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Non-Fiction Book Review Guidelines
Format: see specifications in Assignment Guidelines
For additional format specifics, please see example below:
Forever Outsiders
by Linda Jacobs Altman
Call Number: 940.53 ALT
Content:
The purpose of the non-fiction review is to let other students know whether or not
this particular book would be helpful for doing research on the subject it’s about. For
example, if you were to review a non-fiction book on teen suicide, your review would
focus on how useful the book is for research on teen suicide. Do not use “I” or “YOU”
in the review.
Part One: This is a brief summary of what the book covers or the content of the book.
Explain WHAT the main topic is, HOW the author covers the topic (in what main
sections), and indicate any special FEATURES that book includes like a list of helpful
organizations or websites, etc.
WARNING Plagiarism (copying any part of the material from another source) will result in any automatic zero.
Part Two: Use the specific terms on the Information Problem Solving: Evaluation of
Sources handout to evaluate how useful this book is for research. You do not have
to discuss Availability since you will only be able to review books that are available
in our Media Center. You may choose to discuss either Appropriateness or Relevance
since they mean essentially the same thing. If there are illustrations, comment on
whether or not they are helpful and why/not. Think about what you would want to
know if you were doing a research paper on the topic. For example, if the book is
about a disease, you will definitely want to know about the causes, symptoms, and
treatments. If any of these topics are not addressed or can’t be easily found, you
should comment on that. If you cannot find all of the information you would expect
or need, state what type of information you would add. At the end of the section,
indicate whether or not the book is recommended and why.
Altman, Linda Jacobs. Forever Outsiders. Woodbridge, CT: Blackbirch Press, 1998
Bobby Jameson
Non-Fiction Book Review Rubric
Non-Fiction Book Review Sample
The Perfect Storm
by Sebastian Junger
Call Number: 974.4 JUN
The Andrea Gail and her crew had been through many sea storms but had never
encountered one like she did in October of 1991. The Perfect Storm is about a crew
of fishermen who go further than ever to catch enormous swordfish in order to out do
the competition. Stubborn captain, Billy Tyne, doesn’t realize that he is going into
the “perfect storm” as he heads back to shore. Billy is told by another boat that he is
making a huge mistake and should turn back now, but it’s too late. Billy and his crew
go right in between two colliding hurricanes. The crew of the Andrea Gail struggle
throughout the whole trip, but do the boat and its’ crew make it?
The Perfect Storm is a very engaging book that never fails to attract one’s
interest. This book shows you the troubles of being a fisherman and the dangers of
it. The crew as a whole changed throughout the book because they came closer
together, more like a family. Sully and Murph hated each other and consistently
wanted to fight. When trouble struck and Murph went overboard, Sully was the first
to jump in. After that, they never argued again. The crew also worked together
when they encountered the storms. They depended on each other to survive. This
book is highly recommended to anyone because this book is based on a true story.
It tells the actual events that happened to Billy Tyne and his crew and how they
struggled through the “perfect storm”.
Junger, Sebastian. The Perfect Storm. New York, NY: Harpertorch Publishers, 2000.
Brittany Campbell
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