If you look on the KidLitosphere Central Blogger list, you're going to find a really extensive list of people who blog about children and teen books. Do you have to follow them all? You could if you have a whole lot of free time that you want to dedicate to it, but chances are you're going to find that you enjoy some more than others, that you agree with some more than others, and that some (if we're being honest) bore you.
Here is what I look for in a blog:
Opinion: The most important thing I want is opinion. I really want the blogger to be comfortable expressing opinions about the literature that they read. I find that many blogs only post positive blurb-like reviews. This doesn't interest me at all. If I want a blurb, I'll read the book jacket or peruse a catalog.
Thoughtful Reviews: Thoughtful reviews that can explain why or why not a reviewer enjoyed a book. I like to think that many of the bloggers have read From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books by K.T. Horning which is a fabulous resource. And I like to see that reflected in their reviews.
Voice: I have to admit it, I like snark and I like to laugh. One of the reasons that I love certain blogs (see Leila @ Bookshelves of Doom). I am much more likely to follow a blog when I see personality reflected in reviews.
Length of Reviews: This can really vary. Some bloggers I enjoy write really long in-depth reviews (see Betsy Bird @ Fuse #8), while some are much shorter (see Tasha @ Waking Brain Cells - previously Kids Lit Blog at Menasha Library). Both are great reviewers, but they have very different styles.
Regularity of Posts: Nothing makes me more sad then when a blog I enjoy stops posting (see Kelly @ Yannabe), especially when you had a nice give and take between your blogs. But it happens and then you probably need to search out new blogs (even if you're reluctant to take them off your blogroll because you're hoping they start posting again).
Feel of the Blog: Does this blog feel like it was written by a person who genuinely loves children's books or does it feel like a space for advertising said books? Are they constantly having "Blog Tour" type posts? Blog Tours (a promotional tool used by publishers) aren't bad in and of themselves - I've read interviews with authors on Blog Tours that were fantastic, but an overabundance of Blog Tour posts might mean that the person running the blog is more interested in free books rather than actually having a conversation about the quality of a book.
Authority: Do I want the writer to be a professional librarian? Not necessarily. What is most important is that you enjoy the writing, that it is thoughtful, and that the blogger does not mis-represent themselves. Before she stopped blogging, I particularly enjoyed Steph @ Reviewer X. Steph was (is) a teen who loved books and was passionate in her reviews.
Formal Vs. Informal: Oops...Wrong Cookie (my blog) is very informal and it is deliberately informal. It began as a way for several of my colleagues to try out this new blogging "thing" and communicate among ourselves in a public forum. I blog as a hobby in my free time and I like to express personal opinions. There are other blogs where the reviews are much more formal and impersonal and that is fine too. The important thing is that you enjoy the reviews and the style in which they are written and that if you choose to blog yourself that you find a voice and style that you enjoy.
Blogs with a Purpose: These are blogs that have posts during a certain time of year for a specific purpose. They can be a Newbery discussion blog (see Nina and Jonathan @ Heavy Medal) or can be for a fun contest (see Battle of the Kids' Books). Besides giving you something to look forward to, I find these to have some of the best conversations about books that you'll find on the Internet. This is probably because their purpose is to compare and contrast and really discuss the strengths and weaknesses of books.
Blogs Affiliated with Professional Review Journals: These tend to be a little more informal than the reviews published in the journals. Some don't review at all, instead are there specifially for people to discuss (see Roger @ Read Roger). Kirkus' new blog is more traditional in the sense that their posts are still review oriented, however they have gotten prominent bloggers to write for them. And unlike their journal - these bloggers have names attached (see various @ Kirkus blogs).
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