Goodreads Review Program

Write a review for any book you read – we’ll post it on our Goodreads account and you’ll earn 30 minutes of volunteer time!

Which books can I review?

Anything you would like – fiction, non-fiction, young adult, adult, juvenile fiction, picture books, graphic novels, etc. – it all counts! The books can even be titles that you are required to read as school assignments or summer reading. However, we can only accept and post one review of each title As of 4/15/2024, we will accept up to 5 reviews of each book, so please check our Goodreads account to see if the book you’re reading still has review “slots”. (This limitation is necessitated by Goodreads’ review character limit.)

Reserving titles ahead of time is not allowed, and each person can only submit one review for each title.

How long should the review be?

The review should be between 200-400 words. Please use the form at the end of the page when submitting your review. A review is more than just a summary of the plot and should include an evaluation of the elements of the book (e.g. pacing, character development, style, mood, or use of images in non-fiction materials, etc.) A review should clearly indicate if you recommend the title or not. It is OK if you didn’t like the book, but be sure to tell us why!

Will you proofread my review?

Submitted reviews will not be edited so if substantial edits are needed they will be returned for re-submission. However, we may at times make suggestions for technical improvements. All reviews must be written by the student who is submitting them. Plagiarized reviews will be rejected without credit.

Where can I find examples of reviews?

There are many places where you can find examples of reviews to read. Professional reviews are recommended for the best examples (e.g. Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal, New York Times, etc.) It is not recommended that you look for examples written by “some random guy” on Amazon. Professional reviews are available through the library catalog. Simply search for a title, click on the image or title to open the record, and click the “A Look Inside” tab. You are also encouraged to check our Goodreads page for reviews posted by other students!

What happens once I’ve written my review?

Once you have written a review, it must be input through our online form located under the library’s “Teen” tab or directly via this link. Once the review is looked over for any issues, it will be published on the library’s Goodreads site and you will receive a confirmation email that you have received 30 minutes of volunteer time for your review. There is no limit to how many reviews you can submit but you may only submit one review per week! Although the form asks for your first and last name, we will only publish the review with your first name and grade. If you do not want your name included and would like to publish an anonymous review, click the appropriate response on our online form.

How can I access the library’s Goodreads account?

With parental permission, you may sign up for your own account on Goodreads to access reviews. Find us on Goodreads and click “add as a friend.” You can also monitor our Goodreads without creating your own account by clicking on the “g” on the banner of our Facebook page. Goodreads also has an app that can be downloaded on your smartphone.

Other Guidelines:

We will not rush review responses and the awarding of volunteer time.

To make sure you receive hours prior to deadlines you are trying to meet, submit your reviews two weeks ahead of time so we can vet them and post them to our Goodreads account. To receive a letter of confirmation of your volunteer time earned, please email the Teen Volunteer Coordinator at yaplainsborolibrary@gmail.com.

You may post 1 review per week.

We do not have unlimited resources to devote to review vetting and posting. Due to this, we ask that individuals send only one review per week.

AI assistance must be noted.

Any use of ChatGPT, Grammarly and other programs that tweak the text automatically for tone and content must to be noted at the end of the review. AI tools can be powerful assistants but should not be used as a substitute for reading and formulating one’s own opinions.

Have more questions? Email us here!

SUBMIT YOUR REVIEW HERE