“Book of the Moment” Contest for Budding Book Reviewers
Welcome to Moment Magazine‘s middle school book review contest!
Moment, an independent magazine that illuminates the political, cultural and religious complexities of the Jewish world, seeks to educate and expand the Jewish conversation.
And we believe that young people should be part of the conversation! That’s why we are inviting all students in 6th-8th grade, of any religious background, to participate in a contest for budding book reviewers.
How to enter the “Book of the Moment” book review contest:
• Select a book from the list below
• Write a review (300 words maximum), or
• Record a video review (90 second maximum)
• Submit your review along with a recent photo and release form to editor@momentmag.com (Book of the Moment in the subject line)
• The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2020.
Winning entries will be published at momentmag.com.
How to write a book or video review:
When writing a review, here are some questions you can answer:
• What did you learn from this book? Did it challenge any of your existing views?
• Should other people your age or older read this book? Who might appreciate this book most?
• Why is this book important? How might it apply to the world right now?
• Would you like to meet the characters in real life? Do you relate to their experiences, or are they completely different?
• Did this book leave you with any questions? Now that you’ve read this book, what’s next?
We also ask that all critical reviews be written in a constructive way. A question you might ask yourself if you didn’t enjoy part of the book is, “what pointers would I give the author if I was trying to help them improve?”
Check out this video for more tips on writing a book review from Moment’s editor-in-chief, Nadine Epstein:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxBZ-qdvYHQ]
We look forward to seeing everyone’s creativity and hearing important new perspectives!
Below is a list of books to choose from (linked on Amazon).
Book Review Selections
- A Bottle in the Gaza Sea by Valerie Zenatti, 2011
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, 1970
- A Room Away From the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma, 2018
- Backfield Boys: A Football Mystery in Black and White by John Feinstein, 2018
- Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse, 2008
- Color Me In by Natasha Diaz, 2019
- Confessions of a Closet Catholic by Sarah Litman, 2005
- Daughters of the Ark by Anna Morgan, 2005
- Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work by Victoria Ortiz, 2019
- Einstein: His Space and Times, Steven Gimbel, 2015
- Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, 1997
- Incantation by Alice Hoffman, 2006
- My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula J. Freedman, 2014
- Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh, 2018
- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, 1989
- Stealing Home by Ellen Schwartz, 2006
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, 2006
- The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman, 2007
- The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman, 2018
- The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Thwaites, trans., 2017
- The Pushcart War by Jean Merril, 1964
- What I Like About You, by Marisa Kanter, 2020
- What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper, 2018
- Zack by William Bell, 1999
- Zazoo by Richard Mosher, 2001
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