Reading Nonfiction Reviews

Before you write your own review, you should see how other students reviewed nonfiction. As you read the samples on this page, pay close attention to the types of details included, and consider how you might share similar details in your own review.

Reading a Short Nonfiction Review

In just a single paragraph, a short review can inspire others to read a nonfiction book or article. A short review includes three parts: The topic sentence introduces the title and author of the work in an interesting way. The body sentences tell what the book is about and why you like it. The ending sentence predicts who else would like the book and recommends they read it.

Sample Short Review

1. How does the writer introduce the book being reviewed?
2. What is the book about?
3. What is the purpose of the ending sentence?

Reading a Full Nonfiction Review

A full nonfiction review provides more details and analysis than a short review. It reveals just enough about the book or article to help readers decide whether or not to read it. The beginning paragraph introduces the nonfiction work and gets the reader's interest. The middle paragraphs describe what the book or article is about, explain why you liked it, and reveal the book's theme or the article's main idea. The ending paragraph answers why others would like reading it.

Warm-Up for Writing Nonfiction Reviews

(c) Thoughtful Learning 2018

Have you ever read something so great that you just had to tell someone else about it? Writing a nonfiction review gives you that chance. In this unit, you will write a review of a nonfiction book or article you have recently read.

What Is a Nonfiction Review?

A nonfiction review gives just enough information about a book or article to help another reader decide whether or not to read the whole thing. Nonfiction is another word for "true story," so a nonfiction review focuses on a work about real people, places, events, or information. Some examples of nonfiction include biographies, autobiographies, diary entries, historical documents, online news stories, textbook chapters, and newspaper and magazine articles.

A review not only describes what the story is about but also what you think about it and why. The reading and writing activities in this unit will help you create an effective review of a nonfiction text (without spoiling the ending). Afterward, you can share what you've written with your friends and classmates. Who knows, your review might influence what they choose to read next!

Thinking About Nonfiction

Writing a great nonfiction review begins with close reading. To read closely, remember SQ3R—Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. This reading strategy will help you identify the key elements of nonfiction: title, author, headings, images, graphics, main idea, beginnings, endings, and supporting details.

1. Survey the text: Highlight the title, author, and headings.
2. Question the topic and purpose: Write comments on the document.
3. Read the text: Underline the main idea. (Hint: The main idea is usually located in the first few paragraphs.)

Reading an Opinion Paragraph and Essay

Before you write your own essay, you can read an opinion paragraph and essay that others wrote. As you read, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you might support an opinion in your essay.

Reading an Opinion Paragraph

An opinion paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence states the opinion. The body sentences support the opinion with reasons. The ending sentence restates or emphasizes the opinion.

Sample Paragraph