INCLUSION OF NON-FICTION IN THE ENGLISH CLASSROOM
or AN ADDITION TO THE JOURNALISM PROGRAM

Instead of the usual book report or literary analysis, ask your students to write a review of the books they are reading. To insure that they are writing for audience, you may specify or you can ask them to specify the publication in which the review will appear.

Collect sample professional reviews from the Sunday Washington Post or New York Times weekly review supplements or from magazines and daily newspapers. After students have read and discussed four or five reviews, have them list the components of the review or outline the review. Place students in groups of three to five students in which they will compile a list of elements of a review. Discuss these elements and the structure of the review. They are ready to write their own reviews.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS WHEN WRITING A BOOK REVIEW

1. Determine the audience for whom the book review is intended

2. Provide basic elements in the review:

• a brief summary of the work, but do not disclose the ending
• author's education and/or family background
• experience or expertise that would make him a reliable or believable author for this particular genre
• comparison with author's other works or works of the same genre by other authors
• cost of the book (hardcover or paperback)
• quotations from the work which reveal author's style and level of language as well as support the reviewer's claims.

3. Clearly establish his or her evaluation of the book

4. Meets the purpose of a book review
The essential purpose of a book review is to let the reader know if a book will be worth the price and the time to read, based upon the reader's knowledge and interests. It provides a quick overview of contemporary considerations and academic findings.

5. Has the review writier included figurative language or does the author of the book include figurative language and allusions? For example, if reference is made to "Etonian ties" and "Eisenhower-era English," what are the historic roots of these allusions? What do both of these allusions add to the flavor of the review when quoted or used by the review? Do they support one of the concepts presented by the author?

6. What level of vocabulary is used? Is it appropriate for the intended audience? In addition to words that might appear in a SAT-prep list, what if the reviewer uses idiomatic terms. For example, the review uses "wonky," "squirrelly," and "nutty." What do "wonky," "squirrelly," and "nutty" mean? What does this more familiar level of language add to the review? Do you find these words distracting?

If this were a social studies or humanities class, you might ask students to give examples of such allusions from their knowledge of history or current events. FOR EXAMPLE: Which countries currently have octogenarian leaders?