Activity 2: Write a book review

For my second task, I decided to review the popular children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Rosen & Oxenbury, 1989). Originally published in 1989, this award-winning picture book is a classic for young children between 2-8 years. I chose this particular book because it was one of my favourites as a child and I noticed that it is still a staple in libraries and bookstores today. In sum, the plot consists of a family heading off on an adventure in pursuit of a bear. They travel through many different surroundings—wavy grass, a deep cold river, oozy mud—before finally reaching a cave in which the bear resides.

Image source: Indiebound

To approach the book review, I consulted Sutherland’s guide to children’s literature (Sutherland, 1986). She writes:

“The best books [for children] have that most elusive component, a distinctive literary style. A well-constructed plot; sound characterization with no stereotypes; dialogue that flows naturally and is appropriate to the speaker’s age, education, and milieu; and a pervasive theme”. (Sutherland, 1986, p. viii) 

I was also guided by Veitch Smith’s piece on the key elements to look for in children’s books (Veitch Smith, 2007). She lists a well constructed plot, quality writing, quality illustrations, originality and age appropriateness as factors which make a good children’s book (Veitch Smith, 2007).

When writing the book review, I envisioned myself writing for a library journal or media publication. It was therefore important that the review was concise and objective, and displayed a basic understanding of literary criticism. As Stoodt explains, there are three types of literary criticism: work-centred criticism (which focuses on the quality of a work), child-centred criticism (which focuses on a child’s response to a work), and issues-centred criticism (which focuses on the conveyance of social issues) (Stoodt, 1996, p. 60). In my review, I focused on the work-centred criteria such as plot, writing style, theme/concept interpretation, and artistic technique and pictorial interpretation (Stoodt, 1996, p. 64). I made note of the quality of the writing, with Rosen employing punctuation, descriptive language, onomatopoeia and alliteration to create an engaging and descriptively vivid tale. I also praised Oxenbury’s ability to create highly animated and expressive illustrations, which complements Rosen’s buoyant tone of writing.

Book reviews play an important role in shaping a library’s selection and acquisition process, providing librarians with a basic product description (such as age group, format, relevant awards etc.), plot overview, and analysis of the book’s quality (e.g. if it is well-written and illustrated, allegorical, thematic etc.). However, I think librarians need to look at reviews with a critical eye by considering the source of the review—is there potential for bias? (e.g. is the review authored by a publishing company that intend to market the book?) Furthermore, writers and readers of book reviews need to have a strong understanding of the target audience and ask the following questions:

• Is the book age appropriate? 
• Will the target audience find it appealing? 
• How will the book benefit the target audience? (child-centred criticism) 
• How will the book benefit the library? 
• What are the statistics in terms of the number of holdings for the book in major libraries and its sale rates in bookstores? 
• Is there a demand/ need for the book in the community that the library serves?

Word count: 527.

Bibliography

Rosen, M., & Oxenbury, H. (1989). We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. London: Walker Books.
Stoodt, B. (1996). Children’s Literature. South Melbourne, Vic: Macmillan Education Australia. Sutherland, Z. (1986). The Best in Children's Books: The University of Chicago Guide to Children's Literature 1979-1984. Chicago: UCP.
Veitch Smith, F. (2007). What makes a good children’s book? Retrieved from the Crafty Writer website: http://www.thecraftywriter.com/2007/08/15/what-makes-a-good-childrens-book/