Tips on Choosing a Good BookTips on Choosing a Good Bookand

Writing a ReviewWriting a Review

Need suggestions on how to choose a good book? You will have to write a review of a book you have read.

The following two-part slide show will offer suggestions.

Part One:SuggestionsSuggestionsfor Choosingfor Choosinga Good Booka Good Book

Part Two:Tips on WritingTips on Writing

Good BookGood BookReviewsReviews

Think about the books you have read in the past.

Think of one you especially enjoyed.

Decide what kind of book it was.

MysteryRealisticFiction

ScienceFiction

Nonfiction

Fantasy Other

Search for other books that fit in the category you like.

If you have a favorite author, search for other books by this author.

Do you have access to the Internet?

If so, there are lots of great sites that provide book reviews. Search the World Wide Web to find these sites and read on-line book reviews. You many find a book that is of interest to you using this method.

Still need help?

Ask a friend for a suggestion.

Ask your teacher for help.

Ask the librarian for advice.

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Once you have found a good book, it is time to relax. Read and enjoy the wonderful adventure that awaits you!

You have completed reading your novel. The next step is to write a review of the novel you read. Some tips to keep in mindwhen writing your review follow.

If you put off writing it, you will forget what your book was about.

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR NOTES.

Title of Title of bookbook

AuthorAuthor

MainMainCharactersCharacters

PlotPlot

SettingSetting

ConclusionConclusion

YourYourrecommendationrecommendation

Arrange your notes in the order in which you will write your paragraphs.

• The first paragraph should be the introductory paragraph. It should include the Title of the Book, Author’s Name, Setting, and the Main Characters.

• The body of the review should consist of two or three paragraphs briefly explaining what the novel was about. The body should be between the introductory paragraph and the concluding paragraph.

• The last paragraph should be the concluding paragraph. It should include your opinion of the book, as well as your recommendation to others.

Now you are ready to write your first draft. Remember, this is a draft. This is your “working paper” and is not expected to be perfect. You will write the draft, and then make any necessary changes to it before submitting it as your “end product”.

Once you have finished your first draft, it is time to make revisions. This is very important! Follow these suggestions.

• Try reading your paper out loud to see if it makes sense.

• Did you include the necessary information?

• Does the paper flow smoothly in a sequential order?

• Did you vary your sentence length? Did you use different sentence beginnings? Did you use appropriate vocabulary?

• If you need to add anything to make it better, now is the time to do that. Also, take out, or delete, anything that needs to be taken out.

After you have completed revising your paper, now is the time to proofread and edit your paper. Ask yourself the following questions:

Use a dictionary, or thesaurus, to helpUse a dictionary, or thesaurus, to helpyou with this step!you with this step!

• Did I use correct grammar throughout my paper?

• Are all my sentences capitalized correctly, and have I used correct punctuation throughout my paper?

• Do I have any fragments or run-on sentences?

• Are all my words spelled correctly?

IMPORTANT TIP:

Remember, your assignment is writing a book review. Be sure to check to see that you have capitalized and punctuated the Title of the Book, Author’s name, and the Characters names correctly in your introductory paragraph.

EXAMPLE:

• Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

• The main characters in the novel were Mr. and Mrs. Popper, Janie, Bill, Captain Drake, and the penguins.

If you have followed all the steps, you are now ready to write your final copy. The final copy is supposed to be the polished piece! It should have no errors, as this is the copy you submit for all to read.

You are now ready to turn in your final copy. Follow the guidelines I have given you. Type your book review and print out one copy for me.

The purpose of this two-part slide show is to provide suggestions for choosing a good novel, and to provide suggestions for writing a book review. The suggested steps for writing a book review can be adapted to fit any writing assignment. The last slide of this presentation will provide a basic list of the writing process steps to be followed in any writing assignment.

• Determine the reason, or purpose, for writing.

• Jot down notes and develop a basic outline of your ideas.

• Write your first draft. Be sure to begin the draft with an introductory paragraph to let your readers know what the paper is going to be about.

• Be sure to “end” your paper. Don’t just stop. This is the conclusion part of your paper.

• Revise your draft. Be sure to add in or take out whatever is necessary to make your paper flow smoothly and make sense.

• Proofread and edit your draft. Use a dictionary or thesaurus.

• Write your final copy.

• Recheck final copy to be sure it is correct.

• Turn in your “finished product” in the form requested by the teacher.

Return to first slide.Return to first slide.

HappyHappy Writing!Writing!