How the Looky Rating System Works
Spoiler-free ratings split into Content Intensity and Story Themes — plus clear labels for AI estimates vs official full-text scans
Two Ways We Rate Books
Every book page shows which tier produced the score — an AI estimate from available metadata, or an official scan from the complete transcript.
AI LRS Analysis
Free catalog ratings are produced by AI from the book's description, categories, publisher metadata, and related sources. They are estimates — not verified against the complete manuscript.
Official Full-Text LRS Scan
Publishers and authors may submit a full transcript for an official scan. These ratings are generated from the complete text, include supporting excerpts, and are labeled clearly on the book page.
The LRS 0–5 Rating Scale
Every category uses the same 0–5 numbers, but they mean different things depending on whether the score is Content Intensity or a Story Theme.
Content Intensity scores
Violence, romance, mental health, language, substance use, and fear — higher scores mean stronger or more frequent content.
None
No content of this type
Very Low
Minimal presence
Low
Brief or mild content
Medium
Moderate presence
Moderate
Notable presence
High
Intense or frequent content
Story Theme scores
Fantasy, LGBTQ+ representation, sci-fi, and disability — higher scores mean the theme is more central to the plot, not a warning.
Not present
Theme not in the story
Brief mention
Minor background element
Background
Occasional presence
Recurring theme
Regular storyline element
Major storyline
Significant plot focus
Central storyline
Core to the book
What the LRS Measures
Ten categories in two groups — the same split you see on every book page. Click any tile for detailed examples.
Content Intensity
Six categories that measure how strong or frequent sensitive content is — violence, romance, mental health, language, substance use, and fear.
Story Themes
Four categories that describe what the book is about — fantasy, LGBTQ+ representation, sci-fi, and disability. Higher scores mean a theme is more central to the plot, not a warning.
Fantasy / Supernatural
Magic, supernatural elements, or fantasy worlds. The score reflects how central these elements are to the story — not whether the book is inappropriate.
LGBTQ+ Representation
How prominently LGBTQ+ characters, relationships, or identity themes appear in the story — from a brief mention to a central storyline. This is a presence indicator, not a warning.
Sci-Fi / Futuristic
Futuristic technology, space travel, robots, dystopian settings, or speculative science — distinct from magic-based fantasy. Higher scores mean the theme is more central to the plot.
Disability & Neurodiversity
How prominently disability, chronic illness, or neurodiversity appears — as representation and story context, not a warning. Higher scores mean the theme is more central to the plot.
Story theme scores help families find books — many readers use them to discover stories, not avoid them. Sci-Fi and Disability appear on books scanned with our latest rating system.
How We Create LRS Ratings
Rigorous analysis with clear separation between free AI catalog ratings, paid official scans, and independent correction review.
1. AI Catalog Analysis
Advanced AI analyzes publicly available information about each book, scoring all six Content Intensity categories and four Story Themes from descriptions and metadata.
2. Official Full-Text Scan
Publishers and authors may submit a complete transcript. The official open-source LRS rater scores the full text and produces excerpt-backed reports — labeled separately on the book page.
3. Suggest a Correction
Anyone may suggest a correction on a book page. Our team reviews suggestions against our published rubric — independently of any publisher billing.
4. Quality Assurance
Final review ensures LRS ratings are consistent, objective, and spoiler-free across both AI catalog and official scan tiers.
Confidence & Limitations
Ratings are opinions based on available information — not guarantees.
AI analyses include a confidence score when available. Ratings reflect our interpretation at the time of analysis and should not be the sole basis for institutional purchasing or removal decisions.
On book pages, AI catalog scores below 50% confidence are not shown as numeric tiles. Scores between 50% and 70% display with a low-confidence warning. Official full-text scans always show their scores.
Parents and educators should use their own judgment. What is appropriate varies by family, culture, and individual maturity.
Rating Integrity Policy
How we keep corrections independent of payment.
- Payment does not buy outcomes. Publishers pay for transcript processing and official scan delivery — not for a target score. Billing and rating review are handled separately.
- Corrections are independent. Anyone may suggest a correction on a book page. Suggestions are reviewed against our published rubric without regard to whether a publisher paid for an official scan.
- Transparency. Our open-source LRS rater documents the category rubric used for official transcript scans.
- No ban-tool use. LRS ratings are for individual family reading choices. They may not be used as the sole basis for removing books from schools or libraries. See our Terms of Service.
Open Methodology
Inspect how official transcript scans are scored.
The official transcript-based LRS rater is published as open source so reviewers, librarians, and publishers can inspect how category scores and age recommendations are produced.
booklooky-official-lrs-rater on GitHub →Organizations operating BookLooky should carry appropriate media liability or errors & omissions (E&O) insurance and review coverage with a qualified broker. This page describes our methodology and integrity practices; it is not legal or insurance advice.
Why the Looky Rating System Works
Three key principles that make our book rating system trusted by families.
No Spoilers
We describe themes and content without revealing plot details, twists, or endings. Your reading experience remains intact.
Neutral & Objective
We present information without judgment or bias. Story Themes describe what a book is about — they are not warnings.
Visual & Clear
Content Intensity and Story Themes are shown in separate sections with distinct tile styles, so you can assess a book at a glance.
Ready to Find the Perfect Books?
Search our database of age-appropriate books and discover spoiler-free LRS ratings for your family.