge.

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Tips on Making a Book Report Diorama in a Shoebox

Christopher cascio, 26 sep 2017.

A shoebox diorama represents a scene within the confines of a shoebox. When used as a book report, you can decorate and arrange figures and objects inside of the shoebox to illustrate a scene from the book. Think of the shoebox as a theater stage, and you are the director, prop-master and set designer.

Explore this article

• Capture The Moment
• Draw It Out
• Build from Back to Front
• Use The Lid

1 Capture The Moment

When making a diorama for a book report, it is important you choose a significant scene from the book to display in your diorama. Ideally, you want people who see your project to know which book it is from without being told, or having to read the title. Furthermore, if you capture a moment of action in your scene, it will draw attention and prompt those unfamiliar with your book to ask about what happens next in that scene.

2 Draw It Out

Before you start crafting figures and pasting colored paper to this inside of your shoebox, take the time to make a drawing of what you plan to do. Figure out which objects will go near the front and back and so on, so you don't get to the building stage and realize you don't have enough room for the important parts of your scene. Consider your sketch a blueprint, which will let you try different ideas without having to waste materials and construction time.

3 Build from Back to Front

It is tempting to begin by placing objects and decorations in the foreground of your scene first, because that is what the audience sees first, and the foreground is usually where the action happens. However, it is much easier to paint -- or apply colored -- paper to the background first, followed by any background objects before placing any of the foreground objects or decorating the front of the box.

4 Use The Lid

The lid of the shoebox is an effective tool that can significantly enhance the presentation of your diorama. You can use it as a base to increase the area of the "ground." If it's a hinge-type lid that is connected to the box, you can stand the box on end and use the lid as additional foreground space beside the main box area. You can even use this type of lid to represent space underwater or underground: simply keep the lid attached and place the box near the edge of the table, allowing the lid to drape down in front.

• 1 First Palette: Polar Habitat Diorama
• 2 ABC Teach: Visual Book Report - Diorama
• 3 WonderHowTo: Humanities: How to Craft a Diorama Out of a Shobox

About the Author

Christopher Cascio is a memoirist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and literature from Southampton Arts at Stony Brook Southampton, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in the rhetoric of fiction from Pennsylvania State University. His literary work has appeared in "The Southampton Review," "Feathertale," "Kalliope" and "The Rose and Thorn Journal."

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DLTK's Educational Activities - Book Report Ideas Example Diorama - Charlotte's Web

• Her favorite part:   making the pig
• Her least favorite part:    making the fence
• Her mark:   100%
• acrylic paint (red)
• powerpoint and color printer
• straw colored (natural) raffia
• sculpey clay
• black pom pom
• small wiggly eyes
• Halloween web cotton
• small wooden sticks (like popsicle sticks)
• regular cardboard (ex:  old cereal box)
• green posterboard
• corrugated cardboard (we got ours from the scrapbooking section of the craft store.

The Steps We Took:

You could do this all in one day but we never procrastinate!  It's much more fun (and less stressful) if you do a little each day for a week.  

Day 1:  

• Kaitlyn sketched out her ideas on a piece of paper
• Kaitlyn searched through the "craft cupboard" for what we had on hand and for inspiration.
• Kaitlyn made a list of materials she thought she would need - dividing her list into things we had and things we needed to buy.
• Mommy reviewed Kaitlyn's sketch and materials list.
• Kaitlyn painted the entire outside of the box red to look like a barn (we had the red acrylic paint on hand) after covering the table with newspaper.
• Kaitlyn washed her brushes and tidied the kitchen table -- acrylic paint dries in under an hour, so she was able to tidy up without setting anything aside to dry.
• Kaitlyn and mommy sat down at the computer for a lesson on Powerpoint.
• Mommy designed an entire "background" for the walls of the barn while Kaitlyn watched.
• Mommy deleted everything she'd done (to Kaitlyn's horror *grin*) and then Kaitlyn designed her own background for the walls of the barn while mommy watched.
• Kaitlyn printed her design (about 4 sheets), cut her sheets to fit the "walls" of her barn and glued them to the back and sides (inside).

• Kaitlyn glued wiggly eyes and bits of wool to a black pom pom to make a spider -- everything fell off!
• Kaitlyn and mommy hot glued wiggly eyes and bits of wool to a black pom pom -- this time it worked (hot glue!)
• Kaitlyn hot glued Charlotte to the side of her barn, toward the front.
• at this point we had run out of supplies we happened to have lying around the house so we made a trip to our local craft store to pick up sculpey clay, plasticine, wooden sticks and corrugated cardboard.

• Instruct children to jam their pieces together firmly (so the figure doesn't fall apart after baking  
• Instruct children not to leave any "skinny pieces" sticking out (for example, make sure you push the tail against the body) -- skinny pieces will break off easily
• Instruct the children to make sure the piece stands up before you bake it (make the legs short and stubby, not wobbly and skinny).
• after a lot of trial and error -- mom, dad, grandpa and Kaitlyn managed to build a fence for Wilbur
• Clumps of plasticine were hotglued to the bottom of the shoebox floor
• Kaitlyn pushed her fence sticks into the plasticine to act as fence posts
• The fence cross pieces were hot glued to the fence posts -- everyone got a bit burned during the process (make sure you use a low-temp crafting hot glue gun not a carpentry one so that no one gets seriously injured)
• Daddy sawed two corks in half -- to make four corks half as tall
• Kaitlyn glued a square of cardboard to the four half corks
• Kaitlyn used a very creative swirly painting technique (with red and brown acrylic paint) to decorate her stool.
• She traced her shoebox onto a piece of cardboard and added a "Hip roof" type shape to the top.
• She cut out this cardboard shape and glued it to the back of her shoebox
• Kaitlyn cut a piece of green posterboard (as long a strip as possible) as wide as the shoebox -- she left "tabs" on the posterboard.

• Kaitlyn cut "shingles" from corrugated cardboard.
• Starting from the bottom of the roof, she taped these onto the green posterboard, overlapping each a little so it would look like a shingled roof

• She wrote out her name, the name of the book and author's name and attached this "label" to the front of her project

Print friendly version of these instructions

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Time: 2-3  periods (40 mins/period)

Materials: 

1 shoe box or similar type, construction or crepe papers, color papers, scissors, glue, easy-to-sculpt clay (and other decorative materials that students want to use)

In this project, students are tasked to illustrate the setting or a specific part of the book in the form of a three-dimensional miniature scene. Students will pick a favorite scene from the story they are reading and decide how they want to represent it using the materials given (above) and a variety of design strategies.

Here are some examples of my students’ output:

3D Illustration

Sans molding clay, students can also illustrate the setting in 3D or 2D using card boards or cartons. This one is much easier and faster to do and only requires at least 2 periods but can achieve the same objectives.

Here is an example:

Students will present the projects by describing the scene and/or summarizing the chapter. The illustrations will surely give them a clearer picture of the story.

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What do you think about this activity?  Let’s hear them in the comments!

En101 author, related posts.

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Article comments, kelly jones.

What grade did these above? Thanks.

Melchor Bernardo

Hi Kelly! Those were created by my 7th graders. 😉

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Creative Ways to Use Graphic Novels in the Classroom! 🎥

42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

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10 Beautiful Book Dioramas Putting Your Fourth Grade Project to Shame

Remember when you were in middle school and you made that sweet shoebox diorama of  The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler  or  To Kill a Mockingbird ? Imagine making that project as an adult, with the benefits of fine motor skills and life experience. Well, that project dream has been put into practice. The results are charming, and we have a library and its creative community to thank.

Rochambeau Library in Providence, R.I. hosted the first "Dear Diorama" competition this month, an outreach contest in which adults submitted dioramas of their favorite books. PolicyMic spoke with Matthew Lawrence, an organizer of the event who describes the library as, "an independent non-profit, unlike city-run libraries in most of the country, so on a very basic level we rely pretty heavily on community support." 

"We are really blessed to live in a community like Providence where people really come together to make art," said Ed Graves, regional librarian. "Providence is a great city, but I bet there are libraries in every city that are goldmines, spaces of untapped creative possibility." 

Let's hope so. Scroll on for some enchanting entries.

1. "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

"Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory." - Betty Smith , A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Most of us fall in love with New York through the movies, books, music and other cultural touchstones that make it real for us. This beautiful diorama of  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn  feels both loved and lovely. Check out the details of all those people in their windows.

2. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

"I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald , The Great Gatsby

The diorama for  The Great Gatsby  looks like a punky, precious collage you might have made as a teenager. With the florals, the magazine cutouts and handwritten notes, it feels both familiar and fresh.

3. "Dune" by Frank Herbert

"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.” - Frank Herbert , Dune

Thank goodness for enthusiastic science fiction readers. Dune — that cult classic, politically charged, sci-fi masterwork — was bound to make an appearance in the competition. Showing a Fremen rider guiding a sandworm across Arakkis' desert with a portion of the Litany Against Fear overhead, this diorama is perfection.

4. "The Tin Drum" by Günter Grass

"Granted: I AM an inmate of a mental hospital; my keeper is watching me, he never lets me out of his sight; there's a peep-hole in the door, and my keeper's eye is the shade of brown that can never see through a blue-eyed type like me." - Günter Grass , The Tin Drum

Full of quirky narrators and that fairytale lyricism so prevalent in eastern European culture,  The Tin Drum  is a captivating story. This beautiful diorama by Jill Colinan has detail, texture and imagination galore — just like the book. This diorama won the People's Choice Award of the competition.

5. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

"Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back. It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse." - Sara Gruen , Water for Elephants

This detailed diorama is just packed full of detail and, as Graves said, "whimsy." The story follows members of a circus troupe, touching on themes of love, age, intimacy, trust and secrecy. As viewers, it's lovely to see such meticulousness. It almost looks like a scene from one of those I Spy books we loved as children.

6. "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll

"'But I don’t want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked. 'Oh, you can’t help that,' said the Cat: 'we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.' 'How do you know I’m mad?' said Alice. 'You must be,' said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.'" - Lewis Carroll , Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland is one of those marvelous books that reminds us why we first loved reading. Marketed at children but written to engage an older audience, it's a joy to rediscover in adulthood. This diorama is one of the more technically developed and depicts Absolem talking with Alice.

7. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

"I always order the banned books from a black market dealer in California, figuring if the State of Mississippi banned them, they must be good." - Kathryn Stockett,  The Help

The Help garnered huge critical praise, both as a book and movie. One of the few recent novels to be represented in the "Dear Diorama" competition, this entry steered clear of images of the main characters. Instead, it relied on an understanding of the plot to be recognized — a clever abstraction for a story this popular. 

8. "Watership Down" by Richard Adams

"Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it." - Richard Adams , Watership Down

"In terms of technical wizardry, I have to say Morgan's execution of Watership Down was flawless with the use of the ukelele to construct a subterranean tableau," Graves said of this diorama. We have to agree.

9. "The Crying of Lot 49" by Thomas Pynchon

"But with a sigh he had released her hand, while she was so lost in the fantasy that she hadn't felt it go away, as if he'd known the best moment to let go." - Thomas Pynchon , The Crying of Lot 49

Housed in a hat box and showing that trumpet, this diorama showcases some of the more recognizable symbols of the endlessly detailed modern classic,  The Crying of Lot 49.

10. "We Have Always Lived In the Castle" by Shirley Jackson

"I remember that I stood on the library steps holding my books and looking for a minute at the soft hinted green in the branches against the sky and wishing, as I always did, that I could walk home across the sky instead of through the village.” - Shirley Jackson , We Have Always Lived in the Castle

"Deb Dormody's take on Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle was really stunning, and I overheard two people who didn't even know each other talking about how they'd have to check out the book now," said Lawrence.

This short story is one of Shirley Jackson's strangest and most compelling — and she wrote exclusively strange, compelling and macabre stories. For the competition, it was faithfully reinterpreted in a diorama that maintained the tone of the story and the emphasis on internal narratives.

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Shoe Box Diorama Book Report Template: Perfect for Fiction or Non-Fiction Books

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Students LOVE this Shoebox Diorama Book Report template !  Students pick a fiction or non-fiction book and decorate a shoe box based on it! Students just love this creative book report! Students are responsible for decorating all sides of the box according to directions and putting a creative scene inside that represents the book.

This book report is designed to work with any fiction OR non-fiction book. Page 4 – 6: Fiction and  Pages 7 – 9: Non-Fiction

Shoebox book diorama projects (or shoebox book report dioramas) are perfect for elementary school (1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade & 5th grade) & middle school.

Shoe Box Diorama Book Report product includes:

– Diorama Book Report Project Information (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

– Diorama Planning Sheet  (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

– Grading Rubric, half-page design  (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

– Example Photos of completed projects

– Teacher Notes & Ideas page

Happy teaching!

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