Ratings System and Content Warnings

         The rating system is a simple tool set up to help determine if a book is suitable for certain audiences as well as to help easily and effectively without spoilers (or with depending if you look deeper into the why it was rated that way) indicate what kind of content might be found. The system works on the same system as movies, G-X (G, PG, PG13, R, and X). When you are reading through an article up at the top by the title you should find the letter rating for the book. Click on this rating to get specific and detailed accounts of why the book is rated in that way. Be warned, by clicking on the rating you will be led into a spoiler filled list that may result in character deaths being revealed, how those deaths occur, and to what level they are described, as well as other potentially spoiler filled information as to what might happen in regards to plot or characters that may hinder the reading experience for some.

  • G Rating

    G stands for General Audience or all ages. This indicates that there is no violence, bad language or sexual content contained within the book. Books that fall under this rating will include Beatrix Potter and the tales of Peter Rabbit, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the Anne of Green Gables series. All these books will be very tame in subject matter, and are suitable for readers of all ages. Some of these books may be more or less suitable for younger readers given the difficulty level of reading, but not content. For example, Anne of Green Gables will be much more difficult to read than The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There may also be some content warning for G rated stories as death is a topic that may be lightly touched upon in some books. If this concerns you please be certain to read the rating for all information. 

  • PG Rating

             PG stands for parental guidance indicating that some material may not be suitable for young children. This may mean that there is a death that occurs in the book that may be talked about more frequently or depicted in slightly more detail, there is mild bad language (though no curse words) or something slightly scarier happens within the story. These books are generally well suited for ages 10 and up depending on a child and parents’ tolerance for certain subjects. Books that would fall within the PG category include Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (note not all harry potter books will fall within the same rating), Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and The Secret Garden.

  • PG-13 Rating

             PG-13 is a rating for stories that are slightly more graphic in some instances than PG, indicating that children under the age of 13 should not read without parents’ permission. These stories may include more violence, bad language, or an inexplicit sexual act such as discussion of kissing or stories fade to black indicating that sexual acts have taken place off page. Stories that fall into these categories would include The Hunger Games, The Six of Crows, or The Subtle Knife.

  • R Rating

             R or Restricted is a rating that indicates the book is only suitable for adults and may contain violence, explicit sexual acts or foul language that may be unsuitable to individuals under the age of 18. For ease of readers this may also include stories that The Traveling Book Nook personally considers to be emotionally jarring in some way. Brutal or explicit death may occur or other acts that may lead to unease or discomfort while reading. Books that might fall under this category would be A Handmaid’s Tale, IT, and The Terror.

  • X Rating

             X is a severe rating that is given to books that contain explicit and grotesque violence, explicit and potentially grotesque sexual encounters, and explicit and potentially grotesque foul language. Books that might fall under this category would include American Psycho and A Clockwork Orange.