Book Review Guidelines - Nonfiction
7th grade English
Directions:
Each month you will be responsible for completing a book review of one of the books you read
throughout the month. Your book review is worth 30 pts. Your book review organizer is worth
10 pts. Please follow the guidelines below.
Front cover: Must have a colored illustration. 5pts.
You can copy and paste a picture using your computer if you like, but you need to make it presentable.
Summary: Write a summary of the book. 10pts.
Write a 3 paragraph summary answering the following question:
Why did you select this book? What new understanding about the topic did you develop? Discuss how your
book gives you more information about the topic. Explain 3 things you learned. Discuss something terrific
or unusual you learned from a sidebar, a photograph and caption, or diary or journal entry. How does the
author weave opinion into facts? Give some examples. What questions does this book not answer that you
still have?
Opinion: Write a paragraph giving your opinion on the book. Use these guidelines. 5pts.
Write about why you liked or dislike the book. Give details, for example:
Was the book confusing? Was it too easy to read or too hard? Was it predictable/ believable? Did you like
the ending? What was your favorite part? What connections did you make with your life or other books?
Talk about the author’s style of writing and give examples from the book. Min 5 sentences.
Recommendation: Explain whether you would recommend this book to another 5pts.
student or not? Rate the book from 1 to 10, and give examples why you gave it the rating
you did. Examples should include a quote or quotes from the book or a summary of the part of the book
that you liked or did not like.
Glossary: Vocabulary is an important part of reading and making note of the 5pts.
words that you read will help you grow as a reader. List a least 10 words that are new to you or words you
think are worth mentioning.
Criteria Points Available Points Earned
Front Cover 5
Summary 10
Opinion 5
Recommendation 5
Glossary 5
Organizer 10
Reading Log 5
