English 162 Book Review Assignment

Place all of the information about the book at the top of your review. This information should be single-spaced:

 Title of the book  Edition number (if other than first)  Author/authors of the book  City, state (if necessary for identification), publisher, and date of publication  Number of pages  ISBN (usually found on back cover)

Length

Generally, the review should be about 250 words (one to two typed, doubled-spaced pages).

Introduction

Begin the review with an "attention-grabbing" sentence that will encourage the reader to continue. It may be a general statement about the book. Often the preface will indicate the book's purpose or style and the table of contents will summarize or highlight subject matter organization which the author considers appropriate. Some books may not have a table of content. These may be helpful in developing your introductory statement.

Style

Comment on the style of the book, including its readability (easy or difficult to read). Identify the audience for which the book is most appropriate as well as how it would be useful for them. Describe the book's format and other physical characteristics. Determine if the book is organized in a useful fashion. Indicate whether it is easy for the reader to follow the plot of the story.

Critique

Objectively discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the book. Avoid general statements. Be specific in a way that will help readers determine if the book will be useful to them. For example, don't say, "This book was interesting." Say why it is of special interest and give specific examples.

Our purpose is to inform potential readers of the book of its strengths and weaknesses. Include, if possible, at least one bit of new/interesting information from the book to make the review more worthwhile to read and a source of education in and of itself. Lastly, explain why or why not you would recommend the book to a friend.