Tips on Writing a Book Review for High School Students
Introduction
Book reviews help readers get a perspective on the literary style, critical analysis, and the author’s profile before they decide to buy/rent a book. These reviews are necessary for readers to make a choice, considering the number of books that are being published and were published. According to recent statistics, the USA book publishing industry is a $25 billion per year business.
Therefore, writing book reviews is a part of the English homework that nearly all high school students in the US start getting in the 9th grade, also called the freshman year. It’s an essential part of the academic curriculum for fostering critical thinking and improving writing skills..
Common mistakes students make while writing book reviews
Books are integral to a student’s curriculum in the USA. It is estimated that around 900 million books are sold in the USA each year. Students should not just pick and choose their favourites when writing book reviews. These reviews should be devoid of bias and must be crisp and succinct. Students can be inexperienced and impatient while writing a book review, which is why they may be prone to making mistakes.
In the introduction, we answered a common question, ‘what is a book review?’ Now, let’s look at some possible mistakes in writing reviews.
Making the review too lengthy
Putting too much focus on the plot of the book
Repeating arguments that have been made before
Forgetting to give a proper rating to the book
Not focusing on the author’s profile
Making the review too verbose
Now, let’s look at some tips that can teach students to write a good book review.
Structure your review
The book review must have a cohesive structure that the student must keep in mind while reading the book. Book reviews come in all shapes and sizes, so there is no specific format that the students must follow while writing one.
However, if a student is entirely new to writing a review, here is a beginner’s book review format they can follow.
Start with the summary
Say some things about the plot but be discreet about any spoilers
Talk about the book’s strengths and weaknesses
Talk about your opinion of the book
Give a rating at the end to help the reader make a choice
Start with summarizing the book
As a general rule, avoid writing about any spoilers. If there is still an absolute necessity, it is always wise to add a ‘Spoiler Alert’ at the top. Instead of revealing the spoiler, say ‘the book has an unexpected climax.’ Try to find a way to write about the plot without revealing essential details.
Keep the summary light and to the point. Talk about the genre of the book; if it is part of a series, its length, what might keep the reader glued to it, and so on.
Talk about what you like
Remember that it is the writer’s (in this case, the student’s) book review at the end of the day. The review is not about flattering the author or impressing an audience, but about what the book reviewer felt and thought after reading the book.
Make sure to include points that show your perspective. Talk about the minor details: a quote in the book, a character you liked, the literary style of the article, the narrator, etc.
Avoid any self-flattery
Many writers tend to indulge in self-flattery while writing a book. TS Eliot, the famous poet and author, often resorted to using allusions in his literary work. Some commented that it was his way of showing that he was a voracious reader and a knowledgeable person.
But as a rule, try to avoid any self-praise by quoting books that have no relation with the book review whatsoever. Make it less about you and more about the motive of the book review, which is to help readers know what they will be signing up for if they decide to read the book.
Do not forget to give a rating
Book review ratings are highly underrated. If you decide to visit a restaurant, you will check how the food and the ambiance are rated beforehand. Similarly, book reviews help the prospective reader check out its ratings before making a purchase. Hence, do not forget to include a rating out of five or a multiple of five to make it easy to understand.
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