How it works
How a review works, from submission to publication
A commissioned review follows the same path every time. You submit and pay; an independent reviewer reads and writes; an editor checks the facts; the review is published with a clear disclosure.
Six steps
Step 1: Create an account and describe your book
Sign up as an author, then tell us about the book: its title, the authors and illustrators as credited, the age range, genre and formats. Add a cover image if you have one.
Step 2: Send us the book
Upload the finished book as a PDF (PDF, up to 50 MB), or tell us you will send a printed copy by mail. Your draft is saved, so you can come back and finish later.
Step 3: Choose a package and pay
Pick the package that suits you. The price is fixed the moment you confirm it. We then email you an invoice, and the review starts once it is paid.
Step 4: An editor assigns a reviewer
An editor matches your book with a reviewer who reads widely in its age category. The reviewer is not told which package you chose or what you paid.
Step 5: The reviewer reads and writes
The reviewer reads the whole book and writes the review and the verdict. You can follow progress in your dashboard, but no one outside the editorial team sees the review while it is being written.
Step 6: Editorial check and publication
An editor checks the review for factual accuracy, then publishes it on its own page with the commissioned-review disclosure. The link appears in your dashboard.
How long it takes
Turnaround depends on the package. Each package lists its turnaround, counted from the day your payment is received. Your dashboard shows the due date as soon as your payment is confirmed.
If you send a printed copy, please post it promptly after you pay so the reviewer has time to read it.
Questions authors ask
- Can I read or change the review before it is published?
- No. Authors never see a review before it is published, and cannot edit, approve or veto it. That is what makes the review worth reading.
- What if I disagree with the verdict?
- The verdict is the reviewer’s and will not be changed. If the review contains a factual error, such as a wrong character name or plot detail, tell us and an editor will look into it. We correct factual errors, never opinions.
- Will a negative review be published?
- Yes. Every approved review is published, including reviews with a “Not recommended” verdict.
- Can I choose my reviewer?
- No. Editors assign reviewers, matching each book with a reviewer who reads widely in its age category. You can read about our reviewers on the reviewers page.
- Can I cancel?
- You can cancel a submission from your dashboard at any time before you pay. Our editors may also decline a submission before the review is finished, and will always tell you why. For payments already made, see our terms.
- Is a Lawley Publishing book treated differently?
- Only in who can review it: Lawley Publishing titles are assigned only to reviewers with no connection to Lawley Publishing, and the published review carries a conflict-of-interest notice. Read our conflict-of-interest policy.
- How can I use my review?
- Quote it on your cover, website and retailer listings. Please credit Kids Books with Heart and, where you can, link to the review page.
Wrote a book for young readers? Have it read by someone who reads them for a living.
Pricing coming soon. Turnaround depends on the package.