Writing a good book review, one that doesn’t spoil the book for potential readers but also provides enough information so that they can work out if it interests them, is not easy. Too many times a book review ends up being a synopsis of the plot and doesn’t answer the question: why did you like/dislike the book? Ultimately reviews are a great ay to get readers talking about books.
Below are a few resources that provide guidelines for a good book review. However, its a good idea to think outside the box – not all reviews need to be written in a standard format.
Some ideas are:
- Create a blog
- Create a vlog. Readers who don’t enjoy writing might enjoy filming their reviews. They can either film themselves reviewing a book or use multimedia to share their ideas, maybe in the form a book trailer.
- Set up a twitter review – can readers review a book in 140 characters?
- get your readers to ‘sell’ their favourite book to their peers using a Speed Dating format.
- Ask them which three books would they take to a desert island and why. Find a postcard template and get them to put there ideas on it – it can be run as a competition.
Book Trust – a sensible guideline for writing good book reviews
Stylist – more advice on how to write an interesting book review
The Guardian – advice about writing book reviews, aimed at children
Book Trust – advice for teenagers on how to start a blog for reviewing books
Blog which provides information on how to create a book trailer.
The Reading agency – check out their Reading Hack website for different ways to get involved with YA books and for different ways to review books
