Take notes. If you're reading and you come across a piece of text that strikes you in some way, or that really epitomizes the message of the book, mark the text with a temporary stick-on tab. Colored ones like the ‘Post-it’ tape flags that are easily removed. Don’t draw or underline directly in the book. A teacher who sees the colored tabs sticking out of an assigned book will know you are really working on the text. You can also copy the text onto an index card or in a notebook, along with any reactions, insights, or questions you may have.