Book Reviews

General Guidelines All reviews must be at least 400 words and no more than 700 words. The purpose of a review is for you to tell others what, in your opinion, to expect. This means that you should tell us what the book, but it also means that we want you to go beyond a simple plot summary. 

Please begin by selecting a book from your library or bookstore. If possible, choose a book that was published within the last year or two. We also like to see reviews of children's classics.  

Read the book carefully and think about what it means to you. We’re not particularly interested in a summary of the story. Instead, we want to know how the characters and situations in the story affect you personally. If there is any part of the story you find especially bad or good, write about that part. Have you had an experience similar to any in the story? If you have, write about your experience and how it compares with the one in the story. Whenever possible, back up the ideas you express in your review with examples from the book. Guidelines: Reviews should be between 400-700 words. The best ones will explore aspects of the poem—what is about? are there images in it? is there rhyme? does it tell a story? are there any unusual words, or any interesting punctuation or spacing? what feeling does it leave you with?—and explain why you like it, perhaps connecting it to an idea or experience you have had, or maybe even another book or poem you have read.