Writing Great Annotated Booklists

Last week in my children’s literature class, we talked about book reviews, annotated booklists, and book-talks. It was a lot of fun, and it really got me thinking about how the ecosystem of book publishing, book reviews, book selection, annotations, and promotion all fit together in children’s library work. While some children’s and school librarians also write professional reviews for journals like Kirkus, the Horn Book, and School Library Journal, most librarians read these kinds of evaluative, critical book reviews to help them make selection decisions. Every month, I use my public library to place holds on all the picture books that have starred reviews from the Horn Book and bring them to my students to read and discuss in class. 

How do children’s librarians write about the books they want to promote to readers?

I think annotated booklists – as distinct from book reviews – are fantastic tools for gathering small collections of books together and describing them in ways that spark interest in reading them. These lists can exist digitally on your library website, or in print, or both. They can be made into posters or infographics, bookmarks, or social media content. They can be easily re-purposed as prompts for informal book-talks too. 

Strategies for writing great annotations 

First, you may want to consider how to group your annotations. Are they books for beginning readers? Are they picture books on topics of interest to parents of young children like potty training? 

Next, narrow down your audience. Is your list also going to be helpful for other librarians to use during readers’ advisory interactions? Is it designed for listening to on long summer road trips? What about parents who need suggestions for good picture books?  Maybe your list is intended for middle grade readers who like books with a nice, fast pace? Thinking about your list’s intended scope will help you craft great annotations.

Depending on the purpose of your booklist, the length of your annotations should vary from about 50 to 150 words. As for how many titles to include on your booklist, while I see longer lists all the time, I actually think anywhere from 10 to 20 is about right. You want to give your readers sufficient choice without overwhelming them. 

Try to start your annotations off in a variety of ways and make sure they do not all start with “This book” or “This story.”  

For opening lines, consider using questions like “Have you ever driven across a literal continent?”  from an annotation for the picture book Carson Crosses Canada, written by Linda Bailey and illustrated by Kass Reich). 

I like annotations that give enough information about the main character so that potential readers can start to feel real empathy for them. For example, “Aven, who was born without arms, is not too thrilled when her parents move them to a new state to run an old Western theme park, where others either ask inappropriate questions, pretend nothing is different, or back away in fear.” from an annotation about the middle grade novel Insignificant events in the life of a cactus by Dusti Bowling.  

To get right into your reader’s head, use statements that refer to them. For example, “You’ll be kept on your toes as Justin and his friends work to outsmart the Seeker in this creepy horror story.” from an annotation about Hide and Seeker by Daka Herman 

You can write about the book’s setting if possible, and use words that will provide some clues about the book’s overall atmosphere and theme. For example, “Nan is a chimney sweep in a London where magic and odd creatures abound.” from an annotation about Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

Remember, while book reviews might summarize the whole story, annotations should offer only initial plot points, and take special care not to include spoilers. 

Important! Do you have titles written by a diverse range of backgrounds, abilities, identities, and experiences? If not, seek out titles from these authors and illustrators to add to your list too. 

If you are new to annotated booklists, I recommend reading lots of other booklists to get a sense of different annotation styles and how they are used. 

While you might need up to 6 sentences to introduce a complex middle grade novel, lots of books, especially early readers and picture books can often be annotated with only 2 or 3 sentences.  

Avoid overusing scholarly or academic terminology in your annotated booklists aimed at children, their parents, or the general public. Occasional references to things like allegory and metaphor are okay as long as they don’t dominate your descriptions. However, if you are annotating books for an award committee, for sure you can include more content on literary devices and illustration techniques. 

Finally, develop your own style. When you annotate books you are very enthusiastic about, your feelings will come through, so it is best to be very choosy when devising your lists. Only include things you have read and think are truly great! 

If you have a great annotated booklist to share, please post it in the comments below.

This post is intended to address the following ALSC Competencies:  II: Reference and User Services and IV: Collection Knowledge and Management.  

Tess Prendergast worked as a children’s librarian for 23 years. She has a PhD in early literacy education and now teaches librarianship and children’s literature courses at The School of Information, University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada. Tess is a ALSC Priority Group Consultant (for Group 6 Professional Development) and she also facilitates the annual ALSC Preschool Discussion. Tess served on the Geisel (2023) and Caldecott (2016) committees and she still maintains an annual Mock Caldecott Facebook Group that anyone can join.

The post Writing Great Annotated Booklists appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 Last week in my children’s literature class, we talked about book reviews, annotated booklists, and book-talks. It was a lot of fun, and it really got me thinking about how the ecosystem of book publishing, book reviews, book selection, annotations, and promotion all fit together in children’s library work. While some children’s and school librarians also write professional reviews for journals like Kirkus, the Horn Book, and School Library Journal, most librarians read these kinds of evaluative, critical book reviews to help them make selection decisions. Every month, I use my public library to place holds on all the picture books that have starred reviews from the Horn Book and bring them to my students to read and discuss in class.  How do children’s librarians write about the books they want to promote to readers? I think annotated booklists – as distinct from book reviews – are fantastic tools for gathering small collections of books…
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