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Teacher Tips and Answers

Writing a Fiction Review

Once you finish prewriting, you are ready to create the first draft of your review. These writing activities will help you create strong beginning, middle, and ending parts. You'll also read another student's review to see how all of the parts work together.

Writing the Beginning Paragraph

The purpose of your beginning paragraph is to grab your reader's attention, introduce the title and author of your book, and tell something interesting about it. The paragraph should start with a lead sentence, which gets the reader interested in the book. You can introduce the title and author in the lead or in a new sentence. Then, to close out the paragraph, introduce the big challenge the main character must face in the book. But don't spoil the ending!

Write a lead sentence.

Try out at least two of these strategies for introducing the topic of your review. Read the examples for ideas. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

1. Ask a question related to the work.

Have you ever felt like a stranger in your school or community?


2. Talk directly to your readers.

You never know when you will meet someone who will change your life.


3. Provide a suspenseful detail from the story.

Just when Lucy thought she was getting her very own room, a stranger showed up and changed everything.


4. Share a feeling you have about the work.

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang changed the way I think about my heritage.


Write your beginning paragraph.

Start with your lead sentence. Follow with one or two sentences that identify the title and author of the book and introduce the biggest challenge facing the main character. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.


This lesson is a part of the Writing Fiction Reviews unit.


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