{"id":2088,"date":"2015-06-25T10:32:13","date_gmt":"2015-06-25T17:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/?page_id=2088"},"modified":"2026-01-30T16:37:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T00:37:11","slug":"book-reviewers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/book-reviewers\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Reviewers"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Book Reviews<\/h3>\n<p>Book reviewers contribute book reviews to the <a href=\"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/category\/teen-reviews\/book-reviews\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">Teens Blog<\/span><\/a> and <span style=\"color: #0000ff\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cityofpasadena.net\/library\/teens\/teen-zine\/\"><em>The Rose<\/em><\/a><\/span>. Book reviewers are assigned notable, new, and\/or not-yet-released YA books to review. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, please see our requirements below.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Qualifications to be a Book Reviewer<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Reviewers must be between the ages of 13-17 at the time of initial application<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must live in Pasadena, attend school in Pasadena<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers are assigned\u00a06-12 books to review per year<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must write a 200-400 word review for each assigned book<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must be able to pick up books from a Pasadena Public Library<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must\u00a0have good written communication skills<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must have access to their own email (whether at home, school, or library) and answer their own emails<\/li>\n<li>Reviewers are credited with their full name, so all reviewers need to fill out a <span style=\"color: #0000ff\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff\" href=\"https:\/\/cityofpasadena.libwizard.com\/f\/TeenVolunteerApplication\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">volunteer application<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Reviewers must apply and be accepted by sending in a sample review<\/li>\n<li>Any exceptions to the above qualifications can be made by the Teen Librarian<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>How to apply to be a Book Reviewer<\/h3>\n<p>Please apply by submitting a sample review to <strong>Ernesto Covarrubias<\/strong> at <span style=\"color: #0000ff\"><strong>ecovarrubias@cityofpasadena.net<\/strong><\/span> with the subject: Reviewer Application. Attach your review as a Word document or copy and paste it in the body of the email.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Guidelines for Reviewers<\/h3>\n<p>Read the entire book. You can\u2019t give a fair review without reading the whole book. Sometimes, it helps to also read prefaces and the author notes (usually following the end of the book).<\/p>\n<p>Your opinion is more important than the summary of the book! Your critical assessment is good, but there&#8217;s no need to write a book report. The review could involve your reaction, your engagement to the text, and\/or your opinions about the characters or plot. You could also suggest whether or not other young people would like the book.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Format<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>First paragraph: short summary of the book, with no obvious spoilers.<\/p>\n<p>Second paragraph: your opinion.<\/p>\n<p>Your star rating out of 5 stars.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Your reviews will be credited accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Reviewer Responsibility<\/h3>\n<p>It is your responsibility to notify me if you have a reading restriction. Unfortunately, I can only promise that the book is marked appropriate for ages 12 (or sometimes 14) and up; age appropriateness is based on the book&#8217;s publisher, author, and professional book reviewers. If you have other restrictions beyond age appropriateness (such as certain subjects or issues),\u00a0you have the right to refuse to review the book, but it is your decision only. I will not be checking whether a book falls within your specifications.<\/p>\n<p>If you are claiming service hours for book reviews, you may not &#8220;double claim&#8221; the hours&#8211;meaning, you may not submit the review to another library and get service hours there as well for the same review.<\/p>\n<p>You\u00a0must read the entire book before writing the review.<\/p>\n<p>Reviews published on another review blog\/website or magazine will not be accepted; cross-posting a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or on your own personal social media is okay.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Tips for\u00a0writing<\/h3>\n<p>Annotate! Have a set of sticky notes ready to tag quotes or passages that stand out to you.<\/p>\n<p>After reading the book, jot down quick notes about what stood out to you.\u00a0 Was the ending weak?\u00a0 Did the characters develop?\u00a0 Was the plot believable?\u00a0 Did the writing capture you?<\/p>\n<p>Leave some time between your initial and final review. \u00a0Write a draft of your review, and then finish it the next day. \u00a0You might change your mind about a certain phrase or opinion you wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Use your words wisely.\u00a0 Short reviews can be really strong if you\u2019re using the right words, but don\u2019t forget to give examples or details when your\u00a0point needs it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The best way to be a better writer is to read&#8230; so read lots and lots of other people&#8217;s reviews.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Read some samples:<\/p>\n<p>By Kaelin, former teen reviewer: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2024\/all-kinds-of-other-teen-book-review\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2015\/love-letters-to-the-dead-teen-review\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>By Hadley and Kara, former teen reviewers: \u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff\" href=\"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2015\/red-queen-teen-reviews\/\">http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/2015\/red-queen-teen-reviews\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Book Reviews Book reviewers contribute book reviews to the Teens Blog and The Rose. Book reviewers are assigned notable, new, and\/or not-yet-released YA books to review. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, please see our requirements below. &nbsp; Qualifications to be a Book Reviewer Reviewers must be between [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2088","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5ZwbD-xG","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/about-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":0},"title":"About Us","author":"Jane Gov","date":"May 21, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"FAQs What is the Teens Blog? This is a blog for Pasadena Public Library Teen Services. It is about teens, for teens, or for educators\/parents of teens in the Pasadena community area. We also have a Kids Blog, General\/Adult Blog, and a blog for our Archives. Who contributes to this\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5699,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/volunteers\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":1},"title":"Volunteers","author":"Jane Gov","date":"July 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTIONS APPLY ONLINE HERE:\u00a0 VOLUNTEER GALLERY A few highlights of our volunteers' work. *\"Weekly Catch-All volunteers\" are volunteers from the general volunteer pool who have committed to working one weekly shift every week at the same time. These volunteers are generally well-rounded and will do a variety of tasks\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/teen-volunteer-descriptions-300x300.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3912,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/teen-advisory-board\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":2},"title":"Teen Advisory Board","author":"Jane Gov","date":"May 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 What is the Teen Advisory Board?\u00a0 TAB is a group of library teen volunteers who not only helps the library and community, but takes an active leadership role in implementing programs, promoting, and advocating for youth services in Pasadena. How is it different than just being a regular library\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/tab-mosiac.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/tab-mosiac.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/tab-mosiac.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/tab-mosiac.png?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2020\/07\/tab-mosiac.png?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5909,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/teen-advisory-board\/mental-health-initiative\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":3},"title":"Mental Health Initiative","author":"Jane Gov","date":"July 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If this is an emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. If you are feeling suicidal and need to speak to someone right away, please call the 24\/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Mental health resources for youth: Safe space: Pasadena Central Library: Teen Central at\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2021\/04\/MHI1-1024x576.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6703,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/teen-advisory-board\/the-way-to-well-being\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":4},"title":"The Way to Well-Being","author":"Jane Gov","date":"December 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Join us on the journey to healthier and intentional living. The Way to Well-Being project is a series of trainings, programs, activities, and exercises to help you explore mindfulness techniques, be healthier, gain personal clarity, live intentionally, and learn about community supports. The Way to Well-Being is grant supported and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/18\/files\/sites\/18\/2022\/07\/education-kits-300x300.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5933,"url":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/archive\/around-the-web\/","url_meta":{"origin":2088,"position":5},"title":"Around the Web","author":"Jane Gov","date":"July 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"HIGHLIGHTS FROM AROUND THE WEB Articles that were feature on our front page from external resources:\u00a0 (selected by the Teen Librarian) \u00a0 10 Audiobook Thrillers With Complicated Relationships [link to Book Riot] Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2021) Nominees Round Up, July 2 Edition [link to YALSA's The Hub] Riverdale Reads [link\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2088"}],"version-history":[{"count":94,"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8358,"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2088\/revisions\/8358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pasadena-library.net\/teens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}