Teaching kids (or yourself!) how to write book reviews

I have a love-hate relationship with book reports. As a kid, I loved writing them. (Yep. Nerd.) As a homeschooling parent...eh, I could do without them. I'm adding up all the valuable hours in the day, relegating each one to some precious bit of learning...and I just can't justify spending several on a boring presentation of what a book was about. 

I know my kids have read the book. They've talked about nothing else while they read, in fact. But the typical bare bones presentation of the facts that I learned in elementary grades is a good way to kill interest and, well, waste time. As much as the book nerd in me enjoyed writing them, guess what? As soon as I got to junior high, I learned to write book analyses, not reports. Which was a skill I carried with me through high school, college, and beyond. And as an adult, I write book reviews about one a week.

So that's what I'm teaching my children to write now. Starting in third grade, they learn to review each book they read. We take it in two steps (which correlates to two paragraphs, usually):

1. Briefly describe the plot of the book. Which is easier than it sounds. 

Usually we follow this format:
A CHARACTER wants something, but a PROBLEM gets in her way. She overcomes that problem with VIRTUES/TRAITS/HELP OF OTHER CHARACTERS, and learns THE STORY THEMES, (which give her what she needs).

For example, here is the first paragraph of a recent review Lucy wrote of Grace Lin's When the Sea Turned to Silver:

When timid Pinmei’s grandmother is kidnapped by the Emperor, Pinmei sets out with her friend Yishan to rescue her. On the way, Pinmei overcomes guards, lords--and even the Emperor himself--with the power of stories and friendship. In the end, Pinmei finds that she’s not truly a “timid mouse,” as she always thought, but that stories give her all the bravery she needs.

Another option is to start with character + setting, as opposed to character + plot, particularly in a fantasy or historical fiction book where the setting is not self-explanatory.

For example:

Bilbo Baggins is perfectly happy living in Hobbiton in his cozy home, a hole in the ground with rooms filled with cheese and ales and all sorts of comforts. But when...*then get to the plot details*.

2. Tell what you enjoyed or didn't enjoy about the book, as well as what your audience might enjoy. Basically, do you or do you not recommend this book? And why?

I give Lucy a lot of free reign in this paragraph. Sometimes she uses specific examples, sometimes broader themes. I try to encourage her to think of her audience, or perhaps to clarify who she think would make a good audience for that particular book.

Here's the end of the review above:

I could sit and read this lovable story for hours, as it is filled with mystery, adventure, and love. If you’ve read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, you’re in for a special surprise!

Teachers and homeschooling parents, have you taught your children to write book reviews? Do you have any tips?