From: K.T. Horning <khorning>
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 19:49:34 -0500 (CDT)

Brenda-- in response to your question about the starring process: I've had this happen with a couple of books I've reviewed but both times it was done with my knowledge and consent. In both cases, the book review editors called me and asked if it would be okay to star the reviews I had submitted. The reasons both times were: (1) because my review was so favorable that they thought the book merited a star; and (2) because members of the book review staff had also read the book and supported my favorable review whole-heartedly. Both times I was pleasantly surprised by their suggestions that my review should be starred.

I have never suggested a book review be starred because, to be honest, I don't think in terms of stars when I'm reviewing, so I can't speak from experience about what happens when a reviewer wants to star a book the book review editor or staff is not so fond of. I have never before heard that reviewers' stars are not always endorsed by the review publication. It seems odd to me that that would ever be the case, seeing as how starred reviews are given such hype in advertising. If a journal didn't stand behind a starred review, one would think they would not want their name used to promote the book in this way.

Since starring has gotten to be such a big deal in children's book reviewing, wouldn't it stand to reason that every review journal would have a clear policy on starring? Perhaps we can hear from some representatives of the various review journals on this matter.

Kathleen Horning Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin-Madison


At 02:51 PM 9/13/98 00, you wrote:
Received on Sun 13 Sep 1998 07:49:34 PM CDT