Why writing book reviews is great for kids

A review can show you how deeply the child has engaged with the various levels of meaning within the story. When my children write a review, I can see if they have just understood the basic narrative or if they have picked up on themes and issues, which are less explicit. Not only is this interesting in itself but it gives me a real indication of whether a book is at the right reading level for them or not.

By asking a child to describe their response to the book, they have to think about what they will include in the review, and what they will leave out. We find that younger readers are desperate to tell you the story but as children mature, they understand that this might spoil it for other readers. So then they start thinking about what they liked and didn’t like about the book and this can also open up an interesting conversation on the subjectivity and creativity of writing, very apt in these days of ‘fake news’.

The opportunity to reflect on the book can help the child connect events and themes and develop a deeper understanding of the story. As they think back, they often gain a different perspective and pick up on things that they missed when they were reading it initially.

As with all original writing, writing a review can be a great way to help children develop their vocabulary. They instinctively understand that it’s better to use a variety of words and phrases, so they’ll actively try and think of new descriptive words. It’s also the reason why I enjoy reading books aloud to my children (aged 6 and 10): if we’re reading together, they can just relax and enjoy the story and I can choose books that are a little more challenging that what they might read on their own, and I can stop and explain any words I think they might not understand.

If the child is encouraged to step back from the story and assess the book in more general terms, it can help them understand which ‘types’ of books they enjoy. We encourage children to think about the genre, whether the book has illustrations, whether it’s set in modern times or in a different time. If they can pick out the aspects they did (or didn’t) engage with, it helps to narrow down which book they might want to read next (or, conversely, if they have enjoyed one ‘type’ of book, whether it might be an opportunity to read a different type and branch out a little!).

Book reviews don’t need to be a labour of love. For KS1 just asking a child to finish the sentence “I love this book because…” can be enough but taking a few minutes after finishing a book to reflect back can be a fun and valuable activity for all ages.

Georgina Atwell is the founder of the book review community Toppsta, a judge for the 2019 British Book Awards and a mum of two.