Mrs. Clymer's Classroom Library
Students need to:
Sign-up for a free Goodreads online account.
If you have a smartphone can download the phone app iOS (iPhone) | Android
The interface for both the website and application are simple and easy to use.
Students should obtain parental approval before signing up!
Once an account is created, a parent should review and adjust the account settings and profile to ensure sufficient security and privacy is in place with the account.
Click here for some security tips from Goodreads to assist in managing account settings.
Once your account is setup, send me a Friend Request, and we will then be connected in Goodreads.
My username is KimClymer or search by my email address: kimberlyaclymer@katyisd.org.
After completing a novel, students will write a short review of each book they log for Independent Reading on GoodReads.com and give that book a "star rating".
To write your book review on GoodReads:
Log in to GoodReads, and search for your book's title by using the search bar at the top of the page.
Then, go to that book's page and click on the appropriate number of stars under the picture of the book cover to give it a rating.
After rating the book, click on the "write a review" bubble that pops up and paste your review in the box provided.
Reviews should be one paragraph and/or 3-5 sentences in length. Please do not write a novel for your review!
Reviews should not exceed 3-5 sentences in length.
Follow the guidelines below for writing your reviews:
- Your review of a book can be positive or negative.
- Write about your own opinions, but be sure that you explain and support them with evidence and examples from the book.
- The most important element of a review is that it is a commentary, not a summary.
- You should include connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, etc) and your personal thoughts/feelings in your critique.
- For example:
- Is the writing effective, powerful, difficult, beautiful?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book?
- If this book is part of series, will you continue to read the series?
- In addition, to analyzing the book itself, a good review also suggests whether or not the audience would appreciate it and explains why.
- Finally, feel free to make your review personal and in a writing style that is true to your "voice"
Click "Save" at the bottom of the review page to save your review.
Copy the URL of the page with your review and paste it into your IR log.
The URL should look like this: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/866328359
Here's a great example of a book review for Wonder by R.J. Palacio:
| "What a lovely, lovely book. So sad and yet so inspiring, it showed all sides of human nature and in the end I think good triumphed over bad. I liked the way the author presented the story in sections with different characters narrating from their own point of view. This gives the reader a much better informed view of the truth and helps us understand why some people act the way they do. So many great characters too! Overall a well written and very enjoyable book.(Also a tear jerker!)" - Goodread user Phrynne |
*Using Goodreads is not a requirement. If a student or parent has concerns with using this resource , please contact Mrs. Clymer for more information.