Back in January, teacher-librarian
Meredith Inkeles wrote a terrific post about her experience with the Book Match Survey Marlene Correia created to accompany
our book 5 Kinds of Nonfiction. Today Meredith is back to share some of the
wonderful nonfiction book reviews her fifth and sixth graders wrote, using
Activity 8.8 in 5 Kinds of Nonfiction as
a guide.
Thanks so much for these insights, Meredith!
This school year’s goal to share nonfiction with my students
started as soon as I began reading 5
Kinds of Nonfiction by Melissa Stewart and Marlene Correia over the summer.
I was fascinated by the data and activities in the book and wanted to try them
with my classes. Then, as the fall progressed, I received a book order for the
library, full of new nonfiction books!
I wondered: What should
I do with all of these new, bright, shiny, informational books? I didn’t want
them to just sit on shelves waiting for a research unit in the spring. As I
referred back to 5
Kinds of Nonfiction, I spotted Activity 8.8—Real Reviews!
Writing Book Reviews for the School Library Catalog, and everything fell into
place. Students would read one of the new nonfiction books, write a review, and
share it with other students by adding it to our library’s computer catalog
system.
I knew students would need some guidance in writing a book
review, so I found some professional and non-professional book reviews to
share, and we looked at existing reviews in our computer catalog.
Unfortunately, students mimicked these reviews instead of sharing their authentic
voices or opinions. So I broke down the process by giving them a formula to
follow.
1.
Opening with an attention-grabbing quote, a question, a did-you-know
fact, or an explanation of the title. (This was important for reviews of Do Not Lick this Book by Idan
Ben-Barak).
2.
Answering W questions about the book such as:
—Who would enjoy reading this book (age range/grade level)?
—What is the book about (no spoilers)?
—Where does this book fit into readers wanting to learn about a topic?
—Why are the pictures/illustrations important to the text?
3.
Selecting how many stars to give the book on a
scale of 1-5.
Here are some samples. Some show the reviewer’s excitement for
the subject.
Alena,
5th grader
Koalas by Victoria Blakemore
4
out of 5 Stars
Are
you looking for a book about koalas? Then, I have the perfect book. It is Koalas by Victoria Blakemore. She has
written a lot of books, but Koalas caught my eye. They are adorable. They have pouches, and when they have
a kid, they are called joeys. When they are born, they are the size of a jellybean. They live in eucalyptus trees and feed on the leaves. Their fur can be
different colors like silver, gray, or chocolate brown. And that is why you
should read about koalas!
Delilah,
6th grader
New York Giants: All Time Greats by Ted Coleman
5
out of 5 Stars
New York Giants All-Time Greats by Ted Coleman is a book all
about the history of how the New York Giants Football team was made and all the
different players that helped develop this team—starting from very former
players like Steve Owen to very recent players like Eli Manning and some that
play today like Saquon Barkley. I give this book five stars! I think that
people (kids and adults) will really like this book, especially if they are a
New York Giants fan like I am! Enjoy!
While others share specific facts and pictures from the book.
Khloe, 6th grader
Armadillos by Steve Potts
4
out of 5 Stars
This
book is about armadillos and how they live. I think this is a nice book. It has
good facts and cute pictures. I learned that armadillos use their snouts to dig
burrows. I do think this book is very interesting.
I
don’t think I would read the book again because it is just a basic introduction
to the animal. In my opinion, I would like to read a longer book on armadillos.
My
favorite part was when the author tells you that there are more than 21 kinds
of armadillos. I really like the pictures. I admire the picture of the
armadillo on page 11. Be sure to check it out!
Jaxon,
5th grader
Giraffes by Emma Huddleston
4
out of 5 Stars
Did
you know giraffes can be from 14 to 19 feet tall? They can run up to 35 mph.
The male giraffe can get to 18 feet tall and weigh up to 3,000 pounds. A female
giraffe can get to 14 feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. My favorite
picture was of the male giraffes knocking “their heads together to show
dominance” on page 14. I give this book 4 stars.
Ava, 6th grader
The Truth About Food by Stephanie Paris
4
out of 5 Stars
Did
you know bad foods can really affect your body? The Truth About Food by Stephanie Paris has graphs
and pictures to show what happens or could happen when you eat bad or good
food. I learned that kids who eat a good breakfast do better in school and tests.
I would give this book four stars because I thought it went by slowly. But it
does have amazing facts I bet you never knew—I didn’t! I recommend this book to
anyone interested in the human body.
One student focused on who
the book was written for and its total cuteness.
Maeve, 5th grader
Baby Monkeys at the Zoo by Eustacia Moldovo
4
out of 5 Stars
I
give this book four stars. This book is very good for little kids; I would
suggest this book to 4-7-year-olds. I recommend it to younger kids because it
has many nice pictures and 2-6 words on each page. I love how this amazing book
has super great awesome lovable cute adorable pictures of amazing animals! I
would so re-read this! Super-duper cool!
And then there was the
future comedy writer.
Samantha,
5th grader
Sharks by Anne Schreiber
4
out of 5 Stars
Trying
to find a book about sharks that includes TONS of different facts? I got you! Sharks has a table of contents; it’s
also a nonfiction book. The best thing about this book is the pictures, and it
can also “hook” the reader into the book, get it? “Hook”
like fishing . . . Not?
Okay,
anyway, I’ll continue. I feel like this book is for maybe 2nd or 3rd graders
because it’s a level 2 book. I rate this book four stars because the title is
boring if you’re trying to “hook” the reader in.
As I reflect on this
activity, I love that students developed a vocabulary for talking about books.
But next time, I’ll have students identify which category of nonfiction the
book belongs to—active, browsable, traditional, expository literature, or
narrative. I’ll also ask students to include any emotions they felt while or
after reading the book and mention any remaining questions they have about the
topic. I might also suggest that students recommend additional titles in their
reviews. The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to see what next
year’s students will write!
Meredith Inkeles is
a Nationally Board Certified Library Media Teacher at the Wappingers Central
School District’s Kinry Road Elementary School in New York State’s Hudson
Valley. Meredith is in her twenty-fourth year as a teacher-librarian and cannot
wait to share more nonfiction with her students.
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