Audience: Your Review Will Be Read by Bookish Teenagers and Their Parents, So You Will

Book Review

Role: You have been hired by a local newspaper to write a book review for a column focused on books for teenagers. Your responsibility as a book critic is to read a book, and to provide a clear overview of the book’s merits and faults, so that others can decide if they would also like to read the book.

Audience: Your review will be read by bookish teenagers and their parents, so you will want to keep your tone fun, but formal.

Purpose: By writing a book review, you will be able to practice and demonstrate your ability to read and comprehend a book on multiple levels. You will also practice developing a claim, or critique. These skills are necessary for writing in multiple genres, and will be practiced many times in this class.

Grading: / Exceeds Expectations
A / Meets Expectations
B / Approaches Expectations
C / Below Expectations
D / Incomplete
F
Content / Review demonstrates a detailed understanding of themes and symbolism present in the book. Presents a clear critique of quality of book based on observations and evidence. / Review demonstrates a clear understanding of the book on its thematic or symbolic level. Provides a clear critique of quality of book based on observations. / Review demonstrates some understanding of the book on its thematic or symbolic level. Provides a critique of book. / Review demonstrates an understanding of the book on a surface/ plot level. Provides personal opinion on the book without critique. / Review demonstrates misunderstanding of the book, or is so vague that is unclear whether book was understood. No critique of book.
Structure / Book review moves smoothly between various required sections. Each section is carefully written with attention to detail. / Review has the following sections complete: introduction, summary, how the work is written, major themes, recommended audience. / Book review attempts to complete all sections, but may struggle to use detail in some. / Book review is missing one section, or it is unclear which sections serve which purpose. / Book review is missing two or more sections.
OR
Book review is only a summary of the text.
Language / Written in a formal, but fun tone. Uses sophisticated vocabulary throughout. Has less than two grammatical errors. / Written in a formal tone. Uses some sophisticated vocabulary. Has less than five grammatical errors. / Attempts to write in a formal tone. Attempts to use elevated vocabulary. Has less than seven grammatical errors that do not interfere with meaning. / Does not write in a formal tone. Written with simplistic word choices. Seven or more grammatical errors that do not interfere with meaning. / Tone is highly informal. Misuses words. Many grammatical errors, or grammatical errors that interfere with meaning.

Book Review Organizer: Use this organizer to take notes on ideas you have. Use the guiding questions to help you compose your review.

Introduction: What is the title and author of the work?
When was it published, and who is the publisher?
Provide a 1-2 sentence overview of the book. / Summary: Who are the main characters?
What is the setting?
What are the major plot points in the book? (without spoilers!)
How the work was written:
How is the book organized? Are there any other special features in the book?
What is the tone of the book?
What type of language is used? What types of sentence structures does the book use?
How do the features described above contribute to the work as a whole? Is the way the book was written effective, or bland?
Major themes and symbolism:
What underlying messages does the book have?
What are the major symbols in the book? What do they mean?
Are these literary devices employed well, or poorly? Make sure to explain how they affect the quality of the book as a whole.
Recommendation: Who should read this book? If you do not recommend this book, explain why and provide an alternate.