Have you read an interesting book and want to share your opinions about it?
Just follow the guidelines below – it is that simple!
Reviews may be emailed directly to Mr Ian Thornton or Mrs Barbara Brown, composed in Word and sent as an attachment. Please include “Review of …” in the subject line of your email.
Reviews should be about 250 words and be proof-read and edited before submission
Reviews must include the Title, Author, Publisher and Date of Publication at the beginning and a brief synopsis of the story. If the book clearly fits a particular genre, please indicate this. A personal opinion should also be given with a supporting statement. For example, “I really enjoyed this book because ….” or “This book did not appeal to me because …”
Consideration should be given to:
- Plot
- Are you hooked from the very beginning?
- Can you feel the atmosphere the author is trying to create?
- Is the subject and the action appropriate for someone of your age?
- Could you put yourself in the story?
- Is the plot plausible and easy to follow?
- Do all the parts fit together to make a whole?
- Does it keep you interested all the way through?
- Does the story build to a climax?
- Are you waiting for the climax?
- Is there a satisfying ending?
- Is it hard to put the book down?
- Characters
- Are the characters credible?
- Can you picture them in your mind?
- Do they have a real personality?
- Can you form a bond with them?
- Do you care about what happens to them in the end?
- Are the relationships between them realistic?
- Are the things they do in keeping with their personalities?
- Do you feel like you are part of the adventure?
- Is the dialogue realistic and natural and appropriate to the character?
- If they were real, would they be the sort of people you would like to have as friends? Why?
- Purpose
- Is the purpose of the story merely to entertain you?
- Is the author trying to convey a message between or beyond the lines of the story?
- Is this subtle or does it intrude on the entertainment?
- How does the author’s bias influence his/ her writing?
- What did you learn by reading this story?
- Does the story leave you with issues you want discussed or questions you would like answered?
- What are the main issues raised?
- Are they appropriate for the intended audience and the format of the book?
- If you could talk to the author, what opinions would you offer about the issues raised? What other questions would you have?
- Illustrations
- Quality of the illustrations, if any, and their integration with the text
- How do the pictures help the reader understand the story?
- Do they help to build up a sense of atmosphere and anticipation?
- Has the illustrator used any special media or techniques for the illustrations?
- How do these enhance the story?
- Is there a story within the illustrations, as well as the text?
- Would the cover catch your eye if you were browsing in a bookstore or library?
- Readability
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- Is the language appropriate for the audience?
- Is the language rich and original and interesting?
- Are the words used well to build up the atmosphere and to create images in your mind?
- Does the language and sentence structure contribute to the atmosphere?
- Is the style and size of print easy to read?
- Does the layout assist the reader?
- Is it a read-aloud, read-along or read-alone book?
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