Matt at NTUGO.com has a new book rating scale he calls the LibRate scale. It’s funny, and I like the concept of basing it on the total enjoyment of the book, which I believe is the most important factor. The best indicator of excellence is whether or not the reader wants to continue reading it-either more of a series or the same book over and over.
Personally, I would alter his scale slightly. I don’t think Harry Potter stands alone at the top. I believe others share that excellence in their own ways (The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper, The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt, etc). I also think the space between ratings 4 and 5 could be wider.
Some people might argue that there should be a category for more challenging books at the top such as classics. But I would not have them separate. They would be mixed in, and their rating would depend on how well they have retained their enjoyability. Some have, many have not.
