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A BIG THANKS to all who responded to my question about writing a book
review.  I hope that this information will be helpful to others.  Kay

Dan Robinson
H.W. Wilson Company
Bronx, NY
drobinson@info.hwwilson.com
Here are the guidelines. GraceAnne gives you permission to post it as a HIT
or pass it on, but asks that you keep her sig attached as it is her own work.
How to Write a Decent Book Review
I have been reviewing books for almost twenty-five years-- I wrote
my first book review for the November 1973 issue of Library Journal.
I reviewed for LJ for 19 years, until I became editor of Wilson
Library Bulletin. I currently review children's books for Kirkus and
children's and adult books for Booklist. I have also reviewed for
other publications, most notably The New York Times Book Review
(1983-84). Here are some thoughts on what I have learned.

1. Read the whole book. That is the very least you owe the author.
You can't make a judgment on what they have done until you know all
of it.

2. Review the book in front of you, not the book you wish they had
written. You can and should point out shortcomings or failures, but
don't criticize the book for not being something it was never
intended to be.

3. Don't review in genres with which you are uncomfortable. There is
no point in having a science fiction hater review sf, or someone who
doesn't read romances review them.

4. Think clearly about who the audience for the review is. Is this
another librarian who wants to know if s/he should buy the book for
their collection? Is this a parent who wants a good read-aloud? Is
this review for patrons looking for information on a particular
topic, or for patrons searching for a good read?

5. If possible, compare the book to others in the genre or field of
study. That helps any reader.

6. Criticize clearly and specifically but gently. A bad book takes
as long to write as a good one, and each book is somone's baby. But a
reviewer is charged to make a critical judgment, and fails if s/he
does not do so.

7. Know the guidelines of your reviewing medium. Some don't want
plot summaries at all; some insist on them. Some want you to say
outright if you are recommending a book, others don't.

8. Be precise in your language. If this is the best book you have
ever read, say so, and say why. If it is yet another nice little book
on a nice little topic, say that, too. Find the words to say what you
mean: the author did, and so should you.

9. Don't be cowed by a famous name. Even famous writers sometimes do
mediocre books.

10. Don't review books by people you know, or love, or hate. It
isn't fair. Only review a book once; do not review the same title for
more than one venue. This ensures that people who are looking for
multiple reviews with multiple opinions will actually get them.

Enjoy! Reviewing is great fun, and deeply rewarding. It puts another
spin on always having your nose in a book. And it is a kick to see a
quote from your review on the back of the paperback.

GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Blue Roses Editorial and Web Consulting
Bronx, NY
ladyhawk@well.com
www.well.com/user/ladyhawk/gadhome.html


Randall M.
Lakeland, FL
The Writer, October 1996,"Becoming a book reviewer" by JoAnn C. Gutlin, p.18-20.


Yapha Nussbaum Mason                       Brentwood School
Library Media Specialist                   Los Angeles, CA
Yapha_Mason@bwscampus.com
If you are looking for books for adults on how to review books, Kathleen
Horning has a fantastic book out that is called _Cover to Cover_. I saw it
in paperback at a bookstore yesterday. It was reviewed in the Professional
Reading section of the March School Library Journal.


Marilyn Rose
Edgemont Elementary, Provo, UT
marilynr@psdunix.provo.k12.ut.us
I didn't respond before because I don't feel qualified to tell you how
to do one; therefore, I went to the Internet and found this site that
looks like what you are looking for
http://gopher.acadiau.ca:70/0/libinfo/Acadia%20University%20Library%20
Guides/arts/Howto


Alice H. Yucht
Library Management/Information Skills consultant
Highland Park, NJ
AliceInfo@aol.com
You didn't say *why* you need to info on how to write book reviews, and that
affects the kind of book review to be written.  Are these:
-- reviews written for professional journals
-- reviews written for local media
-- reviews for a local book discussion group
-- reviews done by students as an assignment
-- reviews of childrens' books, nonfiction, reference materials, adult
reading, professional resources?
Here's a generic framework/outline I use, and teach my students (middle
school, grad school, etc.) to use: (Note: this is from my new book *FLIP IT!
for Information Skills*, Linworth, 1997.)
Rather than a simple recital of the plot details, this framework requires
much more critical thinking, and also requires the reviewer to examine both
content and process of the product.
FOCUS:  What this book is really about:
Basic theme or subject of the book
Main characters and their problem(s), and/or
Issues to be resolved/examined
LAYOUT: How the text of the book is structured:
Arrangement, organization, layout
Fiction:
Standard genre characteristics used
Plot summary (no more than 5 key events)
Literary form used
Nonfiction:
What kind -- if any -- pictures are there?
Chapters?    Table of Contents?   Index ?
Authority, bibliography of resources used?
Point of view
Packaging details:
Cover illustration
Size/format of publication
IMPACT:   What makes this particular book so interesting:
Unusual ideas, setting, or subject
Personal reactions
New things you learned from this book
PASSING IT ON:  Who else would be interested in this book, and why.
Other books on this topic, in this series, by this author.
How you would rate this book -- example:  is it:
                a six-shiver mystery
                a four-handkerchief sob story
                a 20/20 exclusive
                a newsflash headline
I hope this helps.   You may repost it, if necessary, but please make sure
to give me credit.



Eileen Joyce   ejoyce@awod.com
Graduate Student, Davis College of Library and Information Science
University of South Carolina
This article was handed out to me in a YA lit class:  Farrington, Jan.
"A Time to Judge:  How to Write a Book Review",  WRITING! Feb 91. pp.4-11.


Laura E. Linton
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
University of Washington, Seattle
I got a bibliography from my professor on reviews and reviewing but I
don't know if the articles will meet your needs.  Some are studies, others
critique the reviews.  The best I can do is include the list at the bottom
and let you check them out.  I normally would do it before I gave it to
you but I have 3 projects due in the next three days.  See if the list
below helps you any, if any of them suit your need.
(Bibliography prepared by Carol A. Doll, professor, University of
Washington, Graduate School of Library and Information Science.)
Avi.  "Review the Reviewers?"  School Library Journal, March 1986, p.
114-155.
Broderick, Dorothy  M. "Fiction:  Reality or Ideology?"  VOYA, October
1990, p. 203-204.
Busbin, O Mell and Susan Steinfirst.  "Criticism of Artwork in Children's
Picture Books:  A Content Analysis."   Journal of Youth Services in
Libraries, Spring 1989, p. 256-266.
Carter, Betty, and Karen Harris.  "The Children and the Critics:  How Do Their
Book Selections Compare?"  School Library Media Quarterly, 10:54-58 (fall
1981).
Craver, Kathleen W.  "Block Reviewers:  An Empirical Portrait."  School
Library Media Quarterly, Fall 1984, p. 383-409.
 Sherry R.  "The Reviewing of Controversial Juvenile Books:  A
study."  School Media Quarterly, Winter 1986, 14:83-86.
Doll, Carol A.  "Which Book Will Win the Caldecott?"  Publishing Research
Quarterly, Fall 1991, p. 77-90.
Gerhardt, Lillian.  "Pre-Censorship."  School Library Journal, July 1993,
p. 4.
Grover, Robert and Sharon Gonzalez.  "A Study of Children's Film Reviews."
Top of the News, Spring 1981, 37:248-257.
Hearne, Betsy.  "Reviewing and Criticism:  A World of Difference."
BookList, September 1, 1978, p. 46-48.
Kennemer, Phyllis K.  "Reviews of Fiction Books:  How they Differ."  Top
of the News, Summer ,1984, 40:419-423.
"Killing Books Softly:  Reviewers as Censors."  School Library Media
Journal, September 1990, p. 155-162.
Marantz, Kenneth.  "The Picture Book as Art Object:  A Call for Balanced
Reviewing."  Wilson Library Bulletin, October 1977, p. 148-151.
Serebnick, Judith.  "Book Reviews and Selection of Potentially
Controversial Books in Public Libraries."  Library Quarterly, October
1981, 51:390-409.
Stewig, John Warren.  "Picture Books:  What Do Reviews Really Review?"
Top of the News, Fall 1980, 37:83-87.
Weber, Rosemary.  "The Reviewing of Children's and Young Adult Books in
1977."  Top of the News, Winter 1979, 35:131-137.
Witucke, Virginia.  "A Comparative Analysis of Juvenille Book Review
Media."  School Media Quarterly, Spring 1980, 8:153-160.
Witucke, Virginia.  "The Performance of Juvenille Book Review Media."
Serials Reviews, Spring 1982, 8: 49-55.
Kay Ellis
Library Media Specialist
Hannibal High School
kellis@hannibal.k12.mo.us


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