Writing a great book review!

A book review is both a description and an evaluation of a book.  At the end of reading your book review, we should know WHY you think the book is important (or, in some cases, not important), HOW WELL you think the author has presented his/her ideas, and WHETHER OR NOT this book would be something others should read. 

Before beginning to read, consider the following:

  1. Title - What does it suggest about the story?  Make notes about why you think the author titled a book in a certain way.
  2. Cover art – Does the cover art reveal something important about the book?  What do you expect from the book based on the cover art?  Do you think the cover art is effective?  This is a fun place to make predictions about the book.
  3. Chapter titles (if applicable) - Tells you how the book is organized and will aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they are developed.  Do the chapter titles keep you interested in the story?  Why or why not?

ALL of the above impressions can be helpful when writing your book review.  Keep notes on what first impressions you have of your book. 

While reading, take notes on the following ideas:

  1. What is the genre of the book?  Is it:

                  --fiction (science fiction, romantic fiction, a western, historical fiction, a young adult book, a novel from a series

                 such as Lemony Snicket or Harry Potter)

                  --nonfiction (history, science, sports, music, biography, autobiography)--remember, nonfiction is  based on real events and real people

                  --poetry (what kind?  riddles, limericks, haiku?  If you don't know, ask Mrs. Gann or Mrs. Hanlon to help you)

                  --drama (short plays, full-length plays)

  1. From what point of view is the work written? (who in the book is doing the speaking?  First person, second person, third person?)
  2. What is the author's style? Is it formal or informal? Does it suit the intended audience? If a work of fiction, what literary devices does the author use?
  3. If a work of fiction, make notes on such elements as character, plot, and setting, and how they relate to the theme of the book. How does the author delineate his characters? How do they develop? What is the plot structure?
  4. If the book is nonfiction, how accurate is the information in the book? Check outside sources if necessary.
  5. Are there maps or illustrations in the book? Do they aid understanding?
  6. Finally, what has the book accomplished?  Was this book satisfying to read?  Would you recommend it to a friend?  Who else would be interested in reading it and why (or why not?)

After reading, put all your notes together and use the writing process that you already know and love to create a book review in essay form.

Your book review will be in essay form and MUST include the following:

  1. Introductory paragraph- Try to capture the reader's attention with your opening sentence. The introduction should state your central thesis about the book.  Remember, your introduction sets the tone of the review.
  2. Paragraph development (as many paragraphs as you need...three is always a magic number) - Develop your main idea about the book using supporting examples from the book itself. Use description, evaluation, and if possible explanation of why the author wrote as he/she did. If necessary, use quotations from the story to illustrate important points about the book.
  3. Concluding paragraph - If your review has been clearly written, the concluding paragraph will “wrap up” your ideas. It can include a final assessment of the book or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new material at this point.
  4. You must also include the following information about the book:

                  1.  Author’s name

                  2.  Year published (in parentheses)

                  3.  Title of book

                  4.  Publisher and city of publication

I want your information about the book to look like this:

Silverstein, S. (1974).  Where the sidewalk ends.  Harper and Row:  New York.

NAME            (YEAR)      TITLE                          PUBLISHER               CITY

I should be able to walk into any library or bookstore and find your book from your bibliographic information.

Info for this page courtesy of:  http://library.queensu.ca/inforef/bookreview/write_review.htm

Helpful websites:

http://www.lkwdpl.org/study/bookrep/

http://www.infoplease.com/homework/wsbookreporths.html

What does this do

I am really interested in reviewing the theme overheads we did in class!

I want to read some real-life book reviews!