Aims & Scope
Our Purpose
Books are just worlds waiting to be discovered.
This idea has passed down through generations. Children and teenagers have frequently been encouraged to open a book and discover the new world waiting in its pages.
But new worlds don’t just exist on pages anymore. They are in theaters, television screens, phones, tablets, and computers. Whether its books, movies, apps or websites, children have hundreds of thousands of new worlds to discover at their fingertips.
But not every world is safe for every child. And with so many within such easy reach, how do they find the right worlds?
The Children’s Book and Media Review is here to help.
The Children’s Book and Media Review (CBMR) helps busy adults select quality entertainment and educational materials for the children in their lives. We review books, plays, movies, TV shows, apps, and websites for children and teenagers.
We understand that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to children’s media. No one understands a child’s needs better than their caretakers. Our reviews provide objective analysis and information to help you find the right materials for your child. Whether it’s educational or just entertaining, the CBMR will help you find the right worlds for your child to explore.
What our reviews cover
The purpose of our reviews are to find high-quality entertainment for young people.
These reviews are aimed to help adults and children find entertainment that fits the individual child’s maturity, reading, and comprehension level. Because each child is different, reviews are meant to provide critical analysis and a description of the work so that adults can help determine what is appropriate for their child. Reviews also contain warnings about sensitive topics such as violence, sexual content, substance abuse, etc.
Rating
The rating is determined by the reviewer based on their opinion of the quality of the work. Our rating guidelines are:
Outstanding: Exceptional quality or merit. Book deserves special recognition.
Excellent: Book will add strength to a library and should find wide acceptance among readers.
Dependable: A reliable but not outstanding work. Recommended for libraries that need additional books in a specific genre or subject.
Significant Shortcomings: Limited appeal. Book will have appeal for some readers/audiences despite significant shortcomings.
Cannot Recommend: Book includes poor literary content, inaccurate information, presentation of a topic and content not appropriate for intended audience.
Reading/Interest Level
This is meant to help determine both a typical child’s ability to understand and use the material, as well as what a child of this age group might be interested in. These categories are:
Toddler: Ages 1-3
Preschool: Ages 3-5
Primary: Ages 6-9
Intermediate: Ages 9-12
Young Adult: Ages 13+