Reviews

Readers often turn to the newspaper and magazines for information about entertainment. In addition to looking for what's happening when and at what price in a given community, readers also want an expert's opinion of the value or worth of an entertainment option. Articles that discuss the quality and value of films, concerts, art exhibits, dance performances, plays, books and even restaurants are called reviews. Because they reflect the individual writer's responses, reviews are written more freely than news articles and are typically highly personal.

A review

• seeks to persuade readers that the subject (book, play, concert, restaurant and the like) is either worthy of their consideration (and money) or not
• introduces the subject by giving an overview and by placing it in a context, including information about the artist or group responsible, the genre, background, kind of food served and the like
• focuses on the most important, most interesting or most thought-provoking ideas for examination
• describes both strengths and weaknesses
• includes needed information (publisher, location, dates, times, phone numbers, cost and the like)
• makes an evaluative recommendation

To write a good review, you must read plenty of good reviews. Many newspapers review books, and there are various review sites on the Internet. You might look at these: Bill's Best Books (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents); Teen Ink: Book Reviews Written by Teens; Teenreads.com; Readers' Club Young Adult Reviews.

Here are links to sites with good advice about writing reviews: How to Write a Literary Book Review and Write a Book Review with Nathan Philbrick. You might also check out Read Write Think: Review Guidelines.

Newspapers publish reviews, including The New York Times, which has a special children's book section that features Young Adult books. Barnes and Noble, Powell's Books, and Amazon all publish reviews (or excerpts of reviews). Indeed, readers like you can publish reviews to some of these bookstore sites.

Exemplars

Follow the links below to reviews of M. T. Anderson's Feed, the interdisciplinary summer reading book.

"Children's Books in Brief: Feed" by Elizabeth Devereaux
"Feed: A Review" by Tracy Gardner, teengrrl.com
"Feed" A Review" by Carly Webber, TeenReads.com