Your child will read a book and write a review that includes a short summary, their thoughts on the book, and a rating.
Learning Area(s): Language and Communication; Reading and Writing
MATERIALS
- notebook or a few sheets of paper stapled together
- book
- pen or pencil
- crayons, markers, or colored pencils
LET'S PLAY
Before the activity, you or your child can write “My Book Reviews” on the cover of the notebook.
Describe a book review to your child. “Sometimes when you read a book, you really want to tell people what it’s about and what you thought of it. A book review is one way you can do that. When you review a book, you give your opinion of it. You can write your book reviews in this notebook. Which book should we review first?” Invite your child to choose a familiar book.
Walk your child through writing a review of a favorite book. (Optional: Leave some space at the top of the page so that your child can draw a picture.)
“The first thing you should do is write the title and author of the book.” If your child doesn’t remember, have them copy the title and author’s name from the cover of the book. Assist as needed.
Example: Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
“A book review starts with a very short summary. You don’t want to retell the whole book because then the person doesn’t need to read it! Before you write, let’s talk about the book. What is this book about?” Help your child come up with one or two sentences to describe the general idea of the book. It can be about the characters, major events, or the setting. Remember not to give away the ending!
Example: A boy throws a taco party for his dragon friends, but an accident happens when the boy misses a detail on the salsa label.
“Next, you can say what you think about the book. You can say what you liked or didn’t like, how it made you feel, something you learned, or who else might like to read it.”
Example: Anyone who loves tacos or dragons will probably like this silly book! It was so funny to see dragons eating tacos! I felt bad for the boy when the accident happened and he taught me to read very carefully.
“Last, give the book a rating. Draw five stars if you loved it and will read it again. Draw four stars if you like it. Draw three stars if it was just okay. Draw two stars if it wasn’t very good. Draw one star if you didn’t like it at all.”
Example: ★★★★★ Love this book!
(Optional: “Now draw a picture of your favorite part of the book.”)
When your child has completed their book review, have them read it aloud. If they want to make any changes, provide assistance as needed. Encourage your child to add more reviews to their notebook as they read new books!
TIPS
- Leave the review journal displayed somewhere in your home so that family members and visitors can read your child’s book reviews.
- This type of activity can be challenging for some children because their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills are still developing. Provide opportunities for your child to practice doing book reviews with you or an older sibling.
- Encourage your child to sound out the words they are trying to write. It’s okay if they spell some words incorrectly! If your child isn’t comfortable writing, you can write down what they say.
- If the five-star system is difficult for your child, they can rate books with a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” instead.
- You can visit the Spaghetti Book Club to read reviews written by other children to give your child ideas of what to write.