Check List for Good Books

What makes a good book? 
While there are some specific questions to ask for each genre, below, these general questions are useful in evaluating many genres of books:

·         Does the book tell an interesting story? 

·         Is the story appropriate for the intended age range and does it appeal to them?

·         Is the book well-written?

·         What does the reader anticipate from the title and format of the book? 

·         Does the story have a theme?

·         Is the theme worth conveying to children?

·         Is the theme overtly moralistic? 

·         Is the plot well-constructed?

·         Is the plot original, fresh and believable?

·         Are the characters convincing and credible, and do they grow and change from their experiences? 

·         Is the dialogue natural and suited to the characters in the story?

·         If there are illustrations in the book, do they add significantly to the text, and visa versa?

·         Does the story avoid sex, race, or other stereotypes?

·         Did the book provide for a pleasurable reading experience?

·         What have reviewers said about this title? 

·         Does the author know much about the location/time period/people/subject he/she is writing about? 

·         If applicable, are all the significant facts included and is the coverage of the subject well balanced?

·         Is the style of writing appropriate to the subject of the book?

·         For informational books, how accurate are the facts presented in the book?

·         For informational books, is the book well organized? Is there a table of contents, index, or bibliography?