Book, Movie, and/or Music Review
We all have a favorite book, movie, or type of music, so we should share it with everyone!
In your next speech, you will review a book, movie, or band/singer/song of your choice. Whichever you
choose, it must be school appropriate. If you have to ask me, “Is this school appropriate?” it probably is not
school appropriate. It has to be school appropriate. School appropriate, it must be.
What should a review entail, Ms. Dunlap?
It’s funny you ask, students!
A review is your opinion about the option about which you choose to talk.
If you are choosing to do a book review, here are the guidelines you should follow:
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Be sure to include the author and title in your opening paragraph.
Give a very brief synopsis of the book that does not give away too much of the plot. I am not looking
for a summary of the book for your speech. I want your opinion!
Your middle paragraph should include strengths and weaknesses of the book.
The closing paragraph should be your opinion and state why the book is so special to you.
If you are choosing to do a movie review, here are the guidelines you should follow:
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The opening paragraph should include the title of the film, the year it came out, the director’s name,
the lead actors, and its genre.
The opening should also include a very brief synopsis of the movie that does not give away too much
of the plot. I am not looking for a summary of the movie. I want your opinion!
The body of the paragraph should include strengths and weaknesses of the film (acting, writing,
costumes, camera work, etc…)
The closing paragraph should entail your opinion about the movie and why the movie is your favorite
and important to you.
If you are choosing to do a music review, here are the guidelines you should follow:
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Your opening paragraph should include the artist/band/song you have chosen as well as a brief
summary of their musical history.
The body of your speech should include comments on their artistry (genre, instruments, stage
presence, etc…)
The body of your speech should also include what your artist stands for such as what they mostly
sing about (love, heartbreak, individuality, etc…)
The conclusion of your speech should entail your personal opinion about this singer/artist/band and
what they/it means to you. It should include why they/it are/is important to you.
Here are some tips for you while writing this review:
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Use the book/movie/music for inspiration! Reread/rewatch/relisten to it if needed.
Look up sample book/movie/music reviews. They’re all over the Internet!
Do some research on the author, director, actors, etc… to better understand about which you are
writing.
Opening (7-8 sentences):
Sentence 1: Have you ever felt as if you don’t belong because of the limitations of your surroundings?
Sentence 2: Have you ever had a group of friends that were so close they felt like family?
Sentence 3: Have you ever quarreled with someone because you were different than they?
Sentence 4: Well, if you have, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a great book for you to read.
Sentence 5: The Outsiders is about a gang of “greasers” or underprivileged teenagers living on the east side
of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sentence 6: They are constantly at battle with the Socs, or the west-side rich kids.
Sentence 7: The story is narrated by orphaned fourteen-year-old, Ponyboy Curtis.
Sentence 8: Ponyboy details his life with his brothers, Sodapop and Darry, and their friends, Johnny, Dally,
Two-Bit, and Steve, and their journey through adolescence.
Body (10-15 sentences):
Sentence 1: The Outsiders is full of very interesting characters as well as a captivating theme.
Sentence 2: In this book, these characters have very interesting names which makes them very memorable.
Sentence 3: Ponyboy is the youngest of the gang as well as the protagonist.
Sentence 4: His best friend’s name is Johnny, and even though he does not have an original name, his
characteristics are very distinct as he is dark and is described as looking like a “lost puppy” due to the abuse
he endures at home.
Sentence 5: Next is Dally, which is a nickname from his true name, Dallas, and he was born in New York and is
one of the most respected greasers in Tulsa.
Sentence 6: Sodapop and Darry are Ponyboy’s older brothers, and they are as opposite as night and day.
Sentence 7: Sodapop is described as “wild and reckless”, Darry is described “determined, hard, and resolute.”
Sentence 8: Their other friend is named Two-Bit.
Sentence 9: His real name is Keith, but they call him Two-Bit because he always has to put his “two-bits” into
every conversation.
Sentence 10: Lastly is Steve, and he is Soda’s best friend, and he does not like Ponyboy, but he still sticks up
for him because that’s what a gang does.
Sentence 11: The theme of The Outsiders is provided by Johnny who tells Ponyboy to “stay gold.”
Sentence 12: This means that no matter what happens to you, never lose your shine or your beauty.
Sentence 13: It means to be true to you.
Sentence 14: One of the many weaknesses this book has is that it is debated is Ponyboy is too young.
Sentence 15: Hinton wrote this book when she was sixteen, so several people argue that Ponyboy should be
at least that age.
Sentence 16: It does seem very unrealistic to me that a boy as young as Ponyboy would call his brothers
“handsome” and notice the colors of others’ clothing.
Sentence 17: Also, the characters’ reactions seem very emotional for a bunch of teenage boys who are
supposed to be “tough as nails.”
Closing (2-3 sentences):
Sentence 1: In my opinion, The Outsiders is the best book I could have read when I was seventeen.
Sentence 2: I had a group of friends that was constantly critiqued because we were different, and because of
that we had a falling out.
Sentence 3: After I read this book, I realized that it’s okay to be different as long as you are a good person
that makes the right choices.
Ms. Dunlap
September 3, 2015
The Outsiders Book Review
Have you ever felt as if you don’t belong because of the limitations of your surroundings? Have you
ever had a group of friends that were so close they felt like family? Have you ever quarreled with someone
because you were different than they? Well, if you have, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a great book for you
to read. The Outsiders is about a gang of “greasers” or underprivileged teenagers living on the east side of
Tulsa, Oklahoma. They are constantly at battle with the Socs, or the west-side rich kids. The story is narrated
by orphaned fourteen-year-old, Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy details his life with his brothers, Sodapop and
Darry, and their friends, Johnny, Dally, Two-Bit, and Steve, and their journey through adolescence.
The Outsiders is full of very interesting characters as well as a captivating theme. In this book, these
characters have very interesting names which makes them very memorable. Ponyboy is the youngest of the
gang as well as the protagonist. His best friend’s name is Johnny, and even though he does not have an
original name, his characteristics are very distinct as he is dark and is described as looking like a “lost puppy”
due to the abuse he endures at home. Next is Dally, which is a nickname from his true name, Dallas. Dallas
was born in New York and is one of the most respected greasers in Tulsa. Sodapop and Darry are Ponyboy’s
older brothers, and they are as opposite as night and day. Sodapop is described as “wild and reckless” while
Darry is described “determined, hard, and resolute.” Their other friend is named Two-Bit. His real name is
Keith, but they call him Two-Bit because he always has to put his “two-bits” into every conversation. Lastly is
Steve, and he is Soda’s best friend, and he does not like Ponyboy, but he still sticks up for him because that’s
what a gang does. The theme of The Outsiders is provided by Johnny who tells Ponyboy to “stay gold.” This
means that no matter what happens to you, never lose your shine or your beauty. It means to be true to you.
One of the many weaknesses this book has is that it is debated greatly if Ponyboy’s character is too young.
Hinton wrote this book when she was sixteen, so several people argue that Ponyboy should be at least that
age. It does seem very unrealistic to me that a boy as young as Ponyboy would call his brothers “handsome”
and notice the colors of others’ clothing. Also, the characters’ reactions seem very emotional for a bunch of
teenage boys who are supposed to be “tough as nails.”
In my opinion, The Outsiders is the best book I could have read when I was seventeen. I had a group
of friends that was constantly critiqued because we were different, and because of that we had a falling out.
After I read this book, I realized that it’s okay to be different as long as you are a good person that makes the
right choices.