Write Book Reviews for Community Service!
Teens and Tweens Grades 5-12 can now earn community service hours by writing book reviews for Teen Reads. The Library will help volunteers edit reviews of teen and tween books. When reviews are approved, the Library will post them on Teen Reads.
How it Works
Read a book written for teen/tween audiences and write a short review. The Library will work with you to edit your review before approving it to post on our Teen Reads blog. After the review is approved, you’ll earn community service credit based on the length of the book you reviewed!
Getting Started
Teen Reads reviews can include: a brief introduction to the story and/or characters; reasons why you chose the book; why you liked or disliked the book; why you are recommending the book to other teens/tweens; or other relevant musings you have concerning the book. Your review should be more than just a summary–we want to know what about the book makes you want to review it for your peers!
To submit your review, fill out THIS FORM separately, or at the bottom of the page. The form will ask you for the following:
- Your name, current grade, and email (so we can contact you about editing and posting your review!)
- The book's title, author, and genre
- Why you decided to read the book
- Your rating (scale of 1-10)
- Your spoiler free book review (at least 200 words)
For more information, please review the Rules below or contact us at teens@kinderhooklibrary.org.
Rules
- Reviewers must be currently attending Grades 5-12 (or homeschool equivalent) and reside in the Ichabod Crane School District to be eligible for community service through Teen Reads.
- Reviews should focus on books written for tween and teen audiences. Reviews of adult books will also be accepted, but please make a note that it is intended for adults in the Genre field when submitting your review.
- Reviews should be at least 200 words and contain no major spoilers. A spoiler free review can still tell the reader about the set up of the book, the characters, etc. Just don't ruin any of the surprises in the story. Part of the fun of reading is not knowing what's going to happen next!
- Keep it clean! Reviews which contain inappropriate language will not be approved.
- Reviews which contain hate speech of any kind or that have been in any way plagiarized will permanently disqualify the writer from participating in Teen Reads.
- AI generated reviews will not be accepted. We want to hear your own voice!
- Reviews should not be viewed as an instantaneous way to earn community service. Community service hours will be earned after your review is approved by the Library. Please allow 7 days for a submission to be reviewed by the Library, as well as time afterward to work with the Teen Librarian on any necessary edits or rewrites. Think of the review you submit on the form as your first draft.
- Volunteers can submit as many recommendations as they like so long as they maintain a good standard of thought and writing in their reviews. Each approved review will earn you 1 hour of community service per 100 pages in the book. For example: 107 pages = 1 hour of community service. 588 pages = 5 hours of community service.