Reading journal ideas: 40 pages to track, review and remember what you read

It’s easy to finish a book on Sunday and have forgotten the main character’s name a month later. A reading journal keeps the books you read from blurring together.

It can be as simple as a list of titles and dates, or as full as a review for every book, a page of favorite lines and a hand-drawn bookshelf that fills up through the year. Here are 40 ideas to pick from.

A reading journal records what you read and what you thought of it. Good reading journal ideas include a reading log, a to-be-read list, a one-page review for each book, a favorite quotes page, a yearly stats spread and a bookshelf you color in as you finish each title. Start with a log and one review.

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Quick takeaways

• 40 ideas in four groups: tracking pages, review pages, reading prompts and creative spreads.
• A reading log (title, author, date finished) is the one page every reading journal needs.
• A short review per book beats a long one you never write. Rating, favorite line and one sentence is enough.
• Save your favorite lines in one place so you can find them again.
• The review card above can be printed and glued or tucked into your journal.

What should I put in a reading journal?

Put three things in a reading journal: a log of what you’ve read, a short review of each book and the lines you want to keep. Add a to-be-read list and a stats page if you like tracking. Everything else is optional decoration.

The log is the backbone: title, author, date finished and a rating. It takes a minute per book and makes the rest of the journal easy to navigate. Reviews and quotes add the part you’ll enjoy rereading. If you only do one thing, do the log.

Book tracking page ideas

Book tracking pages record what you read and when: a reading log, a to-be-read list, monthly and yearly stats, a genre tally and a list of books you didn’t finish. They take a few minutes to set up and show your reading habits at a glance by the end of the year.

1. Reading log: title, author, date started, date finished, rating.
2. To-be-read list, with where you heard about each book.
3. Monthly stats: books finished, pages read, favorite of the month.
4. Year in books: every cover drawn small on one spread.
5. Genre tally: a mark for each book under fiction, memoir, history and so on.
6. Did-not-finish list, with the page you stopped on and why.
7. Library tracker: what’s borrowed and when it’s due back.
8. Reading challenge page: your goal for the year and a box to fill for each book.
9. Borrowed and lent: who has your books and whose books you have.
10. Authors you’ve read, with a tick for each book by them.

If you’d rather print these than draw them, the reading journal template makes a book log, a year of 52 spines, a to-be-read list and more, in US Letter or A4.

Book review page ideas

Book review pages capture what you thought of each book: a rating, a favorite line, a one-sentence verdict and who you’d recommend it to. The simplest review fits on a single card. Longer layouts add character maps, plot summaries and questions you’d ask the author.

11. One-page review: rating, favorite line, one sentence and who should read it.
12. Mood rating: how the book made you feel, as a color or weather symbol.
13. Character map: names, relationships and one word for each.
14. The plot in five sentences, no more.
15. First line and last line, copied side by side.
16. Book versus film: which was better and why.
17. Reread notes: what changed since the first time you read it.
18. Three questions you’d ask the author.
19. What you’d change about the ending.
20. A letter to a character.

Reading journal prompts

Reading journal prompts help you write about a book beyond whether you liked it: what it reminded you of, what surprised you, which character you’d avoid at a party and what you’ll remember in a year. Answer one or two after each book.

21. What will you remember about this book in a year?
22. Which character are you most like, and which would you avoid?
23. Where were you and what was happening in your life while you read it?
24. What surprised you?
25. Which scene would you read again first?
26. What did this book change your mind about, even slightly?
27. Who gave you this book, or where did you find it?
28. What would you tell a friend who’s about to start it?
29. What’s one thing you looked up because of this book?
30. What do you want to read next because of it?

Favorite lines deserve their own home. A commonplace book is the classic way to keep them, sorted by topic so you can find them again.

Creative reading journal spreads

Creative reading journal spreads turn your reading into something you want to look at: a bookshelf you color in as you finish books, a redrawn cover, a map of the book’s setting or a playlist for a character. They take longer, so save them for favorite books.

31. A bookshelf of empty spines to color in and label as you finish each book.
32. Redraw the cover the way you’d have designed it.
33. A color palette taken from the book’s mood.
34. A map of the setting, drawn from the descriptions.
35. A playlist for the main character.
36. A mood board of images cut from magazines.
37. A receipt-style review: each “item” is something the book gave you.
38. The book’s ticket stub: date, place and “seat” where you read it.
39. A bookmark you make and tape into the page after finishing.
40. A year-end award page: best book, best character, best line, most overrated.

If you like the look of these, the junk journal ideas have more ways to build pages from scraps, tickets and receipts.

How do you start a reading journal?

Start a reading journal with any notebook: set up a reading log on the first page and a to-be-read list on the second, then write a short review after each book you finish. Add other pages when you want them. A plain lined or dotted notebook is enough.

1. Pages one and two: reading log and to-be-read list.
2. After each book: a review card, even if it’s three lines.
3. Back pages: favorite quotes, so they’re all in one place.
4. End of the year: a stats page or awards page.

For other kinds of journal to keep alongside it, see the types of journaling guide.

Reading journal FAQs

What is the difference between a reading journal and a book journal?

They’re the same thing. Both record what you read, what you thought and what you want to remember. Some people call a pre-printed version with set pages a book journal and a blank notebook a reading journal, but the contents overlap.

How do you write a book review in your journal?

Keep it short: a star rating, one favorite line, one sentence on what you thought and who you’d recommend it to. You can add more on books you loved. The card at the top of this page follows that format.

Do you need a special notebook for a reading journal?

No. Any lined, dotted or blank notebook works. Pre-printed reading journals save setup time but limit how you lay out each page. A cheap notebook you’re not afraid to fill is the best one.

Should I keep a reading journal for books I didn’t finish?

Yes, briefly. A did-not-finish list with the page you stopped on and why is useful later, when you wonder whether to try the book again.