The SurRural Librarian

My 3/4th graders are seriously fired up about writing book reviews. First I asked them to write reviews of picture books for the younger grades, keeping their kindergarten reading buddies in mind as an audience. That went well enough for me to continue on with the project.

Now that I’ve opened it up to any book at all (if we don’t have it in the library, I’ve pledge to buy it) - they’re really into it. They’re excited to post them on the web, and I like helping them develop opinions and their own voice.

For inspiration, I’ve been playing them some podcasts and videos of book reviews, preferably those written by other students. We like these podcasts from the John D. Runkle School in Brookline, Ma. and these from Voices from the Inglenook. And the videos at Bookwink are very convincing. They’ve been so popular I’m now on the hunt for others.