Advanced Children'S Book Review Guide Template printable pdf download

Children’s Book Review Guide

Title__________________________________ Author_________________ # of pages___

Step One: Complete all areas of the plot chart.

Step Two: Respond in writing to the questions in areas A, B, and C.

Area A: Text

1. The text of a children’s book is usually organized into simple sentences and short paragraphs.

How is the text organized in the book that you have chosen to review? Explain whether this

organization was sufficient for the story that this book is telling.

2. Children’s book authors often employ literary tools to help make the story more vivid in the

readers’ minds. Commonly used literary tools are rhythm, alliteration, repetition, refrains,

onomatopoeia, simile, personification, rhyme, and imagery. Identify three different areas in

the text where a literary tool has been employed. For each example you identify, state the

type of literary tool that is used and how the employment of the tool helps support the story.

3. Identify two areas in the text that use a question or other device to help move the reader to

the next page.

Area B: Illustrations

1. Some picture books have an illustration on the front cover that presents the main conflict or

point of the story. Identify two or more elements from the front cover of the book you are

reviewing and explain how they relate to the story.

2. What is the primary medium (collage, drawings, photographs, etc.) used in the illustrations?

3. Identify the illustration that in your opinion is the most effective in developing the story as a

whole. Explain how two or more elements in the illustration help support and develop the

story.

4. Identify two elements that are repeated throughout a majority of the illustrations. Explain

how these elements support the story.

Area C: Characterization

1. What is the easily identifiable dominant trait of the story’s main character?

2. Identify a character trait of the main character that is established through the text.

3. Identify a character trait of the main character that is established through the illustrations.

4. Identify two character traits of the main character that young children identify or sympathize

with.

5. What was the main problem that the main character faces in the book? How is this problem

similar to a problem that most children have faced before?

6. Sometimes a children’s book character will solve the main conflict on his or her own. How did

the character in the book you selected turn to self-reliance to solve the main conflict of the

story?

Step Three: Share your responses in steps one and two with your peers. Use a

graphic organizer to help you identify the common elements that appear in a

majority of the works reviewed by the members in your group.

Advanced Children'S Book Review Guide Template