Independent Reading Book Review

Independent Reading Book Review

(Must be attached to back of assignment)

Reading Plan:

I have chosen to read ______

By (author) ______because ______

______

I will set aside time to read (time, place) ______

I should finish this text by (date)______

Book Review Due Date: ______

Student signature: ______Period: ______

Parent signature: ______Date: ______

Book Review Assignment:

Your book review should be at least two paragraphs in length. Use the following guidelines to help write your review.

Paragraph 1:

• Start with an attention grabbing opening. Choose one of the following…
• Start with a question (Ex. Do you like reading books with many twists and turns or action and suspense?)
• Start with a fact about the main character or plot. (Ex. Fighting off tracker jackers and mutant dogs are challenges KatnisEverdean faces in the arena during The Hunger Games.
• Include the title and author
• Mention the main characters, setting, and main conflict.
• Briefly describe parts of the plot (At least two sentences,)
• NEVER tell the ending, but mention the lesson the character learns.

Paragraph 2:

• State your opinion (Don’t say it was interesting or boring. You need to say why or what made it that way.)
• Who would you recommend read this book?
• End with a closing statement. (Ex. If you are looking for a great book to read, pick up ______and start reading today.)

Cover:

• Title, Author, Quote, and Original Picture
• Your name and heading

Unit 1: Stories of Change Independent Reading List

Book Review Rubric

Name: ______Per. ______Date: ______

Book Title: ______

• Includes the title, author, quote from book, and

• Name and heading

• Attention grabbing opening

• Title and author

• Includes main character, setting, and primary conflict

• Briefly describes plot (rising action and climax)

• Does not give away ending. Mentions theme or lesson learned

• Gives opinion and supports with evidence and explanation

• Gives recommendation

• Closing

• Proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar

• Neatness

Comments:

Examples of book reviews to help you with your writing:

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Catherine is an average 12-year-old girl., but it is hard to consider yourself average when your brother, David, has autism. In the novel, Rules by Cynthia Lord, Catherine wants a normal life and to have friends, so she creates “rules” for her brother David to teach him the right way to behave. Some “rules” include “if the bathroom door is closed, knock! (especially if Catherine has a friend over)” and “A boy takes off his shirt to swim, but not his shorts.” For Catherine, David causes embarrassment and this becomes a problem when she tries to become friends with the new girl next door, Kristi. Catherine also meets a boy named Jason who has cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair to get around and uses a communication book to talk. The two become friends, but Catherine has difficulty choosing between Jason’s and Kristie’s friendships. As a result, Catherine learns the true meaning of friendship.

What I loved about this book is that it had realistic problems that many 12-year-olds face. It was also funny in many parts. For example, when Jason and Catherine talk about the speech lady and how Jason can’t stand her. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever been embarrassed by a younger sibling or those who have found themselves torn between two friendships. If this catches your interest, pick up Rules by Cynthia Lords and start reading.

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

Have you ever wanted to look like someone else? Maybe you want a different hair or eye color? For Andrew Marcus, the main character in the novel Freckle Juice by Judy Blume, freckles are what he wants the most. He wants them so badly that he decides to buy a secret formula from Sharon, a classmate, for fifty cents. He then goes home and mixes grape juice, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, juice from one lemon, pepper, salt, ketchup, olive oil, and a speck of onion, and drinks it down hoping to get freckles. The result is only a really bad stomach ache, which keeps him home from school. In this story, Andrew quickly learns not to be so trusting of others and that you should just be happy with what you have.

My favorite part was reading the recipe for freckle juice and thinking this has to be a trick. I also felt that the teacher Miss Kelly was very clever and kind to her students in her class. I would recommend this book to students that have ever been victims of a prank or those that have ever wished they had something someone else has. This book teaches a valuable lesson in the end. If any of this has happened to you or someone you know, try reading Freckly Juice by Judy Blume.