LitPick Book Review Examples
Book Review Example 1 (Good) 
Summary:
Back to Blackbrick is a story about a teen boy trying to fix his grandpa's memory. His grandpa, in a rare moment of clarity, gives him a key and tells him to go to this place called Blackbrick by the south gate. He discovers that, when he goes through the gate, he goes back in time to his grandpa's past. When he goes to the past, though, he discovers that his grandpa is in love with someone other than his grandma. So in order to continue existing in the present, he needs to fix his grandpa up with his grandma. This touching, sometimes funny, book shows how he deals with these issues.
Opinion:
Back to Blackbrick is a great book with lots of twists and turns. There are two things I didn’t like about it. The first is how it keeps jumping from what is happening now when Granddad’s brain is messed up to what used to happen in the past when his brain isn’t messed up. And the second is that the sentences where people talking are often in third person, so there are less quotation marks than I would expect.
A couple of the things I really liked about this book were that at the end of the book it makes it sound like real life, and second, the author developed the characters very well.
This book has what every great book needs: action, adventure, surprises, and a touch of magic. I would give this book 4/5 stars and would recommend this book to ages 10-14. Have a great time reading this book.
Book Review Example 2 (Good)
Summary:
Earth Girl takes place in the year 2789 where "portaling" between planets is a part of daily life for the people whose bodies can handle it. People who are unable to travel to other worlds and have to live on Earth are considered handicapped and are occasionally treated poorly by those who can use portals. Even though handicapped people are guaranteed a job, home, and money from the governent a handicapped girl named Jarra is still angered by the way "normal" people treat them. So to show everyone handicapped people are humans too Jarra plans to enter an "off world" university that will spend the first few months on earth to learn of its history. After fitting in and making some friends she would then reveal that she was handicapped. Jarra couldn't wait to see the look on their faces when they'd realizeded they had been friends with an "ape." The only question was: could she convince them?
Opinion:
This was one of the most wonderful science fiction books I have ever read! It was easy to relate to the character's thoughts and feelings even though the story is far into the future, and while there was some romance there was plenty of action and adventure too. I would recomend this to readers looking for an exciting book with the perfect balance of adventure, suspence, and love.
Book Review Example 3 (Good)
Summary:
You see books everywhere, but how were they invented? When you think about it, a lot of work went into the creation of books. There had to be letters, paper, printing presses, pencils... the list goes on and on! Book, a cheeky chap who speaks in narrative prose, travels through time, teaching readers about the history of books. He starts off with the ancient Mesopotamians and works his way up to today’s e-book age. Book is not so narcissistic as to talk only of himself; he dedicates time to influential book-makers and fun facts about the times. Captivating black-and-white illustrations keep up the tempo, and quotes or poems dot the chapters. Kids and grown-ups who love books will have fun learning with Book!
Opinion:
From the get-go, I was inclined to like Book. I’m a member of LitPick; I love books! Though I knew about papyrus, Gutenberg Bibles, and printing presses, I still discovered quite a few fun facts about the history of books. Did you know that an Assyrian king had a library with a kiln to bake clay tablets, an old form of books?
This book is clearly meant for kids, though I think that adult bibliophiles will also enjoy it. Brief chapters are great for short attention spans, and Packer’s illustrations are stunning. Some are charming additions to break up pages; others are diagrams that show readers things like how to make papyrus paper.
In between chapters are quotes or poems about reading, which first seemed a little odd. Eventually I got used to them. Some were really lovely; others were humorous. I know that I’ll be copying Emily Dickinson’s poem about books into my notebook!
I noticed that the author, Agard, is a British poet. That might explain the long sentences that sometimes drifted into lyrical prose. He also name-dropped Harry Potter, which is always a plus. I liked how the author made Book a bold character. He once remarks, “When politicians talk about closing libraries to save money, I feel like knocking them over the head.” My thoughts exactly!
Book is a unique, educational read that bibliomaniacs of all ages can learn from. I only wish it had been a bit longer, so that I could enjoy more of Book's autobiography.
Book Review Example 4 (Very Good)
Opinion:
Dan Flanigan’s An American Tragedy was not only a fantastic read but a firm commentary on American society today. Similar to Arthur Miller’s famous The Crucible, An American Tragedy reaches into past phenomenons to mirror those of the present, like fear-mongering and blind mob mentality, to name a few. Complementing the story’s relevance is Flanigan’s clear courtroom knowledge. It’s real, it’s intense, and it’s in full force. The courtroom proceedings are displayed in depth and the plot remains accessible to audiences unfamiliar with the material. It also stays realistic and attention-gripping; if anything, the long court procedures allow the readers to feel the tense, impending dread alongside the characters. Additionally, the crushing reality of the plot is fantastically put, with headlines breaking up each chapter. Miss Ginny and Marvin Smith’s (accused of assisting Miss Ginny) incarcerations are disturbingly common for the time (with forensic sciences and DNA testing in the early stages) with a strong reliance on easily swayed witness testimony being of great consideration in courtrooms. Style-wise, An American Tragedy is quite enjoyable. O’Keefe’s internal commentary rarely fails to be entertaining and the character-to-character interactions characterize the relationships of the cast well. The dialogue varies from quick-witted jabs between friends to cold, snide exchanges between the defense and the prosecution when appropriate. Halfway through reading this, I ended up in the rabbit hole of The Innocence Project (reading online and watching the Netflix docu-series), and it gave me some hope for those who find themselves in the shoes of Miss Ginny and Mr. Smith. If you have a general interest in false incarcerations and courtroom thrillers, I HIGHLY recommend this book. And, if you don’t, I suggest you give it a try – you may find that it's totally up your alley!
Book Review Example 5 (Very Good)
Summary:
Theodore the Sloth Who Wants to Race by Dr. Sam and J.L. McCreedy is about a sloth named Theodore who is different from the others - he has two toes instead of three and believes he's faster than the rest. Determined to prove himself, he dreams of racing and even trains for it. When no other sloth wants to race him, he challenges a worm instead. But when he thinks he’s won, the worm reveals it didn’t even know they were racing. Embarrassed and defeated, Theodore wonders if he’ll ever find the courage to race again. Will Theodore’s dream of racing ever come true? Follow his journey as he navigates his unique challenges.
Opinion:
Dr. Sam and J.L. McCreedy’s Theodore the Sloth Who Wants to Race is a delightful book that celebrates uniqueness, resilience, hope, and dreams. It beautifully addresses themes of individuality, showing how one can be different yet still have dreams that others might not even consider. The story follows Theodore as he strives toward his dream, facing setbacks along the way, and it emphasizes that failure is a natural part of achieving one’s goals. The vibrant, colorful illustrations truly bring Theodore’s world to life, making the story even more engaging. Additionally, the book features a sloth facts page, a glossary, and a fun animal classification game, offering both educational value and entertainment. It’s a well-rounded book that’s perfect for teaching, learning, and leisure, sure to be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. A wonderful read overall!
Book Review Example 6 (Very Good)
Summary:
The Adventures of Chii: Shadows Of Valoria by Alisanya tells the story of a young cat girl who tries to find out about her past. Chii, a young and energetic cat girl, lost her family and the people she ever knew to a shadowy mist that once attacked her village. A few hours after the incident, she fell victim to some wicked humans while trying to escape and became a slave. One day, fortunately for her, she was freed from the hands of her wicked master when he was attacked by some bandits during a journey. As she fled into the forest, she came in contact with a fairy who introduced her to the other fairies. While with them, she helps them save the Sacred Tree, which is the core of the forest. She did this by removing a crystal that was embedded in the tree to suck all the mana meant for the fairies. In return, the fairies gave her all the mana that was in the crystal, and they also decided to train her as a young warrior. When the training was over, she was privileged to receive a moonlight blade as a gift. With her newfound strength and training, she ventures out into the world with hopes of finding out about her past and what had happened to her family and the village.
Opinion:
The Adventures of Chii: Shadows Of Valoria is a novel that features occasional graphics, with two to three images in each chapter. These images are bright, colorful, and vivid. They add some visuals to the story, which can be appealing to young readers. Still in images, the eye-catching and striking graphic of the cover page of the book looked very adventurous. It features an image of Chii and other mysterious characters that appear in the story, with bold lettering which highlights the book's title.
The book's plot was filled with adventures that result from Chili's search for her past, well detailed strategic battles, and expertly crafted twists that left me completely fazed. Chii's encounter with the shadowy mist left her disturbed and with the urge to discover the truth behind what happened, which became the motive for her adventure. Her adventures in the city of Valoria were most times interrupted by villains which would end up leading to a fight. These fights were thrilling, intense, and every action was vividly depicted in the novel. While reading, the twists surprised me. For example, Hoshi was a chef and one of Chii's friends, but unfortunately, he was one of the people responsible for the killing of innocent individuals for their mana.
The characters used in the book consist of various mythical creatures, from Chii who is a cat girl, to the fairies, then the fox girl, and other creatures as well as humans. The protagonist, Chii, is a strong and determined character who tries her best to help and protect people from danger. I admired the brave attitude she displayed when she heard Sensei Samir, her teacher, was on a dangerous quest to close a portal. She decided to help and save him from the dangerous place. Even when she was told about the dangers of the place, she did not back out in fear, but proceeded with determination.
Overall, I would say the book is one that can inculcate good qualities such as bravery, entertain readers with its immersive plot, and more still, engage readers with its colorful and vivid images. I would recommend the novel to readers of fantasy novels and lovers of anime or manga.
Book Review Example 1 (Not So Good) 
Summary:
this book is about a girl named rivi who is from a different planet who can do stuff with her mind like making things levitate and a boy named dan who is from earth him and rivi are good friends rivi helped dan get over his bullying problem by letting him think better about himself rivi met the president along with dan they both hellped scientest who work with the president by fixing there satilite dish so they could get a message from mars and then rivi and dan flew to mars to help the people on mars because they were having a problem
Opinion:
i would suggest this to anyone who is looking for a good book or just looking for something to do.
Book Review Example 2 (Not So Good)
Summary:
A girl finds her fathers friend is living with them now and comes to find out her life isn't exactly what she thought it was. She must learn to accept her new life and those around her.
Opinion:
A great book jam packed with action and adventure and was exactly what I was craving.
Book Review Example 3 (Not So Good)
Summary:
The book begins of with this adult figure leaving this two kids, Edgar and Mary, in an old house covered in moss. Dr. Blood is supposedly the parental figure of these two kids. They asked why is he leaving them and he replied with, “I need to go alone to not put you both in danger." The kids almost died in the whole series. They clean the cabin they're in and look at the spider tattoo that they have. Then this older woman claims to have previously had them as her own until Dr. blood took them away.
I enjoyed reading the book but it was short.