Our Backyard Year Nine English Book Review Structure Background of the Author (approx.

50 words) Introduce the author and their place of birth. Describe some of the books they have already published and the common themes/elements of these (i.e. cultural context, environment, personal themes, etc.) From here, introduce the text and relate back to the authors common themes. Plot (approx. 50 words) Give a basic description about the plot of the story. DO NOT give away the ending! Characters (approx. 100 words) Introduce the main characters of the text. Give a brief description of each character (one sentence per character). You may like to discuss the characters according to families, relationships, etc. Setting (approx.. 50 words) Describe the setting of the book where is it set? What time/year? Briefly explain the historical context of the text. Themes and Issues (approx. 100 words) What are some of the themes/issues discussed within the book? How are these portrayed?

 Relate these back to the book (i.e. quotes, links). Purpose Behind The Book (approx. 50 words) What do you think was the authors purpose for writing the book? What message are they trying to send? Your Opinion (approx. 100 words) Did you enjoy the book? Why/why not? Ensure you give reasons for your opinions, without giving away the main events of the book. Is the author successful in their overall intention (relate back to PURPOSE). You may use direct references to the book to substantiate your opinion (i.e. quotes, links).