- #Negative and positive book reviews for kids for free
- #Negative and positive book reviews for kids professional
#Negative and positive book reviews for kids professional
The review of Beloved, by Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, is likewise silent on the question of educational value, but states that “ensitive readers of any age might find this material too disturbing to make the book worthwhile.” This statement is inconsistent with virtually all professional reviews of the book. Not until the very end of the summary, after the ratings and warnings, does the review note that the novel “brings history to life with unforgettable power.” The review features two frown faces, four bombs, and three martini glasses, but says nothing about the book’s educational value. However, the positive aspects of reading are rarely noted and, even when they are, they are often obscured by the site’s list of things to “watch out for.”įor example, Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson is the story of a slave girl in 1776 who is confused when she discovers that both the Loyalists and Patriots support slavery. There are many positive aspects of reading, even in the context of complex and challenging books. Children become discerning learners and thinkers by reading broadly. Kids read not only to learn, but also to have fun. Parents can make better and more informed decisions if they have information about the age appeal of a book, its literary merit, topical interest, thought-provoking potential, and entertainment value. People select books based on their own values, needs, and interests. Reading enriches, educates, and entertains readers, and challenging literature can play an important role in a child’s learning and development. Instead of encouraging people to view books through such a negative and value-laden lens, we urge a focus on the positive things books bring into the lives of young people. By quantifying content using a few emoticons that focus on only a small part of the content of the book, the ratings take material out of context and deny the message, intent, and value of the book as a whole. By focusing on these categories, the ratings imply that young people need to be “protected” from such material, and they encourage parents and students alike to avoid literature containing this kind of content, regardless of its merit. Under “What to watch out for,” the reviews rate books for violence, sex, language, consumerism, and drinking, drugs, & smoking. Our concerns fall into three general areas: 1) the implication that certain kinds of content are inherently problematic, 2) the negative attitude towards books, and 3) the potential that the ratings will be used to remove valuable literature from schools and libraries.ġ) The implication that certain kinds of content are inherently problematic. While we think that Common Sense Media provides a great deal of useful information, we have serious concerns about the ways CSM rates books. We are writing to you because our organizations share many of the same goals as -in particular, the desire to guide young people to the best sources of information and entertainment and to keep parents informed about the educational value of books, even those that some may find controversial or offensive. We represent national organizations that promote reading and literature. This is Common Sense Media's rating for Walter Dean Myers' historical fiction Fallen Angels (accessed online on July 26, 2010): The letters spell out the many problems created by ratings that oversimplify material and take it out of context.įor more about the issue, read Brian Kenney's School Library Journal article " Fear Factor: Kids' Lit Style" and Pat Scales' Booklist article " Weighing In: Three Bombs, Two Lips, and a Martini Glass."
#Negative and positive book reviews for kids for free
Nine leading national organizations (National Coalition Against Censorship, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, International Reading Association, Association of American Publishers, PEN America Center, National Council of Teachers of English, Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Authors Guild) have joined forces to protest the way Common Sense Media rates books.
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