Book Review Rubric
Name ______________________________
Excellent/Advanced
20 pts
Title/Author Sentence
Excellent/Advanced
The first sentence includes
the title and author, a
creative lead, and includes
the genre.
Characters
Excellent/Advanced
The most important
characters are mentioned in
the review and described.
Relationships between
characters are clear.
Plot
Excellent/Advanced
The plot description is brief,
does not seem to give away
too much, and is clear and
easy to follow. After reading
the description, the reader
feels curious about the plot.
Recommendations
Excellent/Advanced
The review provides a clear
recommendation statement
with strong reasons/support.
The book is recommended to
specific types of readers.
Conventions
Excellent/Advanced
Provides evidence of a
consistent and strong
command of grade-level
conventions (grammar,
capitalization, punctuation
and spelling)
Acceptable
17 pts
Acceptable
Title and author are
both listed
immediately, but no
other information is
provided in that
sentence.
Acceptable
The most important
characters are
mentioned and
described.
Relationships between
characters may not be
clear.
Needs Work
15 pts
Poor
13 pts
Needs Work
Poor
Title and author are
not immediately
mentioned but are
eventually provided
in a sentence or
two.
Title and/or author
are not mentioned,
or they are written
on a separate line
instead of in a
sentence.
Needs Work
Poor
Characters are
mentioned.
Description of
characters is
minimal and/or
confusing.
The review does
not mention
essential
characters to the
story. No
elaboration if a
main characters is
mentioned.
Poor
Acceptable
Needs Work
The plot description is
brief and easy to
follow. A bit more
information should
have been given or too
much has been
provided. The
description lacks
interest.
Acceptable
The plot description
is overly
complicated, overly
simple, or does not
make the reader
feel curious. Events
may also be
disorganized.
The review provides a
clear recommendation
statement but without
sufficient support. It is
assumed that every
reader would feel the
same about the book.
Acceptable
The review provides
a recommendation
statement.
However, it is
general such as,
"This is a good
book."
Needs Work
The review does
not include a
recommendation
statement.
Provides evidence of
an adequate command
of grade-level
conventions (grammar,
capitalization,
punctuation and
spelling)
Provides evidence
of a limited
command of gradelevel conventions
(grammar,
capitalization,
punctuation and
spelling)
Provides little or
no evidence of a
command of
grade-level
conventions
(grammar,
capitalization,
punctuation and
spelling)
Needs Work
The plot
description is
minimal, too
detailed, or
confusing due to
disorganization.
Poor
Poor
Insert image here.
Your name here ‘s Book Review
Book Title:
Author:
Choose a book to read. Use the following guideline to help you write your review. You don’t need to
use all of the questions, just use them to help you with ideas.
This book was about
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Start with a catchy sentence that grabs the reader’s attention.
List the title, author, and genre.
Give a brief summary of the book, but do not give away the ending, or other “spoilers”
What was the story about?
What is the setting? Is it important to the story?
Was the plot believable?
Note the overall theme or message of the book.
My favorite character in this book was
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Who were the main characters?
Were the characters Credible?
What did the main characters do in the story?
Did the main characters run into any problems? Adventures?
Could you relate to any of the characters in the story?
Have you ever done or felt some of the things, the characters did?
I liked / didn't like this book because

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Did you like the book?
What was your favorite part of the book? Why?
Do you have a least favorite part of the book?
You should / should not read this book because
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Would you recommend this book to another person?
What type of person would like this book?
Three Samurai Cats
Written by Eric Kimmel
Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
The Life of Pi
Written by Yann Martel
Reviewed by Albert B. (age 12)
Reviewed by Aaron R. (age 14) and Jonathan S.
(age 12)
In a castle in Japan there was a daimyo that has
a problem with a rat. But his is not your average
rat: he is enormous, he eats too much, he makes
a mess, and he sleeps a lot. The daimyo goest to
the docho, a senior monk, and asks for help. The
docho sends three samurai cats to help the
daimyo fight the rat.
This story has a twist in the end that caught our
attention. This makes the book enjoyable to read
because we did not expect the story to end that
way. The colorful book is filled with comical and
action-filled illustrations. Our favorite character is
the bad, raunchy rat that makes peoples lives
miserable! We all know somebody like that someone who needs to learn their lesson. You'll
have to read the book to see what kind of a
lesson the rat learns.
I recommend this book to elementary and middle
school students. It makes you laugh and think
about how you act in front of people.
Do you want to read an adventure? Try out The
Life of Pi. This story is a story about a sixteenyear old boy named Pi Patel who is stuck on a
lifeboat in the vast Pacific Ocean with a Bengal
tiger to keep him company. Pi Patel experiences
many obstacles: Battling for food, shelter, and
surviving disasters. But he ends up bonding with
the tiger and grows closer to the ocean.
A unique book like this deserves a true reader to
enjoy it. My favorite part of the story was when
the tiger, named Richard Parker, used his power
to help Pi overcome many foes he had to face in
the sea. One of these, was a shark that they
encountered. It was a gory battle, but together
they were able to terminate it.
The plot seems unimaginable because I have
never heard of anyone that had to survive on a
lifeboat with a tiger. But the writer brings the story
to life and it becomes real. I was able to identify
with Pi and his struggles. It was like I was there
on the boat with them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who
likes reading about danger and survival. A reader
who has a good imagination would be
guaranteed to enjoy the life of Pi Patel. He would
impress you by how he survives living on the
huge ocean.
Finally
Written by Wendy Mass
The Legend of Red Horse Cavern
Written by Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by Ally H. (age 12)
Reviewed by Alexandrea F. (age 12)
The Legend of Red Horse Cavern illustration will
appear here.
The name of the book I am reading is the Legend
of the Red Horse Cavern. Who wrote it you ask?
Gary Paulson did. It was published by Bantam
Doubleday, and has 55 pages.
Will and Sarah were lost in a cave and could not
find their way out. Suddenly they ran into two
dangerous bank robbers with guns who were
hiding in the cave. The kids had to use their
heads to get out.
In the mean time the two goons are still trying to
find the kids. Read the book to find out if the kids
find out where the exit passage to the end of the
cave or get traped in the cave forever!!!!
I like this book a lot. My favorite part of the story
was when Will and Sarah almost fell into a big
hole because that puts a lot of excitement into the
story. I also liked how Will and Sarah never gave
up.
I would give this book to kids and grownups from
all ages because it is a very good book to read.
It?s one of those books that takes you into a
different dimension and it just opens a different
world of fun and laughter. The book makes you
imagine things that you never have before.
That?s why I would give this book to kids and
adults. So grab a book and read it because you
just might like it!
In Wendy Mass’s story, Finally, Rory Swenson is turning twelve.
Rory wants to be just like her friends because her friends have
cell phones and go the mall with no parents. However, she cannot
because her parents always say no. However, when Rory’s
parents finally let her do the things she wants, she ends up
making messes, and gets a rash from a bad make-up day.
I like the main character, Rory Swenson, because some of the
things she wants, I want too. The trouble she goes through is a
little silly and I might do the same at times. I love the way she will
do something wrong and then she will try to forget it and try
something new like when she tried to make coffee and spilled it
everywhere.
This story reminds me of me a little, because I want to do things,
and when I try something new, it almost goes wrong just like Rory.
I am also a big clutz, just like her!
My favorite part of Finally was when Rory got her bunny. The
night she brought it home from the mall, she had a dream that the
bunny was going to kill her. When she woke up the bunny was on
top of her, stopping her breathing. The owner had told her people
kept bringing the bunny back because it was evil, but Rory
thought it was too cute to be evil.
The book is probably best for younger girls who would enjoy
reading about Rory because she funny and doesn't take herself
too seriously.
I recommend Finally to people who want to live life under their
own rules, but can’t because of their parents. Sometimes you feel
like your Mom and Dad are just saying "No" to be mean, but all
they want to do is keep you safe. After all, you never know what is
going to happen. I felt the same way when I thought that I could
not do anything. I felt like I was like Rory because she is turning
12 years old and I am twelve too.
After awhile, when I got more into the book, Rory would try
something new, and I would just know that it would go wrong in
the end. The book title fits the book because she has been waiting
to do things and now she is at the age where she FINALLY gets to
try these things.