Ask your child to read her favorite book. After your child has finished reading the book, you can ask her to write a book report. Ask her to use paper and a pencil and identify the important plot points. He should ask himself questions, such as: "who, what, when, where, why, and how."
Read the book report together. Ask your child to reduce the length of the report by half and focus on only the most important aspects of the book.
Read the new report. Ask the child rewrite the report, so that it comprises only two paragraphs. This teaches the child to be selective in what she writes. She only needs the bare essentials to explain the plot of the book.
Assign a new book report that is only one paragraph long. Ask the child what is the most relevant information about the book. Once she has provided the necessary information, ask the child to rewrite the essay and condense it into three sentences.
Read the three sentences and ask the child to summarize her favorite book in one line. Ask what the entire book is about and how she can sum up its essence in one phrase.