CCBC-Net Archives
Pros & Cons
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Janice Del Negro <delnegro>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 14:09:57 -0500 (CDT)
Since this is close to our last day of discussion, I'm writing a sort of
"all-in-one" post of thoughts inspired by comments from the last few days.
I have been deliberately staying out of the discussion of _Arlene Sardine_ because I thought Betsy Hearne's Big Picture was a remarkable summation, to which I had little of value to add (having stated earlier that the book does not make my bells chime, at least not harmoniously). Having been a reviewer for Booklist and having worked for Ilene Cooper, I must go on the record: the review editors at Booklist take their charge very seriously, and if they box a book for a negative review, it is only after a great deal of measured consideration and extensive discussion.
It is always difficult to write an unfavorable review- the reviewer must evaluate the title in hand on its merits (or lack thereof), while considering (in the case of many of the review journals we've mentioned) whether or not the title has *any* value to *any* collection. When the book is written or illustrated by a well-known, highly respected author and/or illustrator, writing an unfavorable review becomes even more difficult. It is easy to be cowed, awed, or just be plain uncomfortable writing a negative review of a book by a popular author and/or illustrator.
I think writing unfavorable reviews is much more difficult than writing positive ones. When I take into consideration that the review is going into print and will be "out there" for a very long time, it is not a responsibility I take lightly,and I believemMost reviewers take their reponsibility to their readers very seriously. (Warning: in the next paragraph I leap to the veritable top of my soapbox.)
Reviewers are responsible to their readers, especially reviewers who write for journals that are used as selection tools in school and public libraries. Their charge is to give their honest, professional opinion of a particular title to those who look to reviews for guidance in collection development. Fairness counts, but (and this may make me very unpopular in some quarters) reviewers are not responsible to authors, illustrators, or publishers, except to evaluate as honestly and professionally as possible the book in front of them. This includes comparing it to similar titles or to other books by the same author and/or illustrator, discussing its possible uses in a curriculum or in programming, and, finally, rendering a judgement as to the value of the book to a collection.
It is critical to be concrete and specific about what works and what doesn't work in a particular title; it is even more critical to be concrete and specific when you are *not* recommending a book for purchase.
The reality is that libraries don't have the money to buy everything. A review should provide enough information to aid in the decision-making process.
Are there reviews I wish I had edited one more time before they went into print? Lord, yes. Do I stand by them still? You bet.
Janice M. Del Negro
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books GSLIS/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign delnegro at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
Received on Tue 29 Sep 1998 02:09:57 PM CDT
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 14:09:57 -0500 (CDT)
Since this is close to our last day of discussion, I'm writing a sort of
"all-in-one" post of thoughts inspired by comments from the last few days.
I have been deliberately staying out of the discussion of _Arlene Sardine_ because I thought Betsy Hearne's Big Picture was a remarkable summation, to which I had little of value to add (having stated earlier that the book does not make my bells chime, at least not harmoniously). Having been a reviewer for Booklist and having worked for Ilene Cooper, I must go on the record: the review editors at Booklist take their charge very seriously, and if they box a book for a negative review, it is only after a great deal of measured consideration and extensive discussion.
It is always difficult to write an unfavorable review- the reviewer must evaluate the title in hand on its merits (or lack thereof), while considering (in the case of many of the review journals we've mentioned) whether or not the title has *any* value to *any* collection. When the book is written or illustrated by a well-known, highly respected author and/or illustrator, writing an unfavorable review becomes even more difficult. It is easy to be cowed, awed, or just be plain uncomfortable writing a negative review of a book by a popular author and/or illustrator.
I think writing unfavorable reviews is much more difficult than writing positive ones. When I take into consideration that the review is going into print and will be "out there" for a very long time, it is not a responsibility I take lightly,and I believemMost reviewers take their reponsibility to their readers very seriously. (Warning: in the next paragraph I leap to the veritable top of my soapbox.)
Reviewers are responsible to their readers, especially reviewers who write for journals that are used as selection tools in school and public libraries. Their charge is to give their honest, professional opinion of a particular title to those who look to reviews for guidance in collection development. Fairness counts, but (and this may make me very unpopular in some quarters) reviewers are not responsible to authors, illustrators, or publishers, except to evaluate as honestly and professionally as possible the book in front of them. This includes comparing it to similar titles or to other books by the same author and/or illustrator, discussing its possible uses in a curriculum or in programming, and, finally, rendering a judgement as to the value of the book to a collection.
It is critical to be concrete and specific about what works and what doesn't work in a particular title; it is even more critical to be concrete and specific when you are *not* recommending a book for purchase.
The reality is that libraries don't have the money to buy everything. A review should provide enough information to aid in the decision-making process.
Are there reviews I wish I had edited one more time before they went into print? Lord, yes. Do I stand by them still? You bet.
Janice M. Del Negro
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books GSLIS/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign delnegro at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
Received on Tue 29 Sep 1998 02:09:57 PM CDT
