The Rapid Reader

Purchase this book on Amazon here! You Bring the Distant Near is a YA historical fiction novel by Mitali Perkins. This book spans three generations and tells the stories of five different girls. It starts with Ranee, who after moving to America is terrified that her daughters will lose their Indian culture. Her daughter Sonia is brilliant but outspoken, while her other daughter Tara focuses most of her attention on fitting in. As time passes, Sonia and Tara have daughters of their own who also struggle with finding their true identity. This novel beautifully weaves all of their stories together. Sex: None. There is some romance, but nothing graphic. There is one scene where an older man is interested in Tara and tries to come get her from her house, but nothing more than him banging on the door happens. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a death that greatly affects the characters. Final Note: This was a ...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Lemons is a middle grade novel by Melissa Savage. Nine-year-old Lemonade has lost her mother and now must move to a small town called Willow Creek, California, to live with a grandfather she's never even met. When she arrives, she meets Tobin, the CEO of Bigfoot Detectives, Inc. He's on the lookout for Bigfoot and asks Lemonade to help him out for the summer. But Bigfoot may not be the only thing she finds. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Lemonade talks about the death of her mother and grandmother. There are a few suspenseful scenes. War is also discussed. Final Note: This was such a good read! Not only was the story full of adventure, but there were many positive lessons about family and friendship. I think both middle grade boys and girls will enjoy this one!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Refugee is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Alan Gratz. This book spans three time periods and covers the stories of three different 12 year old refugees and their families. Josef is escaping Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Isabel is fleeing Castro's Cuba in the 90s. Mahmoud is a Syrian refugee, running from civil war in 2015. Each chapter changes perspective, giving the reader a glimpse into the lives of refugees.  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: This book is heavy. There are several deaths and every story is quite suspenseful.  Final Note: EVERYONE should read this book, not just middle grade and YA readers. It's so important to see what it's like to actually be a refugee and how we should be compassionate to anyone and everyone, giving help whenever possible. This book is extremely eye-opening and I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Midnight at the Electric is a YA novel by New York Times' bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson. This book is split into three different time periods. 2065, 1934, and 1919. Told in alternating perspectives and through letters, Midnight at the Electric is a mix of historical and science fiction. Adri, living in 2065, is one of the lucky few Colonists chosen to live on Mars. While living with a distant family member she previously didn't know existed, Adri comes across some old letters that take her through stories in the past: Catherine, who lived in Kansas during the Dust Bowl and Lenore, who lived through the First World War in England.  Sex: Sex is mentioned on a couple of occasions, but it's never described in a lot of detail. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few instances of drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful scenes and deaths. Final Note: This was such a uniqu...

Purchase this book on Amazon here!   Towers Falling is a middle grade historical fiction novel by award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes. Deja has lived in New York City her entire life, but by the fifth grade, she still doesn't know anything about the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that occurred fifteen years before. As her class begins to learn more about this history, Deja finds herself asking more and more questions, and for some reason, this seems to upset her parents. Will Deja ever find the answers she's looking for? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Deaths are mentioned. This book talks frequently about September 11th, how people died, and how people who survived are coping. Final Note: There aren't too many middle grade books out there about this topic. I was in middle school myself when September 11th occurred and I think Jewell Parker Rhodes did a fantastic j...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! The Pearl Thief is a YA historical fiction novel by Elizabeth Wein. The prequel to Code Name Verity , this book gives readers a look into Julie's life. When she was fifteen years old, Julie spent her summer saying goodbye to her grandfather's estate. While there, Julie is attacked but cannot remember the circumstances surrounding the incident. A family employee is also missing and no one can find him. Julie makes it her mission to find out what really happened and to help the Scottish Traveller family she has befriended. Sex: There are no explicit scenes, but Julie explores her sexuality, with both an older man and a female friend. Both scenes just involve kissing, but the details are pretty sensual. A man is naked when searching in the water. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Some drinking and smoking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are suspected deaths and Julie is attacked. There are a couple of f...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Midnight Without a Moon is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Linda Williams Jackson. Rose Lee Carter is a 13-year-old African-American girl living in 1950s Mississippi. Life is moving forward normally until Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy, is killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Now Rose must decide what is truly important: letting things stay the same or fighting for her rights.  Sex: There are mentions of unplanned teenage pregnancies. A character sneaks off to see a boy at night, but no details are told.  Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The death of Emmett Till is very emotional and disturbing. While less graphic than some other books, this novel still shares details.  Final Note: I truly believe this book is a Newbery contender. Upper middle grades and high school students will learn a lot from this story. Rose is a likeab...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! The Black Pearl is a middle grade fiction novel by Scott O'Dell. It won a Newbery Honor in 1967. Ramon has always followed in his father's footsteps. Now he's sixteen years old and learning all about the pearl business. His dream is to find the biggest pearl of all. But when his dreams seem to come true, disaster strikes.  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several deaths. Ramon is threatened with violence by another character. There are also a couple of suspenseful scenes with sea creatures.  Final Note: I've been working my way through the Newbery winners and honor books for several years now. I've come to find that age doesn't matter. A lot of these Newbery books, no matter how old, are still absolutely wonderful. This book was a quick read but still full of adventure. If young and middle grade readers can look past the old cover, I...

Purchase this book on Amazon here!   Lucky Broken Girl is a middle grade semi-autobiographical fiction novel by Ruth Behar. Ruthie and her family have relocated to America from Cuba.When a tragic accident turns Ruth's world upside down, she spends a year contemplating her life and future. Her dreams change and she transforms into a brand new Ruthie. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: There's an instance of drinking and driving. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There's a tragic accident and several people die. Another character close to Ruthie also loses their life later in the story. There's also a semi-graphic scene about an enema being used because a patient isn't able to use the bathroom. Final Note: I thought Ruth Behar did a wonderful job sharing her experiences as a child. I loved how she frequently referred back to her Cuban heritage. I felt like I not only related to her as a person, but I also learned things I didn't kno...

Da Vinci's Tiger is a YA historical fiction novel by L.M. Elliott. It is the story of Ginevra de' Benci, the inspiration for Leonardo da Vinci's painting by the same name. It is the only da Vinci on permanent display in the United States. Sex: Allusions to sex, but nothing is ever written in detail. There is one scene where it seems as though Ginevra will be sexually assaulted, but it doesn't come to fruition. There are also accusations and whisperings of homosexuality. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Mild drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Several violent scenes. One death in particular is fairly gruesome near the end. Final Note: This book had a hard time keeping my attention, but overall, it was a pretty interesting story to learn about. It wasn't the story itself that was hard to read. The writing, with all of the Italian words thrown in, was tedious to get through. It was intriguing to get a different author's perspective on da...

Between Two Skies is a YA historical fiction novel by Joanne O'Sullivan. Bayou Perdu is home to Evangeline. But when Hurricane Katrina strikes, Evangeline and her family are forced to move to Georgia to live with relatives until things can be put back together. Evangeline is torn between her new life and yearning for the old. When she connects with Tru, a fellow refugee, Evangeline finally begins to feel at peace. But how will life look now that everything is different? Sex: Evangeline's sister comments that her boyfriend wants to be intimate. There are several heavy make out scenes between Evangeline and Tru. A friend of Evangeline's family is gay. Nothing is very detailed. It's all mostly mentioned in passing. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: Danielle's mother gets drunk at a community event. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Several people are missing for awhile. A main character dies. Final Note: It's hard to consider a book about Hurrica...

I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Lauren Tarshis. The twelfth book in the I Survived series, Joplin Tornado tells the story of Dex, an eleven-year-old resident of Joplin, Missouri. Our with a storm chaser, Dex is caught in the middle of the F5 twister when it hits his hometown. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The tornado scenes are pretty suspenseful. Final Note: The I Survived series is an engaging way to introduce kids to disasters and wars in history. This book in particular tells the story of a disaster that happened fairly recently, so it makes it even more real for the reader. I have nothing but good things to say about these books!

Alex and Eliza is a YA historical fiction novel by Melissa de la Cruz. Written beautifully, this is the love story of Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. Eliza is part of one of the most distinguished families in the country. Alex, on the other hand, is an orphan and is only known for his position as General Washington's right-hand man. Although circumstances seem to be working against them, Alex and Eliza continue to find their way back to one another. But is their love enough to last? Sex: There is one scene near the end of the book where a man tries to assault a woman. Soldiers also mention visiting prostitutes in passing. Nothing is graphic or detailed. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few drunken scenes by different characters. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: War-related scenes. Final Note: I thought this book was amazing! Melissa de la Cruz has a beautiful writing style and I couldn't help but be drawn in to Eliza and Alex's story. Historica...

Up From the Sea is a YA historical fiction novel written in verse by Leza Lowitz. Kai was sitting in class when a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck his coastal town in Japan. Not long after the earthquake, a huge tsunami swept over the town, taking many homes and lives with it. This is Kai's story, leading up to the earthquake and the months after. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The earthquake and tsunami scenes are pretty suspenseful. There are several deaths. Final Note: This was a quick read, but not an easy one. Leza Lowitz was living in Tokyo when the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. She did a fabulous job telling this story from the point of view of someone who lived it.