www.kidsreview.org.uk
 

Kids' Review is a unique educational resource designed specifically for schools, enabling children to add and edit their own reviews of books they have read, within a safe and managed environment. Reviews can be shared with school children across the UK to help with book choice. Teachers maintain control over content.

Win £100 worth of books for your school!!! See the bottom of this page for the competition details... GO!

Kids' Review provides a practical use of IT and children are motivated to see their reviews published for a real audience. A useful resource for developing reading, writing and technology skills Kids' Review encourages pupils to justify their opinions and hone critical skills. Thousands of reviews, by children for children, are now available on the web site. Kids' Review aim is "to encourage children to develop an interest in books and also encourage them to try books that they might otherwise have left on the shelf."

Aimed at children aged 6 to 14 Kids' Review can be used from both home and school so parents can become involved too. Features include searches by title, author, series, genre, reviews and 'top 10' linked to a database of 130,000+ titles.

Kids' Review provides a practical use of IT and children are motivated to see their reviews published for a real audience.

"... the children love the fact that they can see their views online. It has also been very beneficial for those children who are reluctant to read, as they want to be able to use the site properly too. It has also got children talking together about the books they read, something that happened a lot less before!" Caroline King, Queen Anne First School.
 

"Pupils enjoyed taking ownership of their reading and the freedom of expressing their true opinions. The ability to view others' reviews, as well as their own, enticed pupils to craft their work carefully." Walter Barbieri, South Dartmoor Community College An unexpected benefit has also been noticed by teachers reporting that since using Kids' Review boys are more likely to talk about the books they are reading with their fathers, due to the IT aspect. Positive male role models are influential in improving and encouraging boys reading.

Richard Green, Blenheim Primary said "The real benefits have been evident in disaffected readers who through the use of Kids' review have discovered new authors and titles which appeal to them, through reading the reviews of other children and searching the extensive database of books available"

Kids' Review is free from commercial influence with running costs met by annual subscription. There are no adverts or sales links. Subscribing schools receive unlimited access to www.kidsreview.org.uk, which includes use from home.

Kids' Review is a Curriculum Online Registered Content Provider, has been awarded a 5 star award by School Zone, and has been positively evaluated by TEEM (Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia). Last year Kids' Review won the ELSBC business award for Innovation.

In addition to adding and editing reviews the following features are also available:

A general Search enables the user to find books by using the title, author or series title. If a child has a favourite author, or a friend has recommended a particular book or series this search will find the book, display more details about the book(s) as well as providing access to any reviews. Reviews are displayed in a friendly 'Pin Board' style. Providing all the detail that was typed in the review form, but in a much friendlier format.
 

The Suggest search enables searching by genre. Different options are available dependent on the age of the child, Infant, Junior or secondary. This search can suggest books when a child doesn't know what to read next. If they enjoy fantasy adventure stories, then just tick the boxes and they will be presented with a suitable list of suggestions and access to their reviews. The Latest 100 provides the answer to the question 'what are children reading at the moment?' by displaying a snapshot of the 100 most recently added reviews.

The Top 10 provides access to six different charts. You can view the favourite books based on age or location, with the option to view the favourite books 'at your school' providing a personal feel that is often lost in the World Wide Web.

The Authors feature is continually growing. This is an area where you can find out, which books authors enjoyed in their youth. There is a photo of each author, as well as brief biographical information. Two links are provided from each author's page enabling direct access to book information and reviews, both of the books that author enjoyed, and of those they have written.
Help is available online and includes instruction sheets and NLS activity sheets.

Options can be set by each school to restrict the age range of reviews visible to their pupils as well as setting controls on the type of books that pupils can access.

The database of books is regularly updated to ensure new titles are included, usually before publish date. Kids' Review are registered with a number of publishers and receive regular review copies of new titles, which are all sent to schools.

The database of books is filtered to provide only one entry for each title, whether paperback, hardback or special edition. Any missing books are usually resolved and available within 24 hours, and additional 'non-youth' titles can be requested for addition to the database (available for review within 48 hours). This is particularly beneficial to secondary school children who are moving on to more challenging texts.

"I think this website is really useful, it gives us (the children) a chance to put forward our ideas, help others to find a book that suits them! It's like a library on-line" Laura, a pupil.
A regular newsletter is sent to subscribers keeping them up-to-date with enhancements and new features.

Judith Puddick, Primary advisor for Southend-On-Sea said "Not only does Kids' Review inspire children to read, but they are also motivated to write, enthused by the thought of a real audience that genuinely wants to hear their views."

Kids' Review operate a regular competition for all our subscribers.
 

The competition runs 6 times a year and the winning school receives £100 worth of books for their school library plus a £10 book token and certificate for the winning pupil.  Each competition will be themed to encourage reading.

The theme of our current competition is DIVERSITY .  The competition will run from 7th June to 13th September 2004 .  Winners will be notified in the first week after the half term break.

How to enter...
To encourage diversity in reading Kids' Review are asking all our reviewers to read and review a book that has not yet been reviewed (as of 7th June 2004).  This could be a newly published book or a classic that has not yet been reviewed.  Reviews can be added as a class or individual.

Kids' Review will be looking for correct spelling and grammar in the winning review but will take account of the reviewers age.

The Winner of our last competition is Maddison of Ellington School for Girls, Ramsgate for her review of Austere Academy.

The small print...

• Reviews must be authorised by 13th September 2004 to be accepted for entry in the competition. 
• Entry in the competition in automatic.  There is no need for schools to register.
• Only reviews of books that were listed on Kids' Review with no reviews on 7th June 2004 will be accepted.
• The judges decision is final. 
• Kids' Review will make every effort to ensure the books supplied to the winning school are appropriate to the age range of pupils at that school. 
• There are no cash alternatives to prizes.
• The winning school will be notified by 20th September 2004.
• The name of the winning school will be published on-line by 20th September 2004.
• Kids' Review will only contact the winning school.  Kids' Review will NOT disclose the full identity of the winning reviewer and will make no contact with the reviewer. 
• It is the responsibility of the school to present the £10 book token and certificate to the winning pupil.

www.kidsreview.org.uk