Book Reviews as an IB Diploma Programme Skill? YES!

Did you know that DP students need to know how to write book reviews for their Language B Paper 2? 

Paper 2 is part of their overall grade toward their Diploma. This particular assessment uses different text types, and students spend four years in their world language class learning how to write different text types. IB text types include newspaper articles, diary entries, letters, brochures, informational essays and reviews. Typically, the reviews are book or movie reviews. I think a librarian could be of great help to Language B teachers by teaching students the format of a book review. I have found it to be more successful when a student can write a review in their native language first, then learn how to write a review in the target language. A book review is a particular type of text. It has its own unique way of being written. 

Having students write book reviews can help highlight your own collection; it is a writing skill, and it gets students excited about choosing their own books. I teach students that when writing a book review it is important to give a short overview, without giving away the ending, and then a personal opinion on whether or not you enjoyed the book. It helps to have some knowledge/vocabulary of the different genres and appropriate audiences. I encourage students to take some of the knowledge learned in their Language A (in our case English; it’s their literature class) and transfer it to Language B and their writing. They should be able to write about literary devices and discuss the theme, plot, motif, characteristics or setting. Finally, a student should incorporate whether or not they recommend the book. Writing a good book review can be complex. To be able to write one in your native language is a major accomplishment for many students. Then to be able to write a book review in a language that you have been learning is quite difficult. Not only do you have to remember the structure of the text (review), but also vocabulary, grammar, cultural knowledge and tone in a second language!

As a librarian, I choose to celebrate this learning by posting the book reviews students write for me. I share them on our school Facebook page and my school library blog. If the author has a Twitter account, we share the review with the author and publisher. Students are so excited to have an author like or retweet their book reviews. Sometimes the author even takes the time to comment about the review to the student. I cannot convey in this article how excited students are to know that the author of the book read their review.

I post student book reviews here on my school library blog: http://iamediacenter.blogspot.com/

The following four book reviews are written by my students (and they are outstanding):

• Darkstalker by Tui T. Sutherland - student book review by Arav 
• Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider - student book review by Nicole 
• My Lady Jane - student book review by Alyssa
• Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos - student book review by Nicole

To model my expectations and give students examples (and keep up on my own knowledge of YA fiction), I write book reviews alongside my students. All the reviews are integrated in my school library blog.

The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde book review 

These reviews could also be posted on a school library GoodReads account, in your library software, or anywhere you would normally showcase book reviews. The literature teachers (Language A) will see elements of skills transferred from their class, and you will help Language B students prepare for their Paper 2 text type writing assessment. This is just a small example of collaborative and interdisciplinary teaching by the school librarian, Language A and Language B teachers.

Klaudia Janek
IB Teacher, Librarian 
International Academy
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

MAME board member, Extended Essay Coordinator, IB Librarian, IB Workshop Leader, IB Online PD Facilitator, IB Workshop Developer, ALA / AASL / YALSA member. Visit my library portal page. Follow me on Twitter @kjanek.