Trust & Standards
Rating Methodology
Our ratings aren't opinions we happen to hold — they're the output of a published rubric applied the same way to every book.
Last updated July 2026
The nine dimensions we score
Language
Profanity frequency and intensity, from none to strong.
Violence
On-page violence, weapons, and threat level.
Romance & sexuality
From none, to hand-holding, to explicit.
Scary content
Fear intensity, horror imagery, threat to children.
Substance use
Alcohol, drugs, and how they're portrayed.
Faith & worldview
Explicit religious content and framing.
Ideology
Political and cultural messaging, if any.
Educational value
What a young reader might learn or discuss.
Literary quality
Craft: prose, pacing, character, structure.
Scoring bands
Each dimension is scored on a five-point band, defined precisely in the reviewer handbook. The public label is plain-English so parents don’t need to memorize a scale:
- None — the element does not appear.
- Mild — brief, non-graphic, easily contextual.
- Moderate — recurring or noticeable; worth knowing about.
- Strong — frequent or intense; likely a factor in your decision.
- Extreme — central, graphic, or sustained.
Age-appropriateness
We publish a suggested age range separate from the publisher’s recommendation. Ours reflects a thoughtful parent’s judgment rather than a marketing target. When our range differs from the publisher we explain why.
Final verdict
We combine the dimension scores into a short verdict — typically Recommended, Parental Discretion, or Not Recommended for this age — along with a plain-English one-sentence summary. The verdict is never the whole story; the dimension detail is the story.
What we deliberately don’t score
We don’t rate the author’s personal beliefs, publisher, or public statements. We rate the book on the page. Boycott lists belong somewhere else.
Rubric changes
When we adjust the rubric — e.g. tightening a definition — we note it here and re-review a sample of previously rated books to check for drift.