GA SUPER READERS
Book Reviews for Kids by Kids
Reaction Recommendations -
FAQS
How long should it be?
Please keep it brief. This is not a book
report. Be very careful not to reveal too many plot details that could spoil the
book for others.
Look at how much information Elizabeth W.
'10 is able to communicate in just one short paragraph:
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an
Unwanted Daughter
Adeline Yen Mah
Elizabeth W. '10
This is a true story about a young Chinese girl named Adeline Yen
Mah. Her mother died giving birth to her and only her mom's sister and grandfather
truly love her. She tries very hard by winning every possible award she can at
school to please her family. You feel the character's feelings while reading this book!
It's very well written! Even though the book is really sad I think many
people will enjoy reading it! It also has a fabulous ending!
What should I write?
The purpose of the reaction is to
communicate your impressions of the book and explain why you recommend it.
Try to find something unique about the
book. The following questions are a guideline:
Why do you think
someone else would like to read this book?
What
"sold" you about this story? How can you express this to other
readers? There is no doubt that Lisa A. '10 loves The Night of the Twisters when she wraps up her
reaction with this rave:
"My reaction to the book is: I love it. I
like books based on true stories because you can learn what other people have gone through
in life and so people can understand how some people who are not as fortunate go through
life. It teaches the people how some people face tragedies and how they survive. I like
how the author uses great description and how she puts so much character in the book. The
detail was great and I felt like I was in the book feeling what they were feeling. I liked
the adventure, the comedy and the action. I recommend this book to everyone. I rate it a
10 (being the highest.)"
What really
appealed to you about the characters? Did you relate to them in any
particular way? Bryn O. '10 explains the character's dilemma in her analysis
of The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods:
"Amanda wants to
change he life because it feels so boring and bland. Also she doesn't even know who she
really is. I recommend this book to people that like to read stories about how your life
changes with decisions."
Have you learned
something important from this book? Voltaire concludes his review of The Giver by observing:
"I highly
recommend this book because it made me realize how lucky we are to be individuals with
free choices."
"I would recommend this
book to girls who enjoy a little bit of humor. There are lots of old fashioned words and
funny remarks made by Ramona and other characters throughout the story."
Have some fun
with your own style. For example, Anna F-M. '10 wraps up her review of The School Story by writing:
"WARNING! Don't read it towards bed
time because you'll be staying up all night long."
Sarah D. '20 uses a similar technique with Beware!
As you can see it is a very effective device:
"If you get this book and start reading, you won't want to put it down until
you have finished the whole book. And when you're finished, you better hope it's not bed
time."
Involve the reader.
Matthew P.'10 does this by posing leading questions at the end of his Janitor's Boy review:
"Jack is in big trouble. How will his dad react when he finds out?
What will be Jack's punishment? What will Jack discover about his dad?
Read the book to find out."
Do you really love a certain
author? This is your chance to promote a writer you feel strongly about.
Alec L. '10, who also reviewed The School Story, raves about Clements in
his final paragraph:
"This is a really great book, one of my
favorites, for several reasons. First of all, it is written by an author I like, Andrew
Clements. He is also the author of Frindle, another awesome book. It also teaches
how hard you have to work to get a book published. Finally, I like this book because
it is about books and I like to read!"
Do you think this
book will appeal to a certain group? Does it have material that you found
particularly interesting or valuable? In his review of Tiger Woods, Andrew S. '10 mentions some of the
detailed sports information that is included in the book.
"The book also has golf etiquette, and almost
all of Tiger Woods' stats. I recommend this book to people who like sports
biographies."
Was the book
moving? Did you experience a strong reaction to the story? Dan B. '10
clues readers into the power of A Bridge to
Terabithia in his last paragraph:
"The book has a lot adventure, such as the
time when Jess and Leslie have a running race in school. This book also has a lot of
sadness. I suggest you find your tissue box before you read this book."
If this is part
of a series, will you be reading further books? When reviewing the Kid Who Ran for President, Dennis X. '10
introduces kids to the sequel:
"If you want
to know what happened afterward, please see my next report on the book of The Kid Who
Became President."
It's a great way to encourage reading. Lots of kids enjoy reading series
fiction. Jennifer S. '10 uses a similar technique in her reaction's conclusion
to Joey Pigza Swallowed a Key:
"Does Joey get sent to the Special Ed downtown? Would this help?
What's really Joey's problem anyway? If you like this book, be sure to read
the second one, Joey Pigza Loses Control."
Here are two samples that former Super
Readers submitted to Summer Reading to give you an idea:
Walk Two Moons
Sharon Creech
Scott L. '08
Walk Two Moons is a great book. It is a very moving story--sometimes sad and sometimes
funny--about Sal, a thirteen-year-old girl who goes on a journey, both literally and
figuratively, to find her mother who has gone away. Cleverly interwoven with the main plot
is another part of the story concerning the main character's friend, Phoebe, and a mystery
surrounding Phoebe's mother's disappearance.
Walk Two Moons is involving both because it is
filled with surprises and therefore is unpredictable, and also because the feelings of all
the characters are realistically described. Though I have never gone through what Sal did,
it was easy to identify with the many things that she felt, from sadness and loss, to
acceptance and peace.
Jackie and Me
Dan Gutman
Andrew L. '08
This book is about a boy named Joe Stoshack, who has the ability to
travel back in time with the help of old baseball cards. In school, Joe's teacher assigns
everyone in the class a report about one black man, who has helped the world be a better
place for blacks. Since Joe loves baseball, he decides to study Jackie Robinson. But
when he goes back to 1947, Jackie's rookie year, Joe's skin turns black! So not only does
Joe learn about Jackie Robinson, but he also learns what it felt like to be hated because
of your skin color.
On a scale from 1-10, I'd rate this book an 11! I like
it because my favorite sport is baseball, and the magic and mystery of time travel make it
very exciting
Why do I have to write in the
present tense?
Even though you may have read a book
last Tuesday, the plot and characters still "live" on. Often people will write
"This book was about.. " or "This book was fascinating..."
Isn't the book still about the same thing? Isn't the book still fascinating?
Maintaining the present tense is one of the hardest thing to do when writing a book
review -- and the thing we need to edit most often.
What if I don't like the book?
If you don't like a Super Readers book put it down
immediately! No - seriously, if you don't like the book after one or two chapters do
not continue. You gave it a fair shake. This is reading for pleasure. You have
so little time to read what you want when you want - we insist that you read
something that you enjoy!
However, sometimes you get to the end of a book and it
is a major disappointment. Be honest about your reaction. Give a truthful
evaluation but remember that, to be helpful, criticism must be respectful.
Katie O. '10 writes an insightful review of The Night Crossing, a book that she
finds problematic. This is how she concludes her reaction:
"The book has some interesting facts but I could always
predict what is going to happen, which makes it boring. The author does not do a
very good job of creating suspense. If you are interested in knowing what life
during WWII read the book, if not I wouldn't recommend it"
Her remarks are fair and well balanced, making the criticism
constructive.
Can I review a book that is
already in the database?
Absolutely! The more the merrier,
as they say. Although we are always thrilled to add new authors and new titles to
the project, it is also fun to see how different readers experience the same story.
We add the latest review to the top of the record and keep all the rest so that you
can read down the complete set. It is fascinating to read all the impressions.
For example, see the varied reactions
to When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Each reviewer
brings out another aspect.
Remember:
The more children read, the better they will read;
the better they read, the more they will want to read.
It's a wonderful cycle!
FAQs
Entry Instructions | Review
"How To" | Sample
Discussions | Discussion
Leader Guidelines
Super Readers Index
Title Index
| Author Index
5th Grade Super Readers
Betty Grant - Lower School Reading Specialist
bgrant@germantownacademy.org
Andrea Owens - Home Page Coordinator, Editor
aowens@germantownacademy.org
Many thanks to:
Charlotte Dean and Barbara Dennis for their assistance 2000-2001
Carolyn Purdy, Editor 2001-2002
Germantown Academy
Fort Washington, PA
Super Readers | Lower
School | GAnet
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