Butterfingers Book

Be brief. Reviews should be between 125 - 175 words (mine are often
shorter than this).
• Typical reviews discuss themes, character development, plot or setting.
• Comment on style, structure, illustrations, format, binding or accuracy.
• Compare with similar books, earlier editions or series.
• Discuss appropriateness for intended audience.
• Explain why the book deserves the Rating it received.
• Be critical and emphatic in your evaluation if necessary. Publishers
should know that we will not purchase mediocre materials.

The ratings are
R* Recommended. Superior book: everyone should buy
R Recommended. Superior in style, liveliness, integrity, and format.
AD+ Additional. Competent good solid book but has flaws.
AD Additional. Competent but is or will be excelled in its field by other books
AD- Competent but mediocre
M Marginal. Contains so many weaknesses that it might not be
considered for purchase only as supplementary material in its field or
to meet special localized subject needs.
NR Not recommended. Reject, does not meet library standards in style,
content and/or design
NR* Not recommended. Appropriate for another kind of collection, age level.

2. To submit your reviews electronically, create a word document with
the authors last name, first title then your review below.
Email Venta Silins ([email protected]) before the next month's meeting.
Do not have any formatting in the document. Please BCC me on your reviews.
(This way if you have orals I can read them for you).

3. If you reviewed written books, you don't need to give me the one(s) you
are keeping. I need the filled out white slips (rating, grade
level(range i.e. K-2)),
your information and in the blank space 'review emailed' and note on
it that you are keeping the book as a 2-for-1 so they know why it
isn't there).

4. Write the grade level range, recommendation and date on the inside cover
of the books you are returning.

5. Return the books, filled white sheets and reviews by the 1st Thursday
of the next month.

6. In the Google Excel Doc enter how many books you want, etc. *Make sure
you are on the correct page - look at the month on the bottom*

I should be in the GA Office on most days, but if I'm not there you can always
leave the books at my desk (right next to the printer)

Following are two of my past reviews:

Pixley, Marcella Freak

In Pixley's debut novel, Miriam Fisher's parents see her as a unique
and creative 7th grader. Her fellow classmates see her as an outsider
and a freak. When the popular girls increase the teasing, Miriam must
decide who she is and who she wants to be. Miriam's poems flawlessly
weave themselves into the story. Poignant and true to the middle
school experience where peers can be cruel, Freak drags the reader
into Miriam's struggles and refuses to let go. Received starred
reviews in Booklist and Kirkus.

7th and up R*


Bray, Libba The Far Sweet Thing

In 1896, Gemma and her friends Felicity and Ann try to pursue their
dreams in an extremely confining Victorian society. They attend the
Spence Academy for young ladies where a secret society of women called
the Order once reigned supreme over another world called The Realms.
Gemma has inherited magical abilities from her mother, who was once a
part of the order. Mystery fills the pages as Gemma learns secrets of
The Order's past, The Tree of All Souls and her own dark corners.
Characters have many facets and there are several surprises about all
of the characters. However, the 819 paged book feels slow in some
places and though the plot twists and turns, some of the twists do not
make sense (the modern day feminist sentiments of several main
characters are probably not accurate for that time). The ending is
too neat for a few characters and unsatisfactory for others. As it
contains violence especially towards the end, the audience is those
who are looking for a dark fantasy with human flaws and an ending that
does not say, "and everyone lived happily ever after." This is the
final book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy.

9th and up AD+