For Publishers & Authors

1. AI-Powered Analysis with Human Oversight

• Our system uses advanced AI technology to analyze book descriptions, categories, and metadata objectively
• Each free catalog rating reflects content elements inferred from available sources — not the complete manuscript unless an official full-text scan is purchased
• Our AI considers context, intensity, frequency, and age-appropriateness when assigning ratings
• Corrections may be suggested by anyone and are reviewed against our published rubric — independently of publisher billing

See our How LRS Ratings Work page for how AI estimates differ from official full-text scans.

2. The 0-5 Scale Explained

Every category uses 0–5, but the meaning depends on the group:

Content Intensity (violence, romance, mental health, language, substance use, fear):

• 0 = None: No presence of this theme
• 1 = Very Low: Minimal, brief mentions or very mild examples
• 2 = Low: Occasional presence with mild intensity
• 3 = Medium: Moderate presence with noticeable but not overwhelming content
• 4 = Moderate: Notable presence that significantly impacts the story
• 5 = High: Prominent, extensive, or intense presence throughout

Story Themes (fantasy, LGBTQ+ representation, sci-fi, disability):

• 0 = Not present: Theme not in the story
• 1 = Brief mention: Minor background element
• 2 = Background: Occasional presence
• 3 = Recurring theme: Regular storyline element
• 4 = Major storyline: Significant plot focus
• 5 = Central storyline: Core to the book

Story theme scores describe what a book is about — they are presence indicators, not warnings. A higher number is not a judgment of appropriateness.

Violence (💥)

• Rating 1: Verbal arguments, minor conflicts, sibling squabbles
• Rating 2: Occasional pushing, mild physical confrontations
• Rating 3: Regular fighting, bullying, moderate physical conflict
• Rating 4: Frequent violence, graphic descriptions, weapons
• Rating 5: Intense, graphic violence, warfare, detailed injury descriptions

Example: A book receives a 4 instead of 3 on violence because it contains multiple detailed fight scenes with graphic descriptions of injuries, rather than just occasional mild confrontations.

Love & Romance (❤️)

• Rating 1: Crushes, mild romantic feelings, innocent attraction
• Rating 2: Dating, hand-holding, mild romantic tension
• Rating 3: Kissing, moderate romantic relationships, emotional intimacy
• Rating 4: Steady relationships, passionate moments, romantic drama
• Rating 5: Intense romantic relationships, mature themes, detailed romantic scenes

Mental Health (🧠)

• Rating 1: Mild anxiety, everyday worries, brief mentions of stress
• Rating 2: Occasional anxiety, mild emotional struggles
• Rating 3: Regular mental health themes, therapy mentions, moderate struggles
• Rating 4: Significant mental health focus, detailed psychological content
• Rating 5: Intense mental health themes, trauma, detailed psychological exploration

Language (💬)

• Rating 1: Mild expressions, very light language
• Rating 2: Occasional mild language, light profanity
• Rating 3: Regular mild language, moderate expressions
• Rating 4: Frequent language, stronger expressions
• Rating 5: Intense language, frequent strong profanity

Substance Use (🍷)

• Rating 1: Brief mentions, social drinking context
• Rating 2: Occasional references, mild substance mentions
• Rating 3: Regular references, moderate substance use
• Rating 4: Significant substance themes, detailed use
• Rating 5: Intense substance themes, addiction, detailed substance use

Fear / Horror (😨)

• Rating 1: Mild suspense, brief scary moments
• Rating 2: Occasional scary elements, mild horror
• Rating 3: Regular scary content, moderate horror themes
• Rating 4: Significant horror elements, detailed scary content
• Rating 5: Intense horror, graphic scary content, detailed frightening scenes

Fantasy / Supernatural (🧙)

• Score 1: Brief magical elements or minor fantasy references
• Score 2: Occasional magic, fantasy creatures, or supernatural settings
• Score 3: Regular fantasy elements, magic systems, or fantasy adventures
• Score 4: Extensive fantasy world-building or complex magic systems
• Score 5: Fantasy or supernatural content is central to the entire story

LGBTQ+ Representation (🏳️‍🌈)

• Score 1: Brief mentions of identity or inclusive language
• Score 2: Occasional characters or background representation
• Score 3: Recurring LGBTQ+ characters, relationships, or themes
• Score 4: A major storyline involves LGBTQ+ experiences
• Score 5: Central, in-depth focus on LGBTQ+ storylines

Sci-Fi / Futuristic (🚀)

• Score 1: Brief futuristic technology or minor sci-fi references
• Score 2: Occasional space, tech, or dystopian elements
• Score 3: Recurring sci-fi settings, technology, or speculative science
• Score 4: A major storyline depends on sci-fi concepts
• Score 5: Sci-fi or futuristic themes are central to the entire book

Sci-Fi scores appear on books scanned with our latest rating system.

Disability & Neurodiversity (♿)

• Score 1: Brief mentions of disability or neurodiversity
• Score 2: Occasional characters or background representation
• Score 3: Recurring disability or neurodiversity themes
• Score 4: A major storyline involves disability experiences
• Score 5: Central focus on disability or neurodiversity throughout

Disability scores appear on books scanned with our latest rating system.

Context Matters

A book about war will naturally have higher violence ratings than a contemporary romance. The LRS considers the genre and intended audience when analyzing content.

Frequency and Intensity

A single intense scene might result in a lower overall LRS rating than multiple moderate scenes throughout the book.

Age Appropriateness

The LRS evaluates content relative to the target age group. What's appropriate for a 16-year-old differs significantly from what's appropriate for an 8-year-old.

Educational Value

Books with educational content about difficult topics may receive different LRS ratings than purely entertainment-focused books with similar content.

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