About The Ratings

Reviewing picture books is challenging for me, in a way, because I'm trying to think about the text and the illustrations and how they all work--if they all work--together. So I have decided--at least on a trial basis--to include ratings with each picture book. I've now added ratings to all 2011 picture books. (I will not be going back to rate older books I've reviewed in the past. But if I review an older book in the future, I will rate it.)

Text: On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being, of course, the best.
Illustrations: On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being, of course, the best.
Total: On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being, of course, the best.

I realize of course that these numbers are SUBJECTIVE!

IF a book has a total rating of 3 or under, then I'd say it's probably one you can skip.
IF a book has a total rating of 6 or more, then I'd say it's worth reading--maybe not necessarily buying (without reading it first), but worth checking out at the library or reading it in the store.
If a book has a total rating of 8 or more, then I'd say it's one you should definitely, definitely try to find and read because it is GOOD.

Of course, subject matter does play a role in book selection as well! And your child's interests plays a BIG role in what you want to be reading together. So a book could have a great rating and still not be right for that reader.