Bookweek-Reflecting+on+reading

**Reflecting on Reading** Students use these guidelines to reflect on their reading:

**Write a Review Guidelines** Book Reviews help us to reflect on what we read and consider whether we would recommend the book to others. It is like creating an advertisement for the book. The best book reviews contain information about :

**Bibliography**
 * Title
 * Author and Illustrator
 * Publisher, date of publication and place of publication
 * ISBN number
 * Series and genre

**Appeal to the intended audience**
 * //Does the choice of topic suit the intended audience?//
 * //Is it likely to be something they are interested in?//

**Format**
 * //Is the typography (i.e. format, typeface, print size, spacing, novelty features etc.) integral or intrusive?//
 * //Does the layout draw the reader in or is it distracting?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//How appropriate are the size and shape of the book?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//What use is made of covers, end-papers and title page?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are there any special features such as cutouts or pop-ups?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//How do the special features contribute to the story?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Plot**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are you hooked from the very beginning?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you feel the atmosphere the author is trying to create?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the plot plausible and easy to follow?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the story build to a climax?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are you waiting for the climax?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is there a satisfying ending?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are you ‘in’ the story as an observer of everything?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If it is one of a series, is it necessary to have read the earlier stories to understand what is going on?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If it is a particular genre, does it fit with what you expect of that genre?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is it hard to put the book down?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is it worth getting into trouble for reading it under the covers with a torch after lights-out?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Characters**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are the characters credible?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you envisage them?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do they have a real personality and seem like real people?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are they too good/too bad to be true?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you form a bond with them so that you care about what happens to them?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are the relationships between them realistic?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are the things they do in keeping with their personalities?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the dialogue realistic, natural and appropriate to the character?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you hear them talking?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do you feel like an eavesdropper on their conversations?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If it is part of a series, are the characters’ personalities and actions consistent throughout all the stories?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you imagine yourself as being a character in the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is there one particular character you really relate to? Why?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Setting**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you see, hear and smell the background setting?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you imagine yourself in that place?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If the story is set in a real place that you know, are the details accurate?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the setting suit the sorts of things that happen in the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do you learn things about the place or the time through the setting?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is it an integral part of the story?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Purpose**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the purpose of the story only to entertain you?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is there a message the author is trying to convey?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is this subtle or does it intrude on the entertainment?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//How does the author’s bias influence his/ her writing?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Did you discover the message for yourself or did another person highlight it for you?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//What are the main issues raised?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are they appropriate for the intended audience and the format of the book?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Why has the author ‘disguised’ the issues within the context of the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the story leave you with things you want to discuss and questions you want answered?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If you could talk to the author, what opinions would you offer about the issues raised? What questions would you have?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Illustrations** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Readability**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do the illustrations appeal to you? Why?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do they help you understand the story better? How?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Can you predict the story by looking at the illustrations?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do they help build up a sense of atmosphere and anticipation?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do they help you work out unfamiliar words?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do they suit the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are the illustrations more important than the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the medium is appropriate?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Would the illustrations be as effective in another medium?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the artist's personal style creative and distinctive?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the style work with the subject?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are there any special media or techniques the illustrator has used?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//How does this support the storyline?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//How has the illustrator used colours and/or textures to enhance the mood he/she was trying to create?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is there a consistent quality of illustration throughout the book?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Would the cover catch your eye if you were browsing in a bookstore?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the illustrator have a particular style that is easy to recognise?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are you beginning to develop a preference for a particular type of illustration or medium?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Was this illustrator a good choice to illustrate this book?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the language appropriate for the audience?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the language rich, original and interesting?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are the words used well to build up the atmosphere and create images in your mind?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the sentence structure suitable for the audience?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do the language and sentence structure contribute to the atmosphere?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is the style and size of print easy to read?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Does the layout assist the reader?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Do you find yourself enjoying the story but wanting to rewrite the sentences?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are there sub-plots that have nothing to do with the main plot?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is everything explained well by the end?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Has the author included too much extra information that has nothing to do with the story?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is there too little information so you are left confused?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is this a read-aloud, read-along or read-alone book?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Personal Opinion**
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is this a book you would like to receive or give as a gift?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Is it a book you would spend your pocket money on?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Would it be one that you would keep for your children to read?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//If it is in a series, would you look for others in that series?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Will you now look for other stories by that author or in that genre?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Have you been changed by this book?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Are you glad that you read it?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//Would you recommend it to other students of your age?//
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//On a scale of 1 –5, what would you give this book?//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Write a Review**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Select a book whose cover appeals to you.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Read the blurb on the back to see if the story will interest you.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Read the book.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Record the title, the author and the publisher.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Make a table like this so it easier to select the book you like best.


 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Title** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Topic** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Characters** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Storyline** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Readability** || <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Appeal** ||

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Write the title of the book. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Think about these things
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Is the topic of the book suitable for your age group?
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Did the characters seem like real people?
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Did the story hold your interest to the end?
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Is it easy for you to read?
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Did you enjoy reading the book?

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Give the books one of these characters in each column. J <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings; font-size: 39px;">  <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana; font-size: 14px;">Each <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings; font-size: 43px;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana; font-size: 14px;">scores 3 points; each <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings; font-size: 43px;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana; font-size: 14px;">scores 2 points and each <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings; font-size: 43px;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana; font-size: 14px;">scores 0 points

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Add up the scores. The book which has the most points is the one you should review.


 * [[image:http://c1.wikicdn.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png width="32" height="32" link="http://ozbookweek2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/Booklook_K-2.pdf"]] [|Booklook_K-2.pdf] || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[[image:http://c1.wikicdn.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png width="32" height="32" link="http://ozbookweek2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/Booklook_3-4.pdf"]] [|Booklook_3-4.pdf] || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[[image:http://c1.wikicdn.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png width="32" height="32" link="http://ozbookweek2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/Booklook_5-6.pdf"]] [|Booklook_5-6.pdf] ||