Editorial Policy
ShelfAnswers earns money from affiliate commissions. This page sets out the rules we work to so that commissions do not decide what you read.
Independence
No publisher, author, retailer or affiliate network can pay to appear on this site, to rank higher on a list, to receive a better Shelf Score, or to have a criticism removed or softened. We do not accept sponsored posts, paid guest posts or paid link placements, and we do not accept free books in exchange for coverage.
Sourcing and accuracy
Every detail on this site must be traceable to a source: the publisher listing, the book description, the stated edition and publication date, page count, reading age and format. We do not invent a page count, guess an edition or round a reading age. Where a listing leaves something out, we say it is not stated.
How articles are produced
We use AI tools to help collect listing data and draft articles. A draft is a starting point, not a finished article. Before publication, every detail in it is checked against the listing it came from by automated checks, and anything that cannot be traced to a source is removed. Scores are assigned against the published weights on our How We Pick page.
Final responsibility for everything published here rests with the ShelfAnswers owner and editor in chief. If something on this site is wrong, that responsibility sits with us.
Balance
Every book we cover gets its strengths and its drawbacks stated, and every list says who should skip a book: a reader who wants a standalone and not a long series, a student whose exam changed format after the edition was printed, or a family who will also need to buy a separate answer key.
Copyright
- We do not reproduce book pages, exam questions, workbook answers or long passages from any book.
- We quote, at most, a short phrase from a publisher description where it helps a reader, and we say where it came from.
- We never link to unauthorized copies or free PDF downloads.
Content for kids and teens
- We report the reading age or grade level the listing gives, say when Amazon marks a reading age as coming from customers, and never present it as advice about a particular child.
- Where a publisher description mentions mature themes, we say so in the pick so parents can check before buying.
Affiliate disclosure
Our affiliate relationship is disclosed near the top of every article, before the first affiliate link, in line with Federal Trade Commission guidance, and in full on the Affiliate Disclosure page.
Product data and prices
Book images and listing data shown on this site are collected from retailer listings and may be out of date. We do not write prices into article text. Always confirm the current price, edition and availability on the retailer page before you buy.
Corrections
We correct errors rather than quietly deleting them. When a correction changes the substance of an article, we update it, change the last updated date, and note what was corrected. To report an error, write to [email protected] with the article and the specific claim.