Diary Writing & Book Reviews

This term in Year 4, pupils are developing their ability to express ideas clearly and reflectively through diary writing and book reviews. 

1. Writing a Diary Entry

Diary writing helps pupils explore personal voice, emotions, and viewpoints. They will be learning to:

Use a clear structure

• Date and opening (e.g., Dear Diary,).

• Events in order, using time connectives such as First, Later on, After that, Finally.

• A reflective ending, sharing thoughts or hopes for the next day.

Show feelings and thoughts

Pupils learn to write in the first person (I, me, my) and explain how events made them feel.
They are encouraged to include descriptive detail—for example:
“I felt my stomach twist with nerves as I stepped onto the stage.”

Use language features that suit a diary

• Past tense

• Informal tone

• Personal reflections

• Paragraphs to organise ideas

2. Writing a Book Review

Book reviews help children think critically about what they read and share their opinions clearly. Pupils will be learning to:

Summarise the story

Identify key events without giving away the entire plot.

Describe characters and settings

Children explain which characters stood out and why, and how the setting added to the story.

Express opinions and give reasons

They learn to justify their thoughts, e.g.:
“I enjoyed the story because the main character was brave and surprising things happened at every chapter.”

Include recommendations

Pupils decide who might enjoy the book and why—an important CfW22 skill linked to forming and expressing viewpoints.

Use a clear review structure

• Title and author

• Brief summary

• Favourite part

• Opinion and reasons

• Star rating or recommendation

How You Can Support at Home

Talk about daily events

Chat about highlights of the day. Questions like “What was the best part?” or “Did anything surprise you?” help build reflective language.

Share books together

Discuss characters, settings, and what your child likes or dislikes about a story.

Encourage personal writing

Invite your child to jot down short diary-style reflections or give their opinion on a book, film, or TV episode.

Model reviewing

Share your own opinions about books or stories—children learn a lot from hearing adult examples.

By the end of this unit, pupils will be more confident in using personal voice, expressing opinions, and structuring their writing clearly.