The Rapid Reader

Ghosts is a junior fiction graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier. It was on Publishers Weekly's list of top middle grade books for 2016. The story is about a girl named Catrina (Cat) whose little sister Maya, has cystic fibrosis. They move to a new town in northern California that's supposed to be better for Maya's health. While there, they meet some ghosts and learn about the Day of the Dead. Sex/Relationships: No sex, but several characters remark that Carlos likes Cat and at the end of the book, she kisses him on the cheek. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Cat encounters a few ghosts and she's always scared of them. Maya has trouble breathing and has to go to the hospital. The sisters talk some about what it might be like when Maya dies. Lots of spirits show up for the Day of the Dead. Final Note: A look into life with cystic fibrosis. The illustrations were awesome! This book portrays the afterlife as bec...

Replica is a YA fiction novel by well-known author Lauren Oliver. Published in 2016, this is her newest book. Told from both perspectives, Replica is about Lyra and Gemma, two girls affected by the Haven Institute, where scientists are secretly cloning humans. Sex: It's mentioned that one of the clones got pregnant from a drunken doctor. Lyra thinks about how the opposite sex looks different from her. She develops feelings for Caelum, but no one ever does more than kiss. Language: Moderate. It's not used as much as some of Oliver's other books, but what is used is very strong. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: There are mentions of people who are drug abusers. Doctors are said to have gotten drunk at a Christmas party. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The replicas, or clones, are disturbingly mistreated. A replica commits suicide. During an explosion, lots of people are killed. Two different people are killed and made to look like they committed suicide. Two charact...

What Was the Underground Railroad? is a junior nonfiction book by Yona Zeldis McDonough in the Who/What Was series. It gives a brief history of the Underground Railroad and people who played important roles. Sex: The book comments that some slaveholders had babies with their slaves. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The book tells how Africans were kidnapped and describes the inhumane ways they were packed into ships. There is a drawing that shows how little room they had. The book also talks about how slaves were punished for running away if they were caught. Final Note: A great book to start introducing younger children to the history of slavery. It also teaches about important African Americans in history, like Harriet Tubman.

The Passion of Dolssa is a YA fiction novel by Julie Berry. It was on Publisher's Weekly list of top YA books for 2016. Set during the Inquisition, Dolssa is on the run for sharing her love of Jesus in her home. After she watches her mother burned at the stake, Dolssa escapes and is later rescued by three sisters. Sex: One man has lustful dreams of Dolssa. Several women are prostitutes. Their occupations are hinted at but never described in detail. Language: Mild. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Jobau is a drunk. The three sisters own a tavern and people come there for their homemade beer. Botille is slightly intoxicated by wine at a party. Two village men drunkenly attack a friar. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: Several people are burned at the stake. Dolssa spends the entire book hiding from people who are looking to kill her for heresy. Final Note: Dolssa is accused of heresy for performing miracles in the name of Jesus. People come to her house to hear her share ab...

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog is a middle grade fiction novel by Adam Gidwitz. It won the Newbery Honor for 2017. This is a brilliant story about three children, from all different backgrounds, and their magical abilities. Set during the Inquisition, the children are on the run from the king. Sex: None. Language: Mild. A couple of curse words here and there. William always refers to his donkey as "his ass" and Jeanne and Jacob find that hilarious. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: People are gathered together in a tavern to tell the story of the children. They often interrupt the story to request more ale from the innkeeper. A couple of characters are portrayed as drunk. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: William kills some attackers in the woods with a donkey's leg. Jacob's parents perish in a fire started by local teenage boys. Every time the kids are captured, they are led around by ropes around their necks. Mos...

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a middle grade fiction novel. It won the 2017 Newbery Medal, the highest U.S. award in children's literature. It's the story of a girl who is rescued by a witch. The witch accidentally feeds her moonlight which fills her with magic. Sex: None at all. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The main village in the story believes that a terrible witch lives in the woods. In order to save themselves from the witch, they leave the youngest baby each year in the woods as a sacrifice to her. They don't die, though. She rescues them and takes them to loving families in other villages. But the sacrifice concept is a little morbid. The scene where Luna is taken from her mother as the sacrifice could be disturbing. One character is attacked by paper birds and his face is cut. The real witch feeds on the sorrow from the town. There is death, but it isn't gruesome. Final Note...

Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a YA novel by E.K. Johnson. It was on Publisher's Weekly list for top YA novels in 2016. This book is about Hermione, a senior in high school and competitive cheerleader. While at cheer camp, she is drugged and raped and left pregnant. Sex: The main premise behind this story is Hermione's rape. Because she was drugged with a date rape drug, she can't remember the actual incident, so it's not described in detail. Her boyfriend, before the incident, pressures her some to have sex. He's a fellow cheerleader and plants condoms in her bag. Also, Hermione's best friend, Polly, comes out as gay in the book and she and Hermione discuss sex in that context. It's not graphic, though. Language: I would say it's mild to moderate. There isn't a ton of language, but when it's used, it's pretty strong. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Hermione is raped and left halfway in a lake, to destroy evidence. She later...

The Kane Chronicles are a series of books by Rick Riordan. They include The Red Pyramid, The Throne of Fire, and The Serpent's Shadow. I'm unsure on how to categorize this series. It has won both middle grade fantasy awards AND YA fantasy awards. In my local library, it was in the junior fiction section, but at our military base library, it was in the YA section. If you only consider reading level, I'd say it was definitely a middle grade series. There are only a few things that would cause me to consider it YA, but I'll list those below! Sex: There is no sex in these books. But the main characters, Sadie and Carter are 12/13 and 15. (Sadie has a birthday during the series.) Romantic relationships play a pretty big part in these books. Carter is the older brother and he is in love with a character named Zia. Several of his decisions are based on Zia. Sadie is 12 at the beginning of the series and turns 13 in the second book. She's a tad bit boy crazy. She ...

Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young is a Middle Grade fiction book about a girl named Christine/Chris/Tink. (It's sixth grade, she can't decide!) It's a coming-of-age story that accurately reflects the turmoil of changing friendships as children get older. Sex: This is a MIDDLE GRADE book and shockingly enough, sex is discussed quite frequently. Tink and Jackie talk a lot about their changing bodies, Jackie dresses up like a pregnant woman for Halloween and Tink, dressed as an army man, says that everyone thinks "she got her pregnant." They talk about Jackie's mother and her boyfriend "sleeping together." A boy in Tink's class tells her he thinks she would look good naked. Language: There's some mild language in this book. The most frequent is the use of the word "slut." It's used by adults and children alike, in relation to Jackie and her mother. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is some definite bul...

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick is a YA novel that is based on the true story of Arn Chorn-Pond, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979. Sex: The book speaks of rape, but not in detail. Arn is molested by a Khmer Rouge girl and it's a little graphic. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: This book is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of very detailed violence. Things that Arn actually experienced, witnessed, or committed are written very plainly for the reader. There is a lot of death. The book is very disturbing, and the fact that it's based on actual events makes it even more shocking. Language: Moderate use of cursing throughout the book. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Mild use. Final Note:  I had to read this book in bits and pieces because it hurt my heart. I think it's important for Americans especially to be aware of atrocities that can or have already taken place in other countries. It was vital for Arn to share his story so that A...

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys was the 2016 Goodreads YA Fiction winner. Told from four different perspectives, this historical fiction novel tells the story of the Wilhelm Gustloff disaster during World War 2. Sex: Russian soldiers rape one of the characters. It's not described in detail. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: Set during World War 2, there is a lot of violence. Several people die. The Wilhelm Gustloff disaster is pretty frightening to read about. A scene where dead bodies are found in a house is particularly disturbing. Language: Mild. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Mild drinking. Final Note: This book was one of my top ten favorite for 2016. Readers are able to see several different perspectives. The story is captivating and heartbreaking but easy to follow. I definitely recommend it for teens who can handle the material.

The Forget Me Not Summer and The Brightest Stars of Summer are middle grade fiction books in the Silver Sisters series by Leila Howland. These are the only two books in the series so far. The books are about three sisters who live in LA, but they go to the East Coast every summer to visit their Aunt Sunny. These books show the lovely relationship between sisters and how magical it is to dream for the future. Sex: None. The girls have a few "crushes" and there's one kiss between the two books. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: There are two different instances of near-drowning. The girls have typical sister fights and arguments. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Final Note: These are wonderful stories for middle grade/preteen girls. They focus on fulfilling dreams and the importance of family.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is a YA novel that won the 2015 Goodreads Winner for Best YA Fiction. Not only did it win the Goodreads award, but it's in the works for a movie pretty soon. It's about a boy with clinical depression who is contemplating suicide. He meets a girl at school who is grieving the loss of her older sister in a car accident. While working on a school project to see the "natural wonders" of their state, a romance ensues and one of them finds healing. Sex: There IS a sex scene in this book. It's fairly mild compared to some other YA books, but it's there. Sex is also discussed casually and joked about between male friends graphically. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Theodore, the main male character, is contemplating jumping from a building when he sees Violet, the main female character, next to him. He talks her down. Theodore thinks about death and depression a lot. Theodore's father is abusive. Violet l...

The Mother Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick is a 7 book middle grade fiction series that gradually matures to YA. (Because of the characters' ages.) The series starts when the girls are 12 and continues on until they graduate high school. Each book features a different classic book or series that the characters are reading. It also shows the girls friendship as they grow up and how they can relate these books to their own lives. Sex: None. A few of the girls have boyfriends as they get older, but the interactions are extremely innocent. They only talk about holding hands and the occasional kiss, even through high school. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a death in the series, but nothing graphic or scary. There are some instances of bullying. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Final Note: This series was one of my favorites last year. Some of the book club selections were books I'd never read. One in particular was Da...

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather is a YA fiction novel about a girl who is a descendant of someone who played a major role in the Salem Witch Trials. When she has to move to Salem herself, sinister things seem to keep happening around her. Is this all because of her last name? Sex: None. The main character kisses two different guys, one of which is a ghost. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The hanging of witches is described in great detail. There are several deaths, all described graphically. The main character is bullied in school. There are many scary, suspenseful scenes, but it's what you would expect from a YA novel about witches. Language: Mild. Maybe ten curse words. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: There is underage drinking at a party. The main character comments a couple of times on how much wine her stepmother has been drinking. Final Note: This is a story that revolves around witches. The characters practice witchcraft and their spells are described in grea...

Freedom Over Me is a book of poems based on a slave sale document the author found. He took the names of the slaves and created stories, dreams, and backgrounds for them. It's a book that shows the heartbreaking reality of slavery. Sex: None. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The slaves know they are going to be sold. They talk about how they were kidnapped and sold into slavery originally. Parents are separated from children and husbands from wives. When sharing their histories, death of family members is mentioned. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Final Note: A beautiful, but heartbreaking, book. The poems are easy to understand. This book has a chance for Newbery recognition this year as well!

Ruby on the Outside is a junior fiction novel by Nora Raleigh Baskin about a young girl with a secret: her mother is in prison. This book shows what it's like to live with an incarcerated parent and how it affects the child Sex: None. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: Ruby's mother is in prison for a violent crime. Death is discussed between Ruby and her friend. When Ruby finds out why her mother is locked away, the book shares the incident in detail. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Drug use is mentioned. Ruby's stepfather was a drug user and used his knowledge of drug dealers to get out of prison early. Final Note: This isn't just a book for kids who have parents in prison. This book also shows the importance of friendship and not judging others based on their circumstances.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is a junior fiction novel set between the World Wars. The main character, Annabelle, has befriended an odd war veteran who lives nearby. When a new girl moves to town, who turns out to be a huge bully, situations escalate quickly and Annabelle has some big decisions to make. Sex: None. Betty, the bully, has a crush on her classmate, Andy, and this is discussed from time to time. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: Annabelle is hit with a stick by another character. Annabelle's brother is cut with a wire. A classmate loses her eye when someone hits her with a rock. War is discussed. I won't say who, but characters do die in the book. A girl goes missing for awhile and her injuries are described in graphic detail. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Final Note: This book wrecked me! I'm a huge fan of To Kill a Mockingbird and this book has been called the modern day version. I completely agree with that statement! I loved...

Who Was Elvis Presley? by Geoff Edgers is a junior nonfiction book in the Who Was? series. Sex: The books tells how Elvis met Priscilla when she was only 14 and he was in his 20s. The book also describes his dance moves and says women found Elvis "sexy." Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The book discusses the death of Elvis's twin, his mother, and Elvis himself. It also briefly mentions his time in the military. The book also briefly talks about his times of depression. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: The book talks about his drug abuse, but in a very sensitive way. It's impossible to talk about his death otherwise. Final Note: This is a junior biography about Elvis Presley so parents just need to use their own discretion on when they think their kids are ready to learn about him. My kids enjoyed listening to a few of his songs online while we read it. In my opinion, it was very sensitively written so that kids can enjoy it.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson is a junior fiction book about three sixth grade boys and their favorite teacher Ms. Bixby. This book is a great read for both boys and girls. It's written from all three boys perspectives, and they each share why this teacher is so special to them. When Ms. Bixby is diagnosed with cancer and has to leave school before the year is over, the boys come up with an elaborate plan to bring all of her "last day" wishes come true. Sex: None. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The boys get in a fight with a grown man and one of them is punched in the face. The boys sometimes physically fight with one another. One of the characters has lost his mom and his dad is wheelchair bound. The main premise behind the book is that the teacher Ms. Bixby has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Language: There are no actual curse words, but the boys have a list of words they've invented. Some of them are basica...

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo is a new junior fiction book about a girl named Raymie and the friendships she makes after her father leaves her family. Sex: None. Raymie's father "runs off with a dental hygienist" but it doesn't get any more detailed than that. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: There are a few things that may be frightening for younger children. The girls talk about a girl who drowned in the lake. One of the main characters has a close call with drowning. Raymie's father abandons their family, Beverly's father isn't around and her mother may be abusive, and Louisiana's parents are both dead. But these losses have brought the girls together. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: None. Final Note: Raymie Nightingale is yet another brilliant book by Kate DiCamillo! She's brought us beautiful tales like The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn Dixie. I'll be extremely surprised if this book doesn't...

So Pottermore is a website where J.K. Rowling writes short stories about the characters and places from Harry Potter. These short stories have all been published now in collections available by e-book. You can buy them on Amazon. They are around $2.99 each! Sex: None. There are mentions of marriage and relationships that readers may not have been aware of while reading the Harry Potter series. But nothing concerning. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The story of how Nearly Headless Nick became nearly headless is pretty graphic. This could be scary or disturbing for younger kids. Also, Voldemort, dementors, and the history of Azkaban could all be a little scary. Language: None. Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Brief mentions of wine. Final Note: These were fun collections to read to get some more background information on major and minor characters in the Harry Potter series. You can find all of these stories for free on Pottermore, but it takes some time to search around. I...

Red Queen is a YA dystopian fantasy series by Victoria Aveyard. As of January 9, 2017, two novels and 3 novellas have been published in this series. So far, I've read the first two novels, Red Queen and Glass Sword. I've also read one novella, Cruel Crown. (Cruel Crown combines the stories Queen Song and Steel Scars.) The third book in this series, King's Cage, is set to release February 7, 2017. Sex: There are certainly allusions to intimate relationships, but nothing is graphic. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: The stories center around two types of people: Reds, who bleed red and who are supposed to be "ordinary," and Silvers who bleed silver and have unique talents. War and resistance are prevalent in the series. Many people die. Many people are injured. There are instances of kidnapping. The death of children in war is also discussed. There is a lot of suspense. But this is a YA series and appropriately so. Language: Mild. Alcoho...

The Peter and the Starcatchers Series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson is a middle grade fantasy series that explains how Peter Pan became Peter Pan. Sex: None. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes: This series includes your typical middle grade fantasy violence. There are fights between good and evil. There are a few evil characters who might be frightening to younger children. Much less frightening than the Harry Potter series. Language: There are five books in the series and I don't recall any bad language. There are some instances of name-calling between characters, but no profanity that I remember. Alcohol/Drug Use: None that I recall. Final Note: It's been a few years since I read this series, but it's one of my all time favorites. Beautifully written and wonderful for boys and girls alike. Anyone who has seen or read Peter Pan would love this story. It's one of my most highly recommended!

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella was a 2015 Goodreads Nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction. Audrey is a teenage girl suffering anxiety after some sort of traumatic bullying incident at school. This book is about her journey! Sex - None. Audrey does develop a relationship with her brother's best friend, but all they do is kiss. Violence/Gore/Death - Nothing in detail. Audrey decides to not share with readers what actually happened at school. But it's obvious that it was traumatic. Girls were expelled from school. Language - Mild. Alcohol/Drug Abuse - None. Final Note: Another book about bullying in schools, but much lighter than other books I've read this year. Audrey has a few thoughts of depression, but she sees a therapist and this experience is shown in a positive light. This book shows the power of friendship and family and how important it is to try to see things from another perspective, but not so much that you lose your own.

Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick is a junior/middle grade fiction novel. Geared more toward girls, it's a sweet but engaging book with the element of mystery! Sex - None. The characters are 12 years old. There are casual mentions of romantic relationships between adults, and maybe a crush or two between the kids, but nothing alarming. Violence/Death/Frightening Scenes - Truly's father is a war veteran who lost his arm. She often mentions how her father has "changed" and he shows signs of depression. There is also a scene where Truly slips from a bridge that can be a little scary. Alcohol/Drug Use - None. Language - None. The kids sometimes tease each other and call each other names. (Drooly Truly). Final Note: I personally found this book to be great! It touched on some real issues like war and depression, but not in a way that was too mature for middle grade kids. These are issues that kids this age may deal with and it's good to have...

Hate List by Jennifer Brown is a YA novel about a girl named Valerie. Her boyfriend opened fire in their school after the two of them created a "Hate List." Valerie contributed to the list to deal with bullying she endured, but her boyfriend used it for a much more sinister reason. Sex - Despite the mature content in this book, sex is not a huge theme. Violence/Death - The school shooting scenes are very graphic, violent, and frightening. The main character's boyfriend was also obsessed with death and there are many flashback scenes about their discussions. Bullying - One of the main themes is bullying in school. There are several detailed scenes involving bullying and even lives being threatened.  Alcohol/Drug Use - Some characters do engage in underage drinking and drug use. Language - Some strong language. Final Note: Despite the violence in this book, it's very eye-opening when it comes to teenage bullying, violence, and suicide. Therapy is sho...

Who Was Daniel Boone? by Sydelle Kramer is a junior nonfiction book. A great series for kids who enjoy nonfiction and love learning about people in history! Sex - None. Violence/Gore/Death/Frightening Scenes - Mentions the death of several of Daniel Boone's children. There are instances of kidnapping. Scalping by Native Americans is also mentioned. Alcohol/Drug Use - None. Language - None. Final Note: A few scenes that could be frightening for younger children. I would just suggest parental discretion. This book is well-written and engaging and a good way to introduce kids to someone from history.

My Heart and Other Black Holes is a YA (Young Adult) novel by Jasmine Warga, It was a 2015 Goodreads Nominee for Best Debut Goodreads Author and Best Young Adult Fiction. This book follows the character Aysel, a teenage girl who is obsessed with her own death. She makes a suicide pact with a boy from the next town. But all of this you can learn by reading the inside cover of the book. Here are some things you may want to know: Sex - Despite the mature content of this book, sex is not a theme. Although a relationship does ensue between the two main characters, there is nothing graphic in the book. Sex is briefly mentioned in a story Roman tells Aysel, but again, nothing graphic. Violence & Death - You get a general idea about this from just reading about the book. Aysel's father was involved in a violent crime. Aysel and Roman have made a suicide pact and most of their discussions revolve around the planning of their suicide. The deaths of other minor characters are me...

Hello fellow parents and friends! My name is Danielle. I had the idea for this blog a couple of years ago when I was working in my son's school library. It was a known fact that I was an avid reader of middle school and young adult literature and several parents would ask me about books before checking them out for their kids. (Or buying them at the book fair!) Because I read so much, I've never worried too much about what my kids might be reading. My oldest is only eight years old and anything he's read, I've read already! But what about parents who don't necessarily enjoy reading or have the time? I wanted to offer a resource that gave these parents the chance to make educated decisions about books their kids are reading. That's how this blog was born! Before we go any further, I want to point out that I am strongly opposed to book banning. I believe in freedom of speech and expression of art through literature. But I also feel strongly that kids should ...