Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review was established in 1976.{{Cite book | last = Connelly | first = Valerie | title = Calling All Authors | publisher = Nightengale Press | year = 2007 | page = 156 | isbn = 978-1-933449-43-2}} The editor-in-chief of the organization is James A. Cox.{{Cite news | last = Moses | first = Alexandra R. | title = Joe Joe Rawlings: a new literary hero for children | newspaper = Associated Press | page = Section: Entertainment News | date = March 4, 2002}}{{Cite news | last = Cantu | first = Hector | title = Parents might be surprised by dark side of new 'Harry Potter' | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | publisher = A. H. Belo Corporation | date = June 25, 2003 }} The review puts out nine publications on a monthly basis, with a focus on community and academic library organizations, booksellers, and the general reading public.{{Cite book | last = Booth | first = Doris | title = Writer's Handbook of FAQs, Second Edition | publisher = Authorlink | year = 2004 | page= 98 | isbn = 1-928704-34-4}} The organization maintains a website at www.midwestbookreview.com.{{Cite news | last = Mason | first = Dick | title = Storytelling comes naturally to fantasy writer | newspaper = The Observer|location=La Grande, Oregon | date = July 5, 2008 |publisher=Western Communications, Inc. }}

Publications produced by the organization include: The Bookwatch,{{oclc|321345897}} California Bookwatch, The Children's Bookwatch,{{oclc|13100762}} Internet Bookwatch,{{oclc|80547565}} Library Bookwatch,{{oclc|65356742}} MBR Bookwatch, The Midwest Bookwatch,{{oclc|13212440}} The Reviewer's Bookwatch,{{oclc|54958751}} Small Press Bookwatch,{{oclc|80547560}} and The Wisconsin Bookwatch.{{oclc|65356746}} The Children's Bookwatch is a newsletter made as a resource for librarians.{{Cite news | last = Woodall | first = Martha | title = Who said improving vocabulary had to be scary? | newspaper = The Philadelphia Inquirer | page = E01; Section: Philadelphia Business | date = June 11, 2001 }} Some reviews from Reviewer's Bookwatch are provided in greater depth at the organization's website.{{Cite news | last = St. Petersburg Times staff | title = Hometown Citrus | newspaper = St. Petersburg Times | location =Florida | page = 4 | date = February 25, 2004 }} Midwest Book Review is made up of volunteers, and frequently seeks additional individuals to serve as book reviewers for the organization.{{Cite book | last = Smallwood | first = Carol | title = Writing and Publishing: The Librarian's Handbook | publisher = American Library Association Editors | year = 2009 | pages = 25–26 | isbn = 978-0-8389-0996-6}} The organization is located in Oregon, Wisconsin.{{Cite news | title = Local Book News | newspaper = Sarasota Herald Tribune|location=Sarasota, Florida|publisher=The New York Times Company | page = 5F | date = May 23, 1999}} It has a motivation of increasing literacy, public utilization of libraries, and fostering small press, to which it gives priority.{{Cite book | last = Pryor | first = Alton | title = Publish It Yourself | publisher = Stagecoach Publishing | year = 2002 | page = 111 | isbn = 978-0-9660053-5-6}} Of the 1,500 books submitted to Midwest Book Review for consideration per month, the organization chooses to review approximately 450 of them.{{Cite book | last = Sansevieri | first = Penny C. | title = Get Published Today! No More Rejections | publisher = Infinity Publishing|location=Pennsylvania | year = 2002 | page = 133 | isbn = 0-7414-1111-3}}{{Cite book | last = Poynter | first = Dan | title = The Self-Publishing Manual | publisher = Para Publishing | year = 2004 | page = [https://archive.org/details/selfpublishingma00danp/page/182 182] | isbn = 1-56860-115-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/selfpublishingma00danp/page/182 }}

A visitor to the website Amazon.com emailed Cox in 2006 and asked about the organization's practice of giving all reviews posted to the site a five-star recommendation.{{cite news| last = Cox | first = Jim | title = Jim Cox Report: June 2006 | publisher = Midwest Book Review | work = Jim Cox Report | date =June 2006 | url = http://www.midwestbookreview.com/jimcox/jun_06.htm | access-date = 2010-01-21 }} Cox replied explaining that he disagreed with the star-rating system in general, and noted, "If a book isn't good enough to pass our initial screening then it doesn't get reviewed in the first place." In 2007, an author asked Cox about the organization's position with regard to Amazon.com ratings.{{cite web| author=Cox, Jim| title=Jim Cox Report: June 2007| work=Jim Cox Report| url=http://www.midwestbookreview.com/jimcox/jun_07.htm| publisher=Midwest Book Review| date =June 2007| access-date = 2010-01-21}} Cox explained, "for a book to make it all the way through the Midwest Book Review process. ... it merited the highest recommendation available under the Amazon rating system. Inferior books, flawed books, substandard books are assumed to have been weeded out and never made it to the 'finish line' of publication in one of our book review magazines."

In a 2001 interview with The Denver Post, Cox stated that Midwest Book Review considers submissions from print on demand (POD) publications.{{Cite news | last = Halls | first = Kelly Milner | title = 'Print-on-demand' publishers reject 'vanity' label | newspaper = The Denver Post | page =DD-02; Section: BKS | date = December 9, 2001 }} "When 1st Books, iUniverse and other POD titles cross my desk, I make sure to look at them, not out of regard for these publishers – but out of regard for the authors," said Cox. Cox does not believe that book reviewers should be fee-based, and said, "Any reviewer that wants money from you for any purpose whatsoever is operating a scam, engaging in unethical behavior that is in violation of the publishing industry etiquette norm."{{Cite book | last = Weber | first = Steve | title = Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking | publisher = Weber Books | year = 2007 | page = 52 | isbn = 978-0-9772406-1-6}} In 2008, Midwest Book Review had gained reviewers as a result of cutbacks in print media publications. Cox noted, "The drastic cutbacks in newspaper and magazine space for reviews has redounded to the benefit of the Midwest Book Review and other online review sites. These displaced reviewers have turned to us as an outlet for their reviews previously published in print sources. Over the past few years we have gained at least ten reviewers this way." After stating that charging fees is a scam, Cox began charging a reading fee in 2011. However, those fees are sent directly from the author to their assigned reviewer. Mr. Cox, nor does any of his MBR employees/volunteers, collect any fees for themselves. Initially fees were only charged for e-books, but since then has expanded to include any "ebooks, pre-publication manuscripts, galleys, uncorrected proofs, ARCs, and pdf files".{{Cite web|title = MBR: Author/Publisher Information|url = http://www.midwestbookreview.com/get_rev.htm|website = www.midwestbookreview.com|access-date = 2016-02-02}}

Every review produced by Midwest Book Review is indexed to the review index maintained by Gale Research.{{Cite book | last = Rose | first = M. J. | title = The Secrets of Our Success | publisher = Deep South Publishing | year = 1999 | page = 78 | isbn = 0-7394-1018-0}} Book Review Index indexes reviews for the Midwest Book Review publications Bookwatch and Children's Bookwatch.{{Cite book | last = Ferguson | first = Dana | title = Book Review Index: 2005 Cumulation | publisher = Thomson Gale | year = 2005 | location = Detroit, Michigan | pages = xii, xiii | issn=0524-0581 | isbn =0-7876-7841-4 }} Online Computer Library Center described the website of the Midwest Book Review as "a resource to locate book reviews, resources and advice for writers and publishers".{{oclc|439279392}} Writing and Publishing: The Librarian's Handbook published by the American Library Association recommends Midwest Book Review as a resource for information for writers.

Midwest Book Review is listed as a resource, in Doris Booth's Writer's Handbook of FAQs. According to The Complete Guide to Self Publishing by Tom Ross and Marilyn Heimberg Ross, the reviews of the organization "are welcomed and respected".{{Cite book | last = Ross | first = Tom |author2=Marilyn Heimberg Ross | title = The Complete Guide to Self Publishing | publisher = Writers Digest Books | year = 2002 | page = 322 | isbn =1-58297-091-2 }} In Book Design and Production, author Pete Masterson listed the organization as a resource. He noted that the website for Midwest Book Review has "lots of useful information" for authors.{{Cite book | last = Masterson | first = Pete | title = Book Design and Production | publisher = Aeonix Publishing Group | year = 2005 | pages = 296 | isbn = 0-9669819-0-1}} Mayra Calvani of Blogcritics noted that the organization is "popular among small publishers, self-published authors, and academic presses".{{Cite news | last = Calvani | first = Mayra | title = Interview with James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review | newspaper = Blogcritics | page = Blogcritics.org Books | publisher = Newstex | date = June 1, 2008|url=http://blogcritics.org/books/article/interview-with-james-a-cox-editor/|access-date=2009-12-14}}

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• Kirkus Reviews
• Publishers Weekly
• The New York Times Book Review

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• {{Cite news | last = Calvani | first = Mayra | title = Interview with James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review | newspaper = Blogcritics | page = Blogcritics.org Books | publisher = Newstex | date = June 1, 2008|url=http://blogcritics.org/books/article/interview-with-james-a-cox-editor/}}

• [http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ The Midwest Book Review]

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Category:Book review magazines published in the United States

Category:Magazines published in Wisconsin

Category:Companies based in Wisconsin

Category:1976 establishments in Wisconsin

Category:Publishing companies established in 1976

Category:Magazines established in 1976