Establishing a Book Rating System
Or, stealing from the USCCB
Welcome to The Catholic Librarian! Utilizing my experience as a reader and curator of books, my aim is to help others find reads that lead them to the true, the good and the beautiful.
I record and (briefly) review each book I read on Goodreads, where you can also follow along with my reading journey, but I want to go more in depth. Here, I plan to expand on my review, but also detail the nature of its content. Is it agreeable to the Catholic palate? Does it belong on the via pulchritudinis, that is, the way of beauty? If it has morally reprehensible qualities, can it still be read in good conscience? These are the questions I hope to answer.
Each book will be assigned a traditional rating out of five stars, based on how well I enjoyed it for the type of book that it is. In this manner, a good romance novel can receive the same rating as a revered classic. The two can be distinguished by the category in which I place it. In addition to this rating, I will rate each book according to what I call the Catholic Reader’s Guidance System, based upon Film Classifications from the USCCB’s Office for Film and Broadcasting. The system follows:
A – suitable for all;
OK – suitable for older kids;
T – suitable for mature teens;
M – suitable for mature viewers;
L – suitable for a limited mature audience;
U – unsuitable for all.
This system allows for parents of advanced readers to determine whether or not a book is suitable for their child or teen, as well as for their own consumption. I will also feature the good, the bad, and the ugly of each book – highlighting the true, good, and beautiful, while calling out the graphic, explicit, or inappropriate. In this way, you will know what to look for and what to look out for when picking your next read.
In addition to book reviews, my newsletters will include various different types of writings. Sometimes, a reflection or personal essay, others a critical literary essay or musings on the state of education and librarianship. All composed with you, dear reader, in mind.