To make my rating system easier to understand I have provided some static outlines for each numerical rating. There may be other factors of the book that may cause the rating to be higher or lower that are not outlined below. The story or illustrations in the book may not meet all aspects of the numerical rating. The rank will be explained for each individual review.
Story
5. The content is excellent. There are no spelling or grammar mistakes. There is a clear beginning, middle and end. The plot and setting are relevant to each other. The characters are well developed.
4. The content is good. There are no spelling or grammar mistakes. There is a clear beginning, middle and end. There is no conflict between the plot and setting. The character development is good.
3. The content is satisfactory or average. There may be some spelling or grammar mistakes. The beginning, middle and end may be unclear. There may be some conflict between the plot and setting. The characters may need more development.
2. The content is unsatisfactory. There are some spelling or grammar mistakes. There is no clear direction of a beginning, middle or end. The plot does not match the setting. The characters need much more development.
1. The content is severely lacking. There are spelling or grammar mistakes. The direction of the story is unclear. There is no clear plot or setting. The characters are confusing and have no depth.
Illustrations
5. The illustrations are a perfect match to the story. The artwork is professional and consistent throughout the book. The images are creative and have depth.
4. The illustrations are a good match to the story. The artwork is mostly professional and consistent throughout the book. Most of the images have depth and creativity.
3. The illustrations are an okay match to the story. The artwork is professional but may be inconsistent throughout the book. The images may need more depth and creativity.
2. The illustrations are not a good match to the story. The artwork is unprofessional and may be inconsistent throughout the book. The images lack depth and are not creative.
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1. The illustrations are a bad match to the story. The artwork is amateur and inconsistent. The images are flat and predictable.
Format & Quality
5. The layout is perfect and shows the illustrations and story in a favorable way. The overall quality of the book is perfect for the mentioned age range.
4. The layout is good but could use a few minor tweaks to display the story and illustrations better. The overall quality of the book is good for the mentioned age range.
3. The layout is okay but could be done in a better way. Rearranging some things could improve the flow. The overall quality of the book is standard for the mentioned age range.
2. The layout is taking away from the story and illustrations. Needs some major rearranging. The overall quality of the book is less than standard or inappropriate for the mentioned age range.
1. The layout is all wrong for the book. The illustrations and story are confusing because of the layout. The overall quality of the book is bad and is inappropriate for all age ranges.
Originality:
5. The book is incredibly original and has ideas, formats, art and/or other original aspects not mentioned. (Like integrating technology into paper books for example.)
4. The book has an original story, format and/or art.
3. The story, illustrations and/or format may be typical for the genre and adhere to standard format guidelines. (Example, a rhyming repeated poem.)
2. The story, illustrations and/or format has been done before and while it adheres to standard genre guidelines the story, etc., are lacking in creativity.
1. The story, illustrations, and/or format are not original in any way. They seem almost to plagiarize other popular stories that have already been told.
Read Aloudability:
5. The book is perfect for reading aloud. It has many different aspects that will engage the child to participate in the story. (Examples: rhymes, animal sounds, etc.)
4. The book is good for reading aloud. It has many features that will engage the child being read to.
3. The book is okay for reading aloud but is lacking some key elements.
2. The book can be read aloud but is more suited to solo reading as it lacks elements that will engage the listener.
1. The book is not intended to be read aloud.
