I love reading books, and I also love reviewing them. Over at Kids’ Book Review, I’m Senior Editor and an avid reviewer, reviewing all things kidlit — from picture books to YA.

How do you write a book review?

A book review is your honest thoughts about a book after you’ve read it. It tells other people what the book is about, what you think about it and why they might like to read it too (or not). There are lots of ways to write a book review, but most reviews include something like…

ONE: A summary of the story

Try starting your review with a few sentences that summarise the book and the story. Don’t give away the ending or important plot twists and avoid using the same description from the back of the book.

Questions to ask yourself:

What kind of book is it? (Picture book, non-fiction, young adult, junior fiction etc.)
Who is the author and illustrator?
Does the book belong to a series?
Where is it set?
Who are the main characters? (The goodies and the baddies)
What is the book about?
What happens in the story?

Example:

“The third instalment in the Welcome to Our Country picture book series, Back on Country is a celebration of family, culture and Country. In this picture book collaboration between Adnyamathanha and Narungga author Adam Goodes, author and communications professional Ellie Laing and Barkindji illustrator David Hardy, we meet Lucy and David as they travel to see their grandparents back on Country — Adnyamathanha Country.

They meet relatives, visit important family locations and learn about their culture and history, bringing readers with them on the journey. It feels intimate and special, as if readers have been invited on the trip, too.”

(Extract from my review of Back on Country, 1 November 2022, Kids’ Book Review).

TWO: Deep dive into parts of the story

Depending on the book, and what you liked best about it, explore parts of the book and story in more detail. Ideas for topics you can explore are below. You can include all or some of these, depending on what stood out to you after reading the book.

Theme

Theme is what the book is really about, but it isn’t the plot. The theme is the idea behind the story, or the message the story is trying to tell readers. Common themes include good versus evil, loyalty, betrayal, friendship, justice, family and the quest for power.

Questions to ask yourself:

What is the message the book is trying to tell readers?
What will the reader think about after the book is finished?
What did you get out of the book? What did you learn?
How did the story affect you? How did it make you feel when you read it?

Example:

“Mars Awakens is a brilliant middle-grade sci-fi from H M Waugh. Thrilling and addictive, it explores themes like prejudice and adversity, all on the super cool setting of Mars. There are mysteries to solve, challenges to overcome and sacrifices to be made. It’s a book that makes you think about what you would do if you discovered a hard truth. What sacrifices would you make to save a friend (or maybe an enemy)?”

(Extract from my review of Mars Awakens, 11 September 2022, Kids’ Book Review).

Characters

Characters are an important part of story. We connect with characters, and sometimes we remember the characters more than anything else in a story. If the characters were special or especially memorable, you may like to explore them in more detail.

Question to ask yourself:

Were there lots of characters or just a few?

Who is the main character? What did you like about them? Did they have any flaws? What was their journey through the book? what did you learn from them?
Was there a bad guy in the story? What were they like? Did you learn anything from them?
What was your favourite character and why?

Example:

“Rea is a real and relatable character who is flawed, who makes mistakes. She is what is means to be twelve, with too many questions in her head and dangerous self-doubt that can make her lash out at the wrong people at the wrong times. I love all these things about her. She is the underdog hero, learning who she is and how to be herself in a confusing world (both Earth and Astranthia). By the end of the book, I wouldn’t say she’s mastered everything either, and I love this too. She is very relatable.”

(Extract from my review of Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, 8 August 2021, Kids’ Book Review).

Author and writing style

Exploring the author’s writing style tells readers more about the kind of story they’ll find in the book, and if it’s a good fit for them. You can also find out more about the author by looking them up online. You may find something interesting about them that you’d like to refer to in the review:

Questions to ask:

Is the book written in normal prose? If it is written in poetic form, does it rhyme?
What do you like about the author's writing style? Is there anything different about it?
Was the book written in an unusual way?
Is there anything that would be helpful for the reader to know about the author?

Example:

“Kathryn Barker’s ability to immerse readers into a layered, and time-bending, world is awe-inspiring. Romeo and Juliet isn’t the only classic novel to have importance in this story, and to weave these elements in and not only make it logical, but also make it seem this book imparts a hidden truth about them, is magical. And a challenge I am sure.”

(Extract from my review of Waking Romeo, 27 March 2021, Kids’ Book Review).

Illustrator and illustrations

If the book your reviewing has illustrations, you should include a review of the illustrations as well as the story.

Questions to ask yourself:

How would you describe the illustrations? (Humorous, funky, colourful, detailed etc.)
Is there something unique or special about the pictures?
Do you know how the illustrator created the illustrations? (Hint: sometimes you can find out more about their methods on their website)
What do you like about the illustrator’s style?
Is there anything readers should know about the illustrator?

Example:

“Crispe’s illustrations are simply stunning. With beautiful soft colours and details galore, in only one setting (Magpie’s tree at the park), Crispe creates an entire world, with multiple characters that have stories of their own lovingly weaved into their expressions, clothing and accessories. It’s truly a delight to turn each page, meet a new character and imagine who they are and what has brought them to the park.”

(Extract from my review of Swoop, 2 September 2022, Kids’ Book Review).

Setting

The setting of a book is where (and when) it takes place. Sometimes the setting is a really important aspect of the story, so you may like to explore it in more detail.

Questions to ask yourself:

When is the book set? (past, present, future etc.)
Is the book set in the real world or a fantasy world?
What location is the book set in? Is there anything special about it?
Were you drawn into the setting? How?
Was there anything different about the setting?

Example:

“The novel shows a splash of a potential future — the drowning of the world we know and the emergence of a new world filled with survivors trying to make it a better place. This ocean world is there on every page, in the jobs of the people, in the things they say and the celebrations they hold.”

(Extract from my review of The Vanishing Deep, 5 May 2020, Kids’ Book Review).

THREE: Highlight what you liked about the book

You have likely already included some of the things you liked about the book as you explored the details, but is there anything else you liked about the book you haven’t mentioned? What did the book mean to YOU?

Questions to ask yourself:

What’s special about the story? How did it make you feel?
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Was it hard to put the book down?
Did the story grip you?
Did you guess the ending?
Were there plot twists you didn’t see coming?
How long is the book? Is it an easy or a challenging read?

Example:

“Skandar and the UnicornThief is a brilliant new fantasy series for middle grade readers. I love that it turns the unicorn trope on its head and offers something completely different. In Skandar’s world unicorns are not friendly, magical creatures. They are dangerous, powerful beasts that pose a threat to everyone if they cannot be controlled.”

(Extract from my review of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, 17 August 2022, Kids’ Book Review).

FOUR: Recommend the book to the right people

Not everyone likes all books, and that’s okay. But who do you think will like the book you are reviewing? You might like to include a recommended age range, similar books they may already like and a star rating to help readers assess if the book is right for them.

Questions to ask yourself:

Who would you recommend the story to? (Fans of mystery stories, kids who like action and adventure etc…)
What age range is the book best for?
What other books are similar?
What authors/ilustrators are similar?

Example:

“If you’re looking for a new urban fantasy YA read, I highly recommend you grab a copy of Only a Monster. It is fresh, addictive and oh so satisfying.”

(Extract from Only a Monster, 21 February 2022, Kids’ Book Review).

Top tips for a good book review

Be honest about what YOU think about the book. You don’t have to have the same opinions as other people.
Avoid spoilers. If you tell readers everything that happens in the book in your review, they’ll have no reason to read it for themselves.
Read other book reviews to see how others do it.
Think about your audience. You’re trying to help people find a great book. Have a conversation with them.
Have fun!