How to Write a Book Review for School

Whether you are in middle school, high school or college, one of your teachers is going to assign you to write a book review. Book reviews basically summarize the text that you have been assigned to read and offers your opinion of the book. Here I will give you the basic "how to" tips to write a successful book review for your school assignment. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A book or textbook
• Pen and paper
• Computer

1. Write a statement that tells what you are reviewing in the first paragraph. This paragraph will be 4 to 5 sentences long and will list what you are reading, who wrote it, and where and when it was published. The last sentence should state your opinion of some aspect of the book. This is your Main Idea.

2. Write a sentence that supports (or backs up) your opinion, the main idea. Use details from the book to clarify your first support point. This will be your second paragraph and should also be four to five sentences.

3. Put your second support point in the third paragraph. Again, use as many details from the book to support your Main Idea and make the paragraph 4 to 5 sentences.

4. Add your third and final supporting point to the fourth paragraph. Back up your support point with details from the book.

5. Sum up all 3 supporting points in the fifth paragraph. Here you will also restate your Main Idea (your opinion) with extra insight.

Tips & Warnings

• Think of the book review as a movie preview. Watch a movie preview and you will notice how they serve up only the main points of the movie!
• Use transitional words such as first, next and finally to begin each paragraph.
• Double-space your Book Review unless your teacher has told you differently.
• Don’t use a super-sized font. Unless told otherwise, use only a 12-point font.

Resources

• More on book reviews
• More tips on book reviews

[grouch]

on 12/21/2007 Very good details. I liked that you outlined exactly where every thing needs to be. Wonderful way to make your ideas stick.