the distinction between "reviewer" and "critic" is a very important one, and I hadn't really thought about it. My so-called "reviews" for Goodreads tend to be simply gut reactions--how much I liked something, what I liked about it. And, partly, I'm just putting them there for myself, because it makes me write down my reaction and I enjoy doing it (and having someone else organize things for me!). But they're not *proper* reviews--they fall short of all the qualities you mention.

What you say about "gateway" books is also a point well-taken, and I am always on the lookout for these as well, as Mark (the nine year old) is not much of a reader. I have gained a huge amount of respect for things like Horrid Henry, Mr. Gum, and "The Simpsons" comic collections simply because they get Mark reading. I'm sure I would have been very disdainful of Horrid Henry if I hadn't had small children reading them--I really do admire Francesca Simon for recognizing that gap and filling it. (Do you know these books? They are very Brit-centric, though the author is an ex-pat American. I don't think they've crossed the Atlantic, but they are hugely popular here. Not sure which side of the pond you sit on!)