Author: edtech

Once upon a time, there was a blog. This blog’s protagonist, Annabell, loved books. In fact, she loved it so much that she creating a whole blog documenting the different books she read, and her journey into becoming a better book critic. I suppose it’s time to introduce her.

Hello! I’m Annabell, and I love reading books. In fact, I may have a problem – once I start, I can’t put it down. I get so engrossed in the story, that I invest all my time and energy into the novel. I mean, would you rather be doing math homework or reading The Hunger Games? I thought so. As a teacher, I want my future classroom to include my dream library – a cozy nook with fairy lights full of wonderful novels. I hope to share with my students my love of stories and storytelling, and hope to inspire them with their own love of books.

Although I enjoy a wide variety of literature, my favourite genres in particular include dystopian, science fiction, thrillers, horror, and coming-of-age. The imaginativeness and subtle commentary on society kept me fascinated by dystopians, such as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or Delirium by Lauren Oliver. In addition, the rich, vivid descriptiveness and detailing in science horror fiction such as the Annihilation series by Jeff VanderMeer. As well, coming-of-age novels such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky are so touching and moving that you gain a sense of intimacy with the book.

While I very much enjoy reading, oftentimes I find myself with nothing to judge. My only critique after finishing a book consists of; “that was awesome. I just wish it was longer”. However, I came to realize that critiquing and analyzing the quality of writing/storytelling is a good skill to have, particularly as I hope to have books of my own published someday. I would have a hard time eyeing the flaws within my own writing, if I can’t find the flaws in other works. In addition, knowing how to critique novels would help me with critical thinking and observation stills. It would be a good skill to pass onto my students, and would help them analyze and critically think for themselves as well.

Therefore, my inquiry project is going to be my own personal, honest reviews of some of the books I’ve read and enjoyed. I consider this to be a personal challenge, as I love raving on and on about the positives of a story, but am often stumped when it comes to criticism. In my reviews I will include the knowledge I will collect about the makings of a good story and story writing.