Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnson

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 discovers she is pregnant. She decides to have an abortion and the fetus is collected as evidence to try to convict someone of the crime.

Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Alcohol at parties is just mentioned in passing. Hermione is at a dance at cheer camp when she's drugged. The punch is non-alcoholic and the rapist puts a date rape drug in it.

Final Note: This was an incredibly difficult book to read. But, it's an important book to read. Many teenage girls go through this exact situation and it's not talked about nearly enough. Even though everyone knows Hermione was drugged and raped, rumors are still spread around school that it was her fault because she was too big of a flirt. This book did an excellent job of showing the horror of rape and how it effects the victims.

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My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My Lady Jane is a YA fiction novel by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. Written in three different perspectives by three different authors, this romantic comedy tells readers what really (maybe) happened in history with Lady Jane Grey. This book was on Publishers Weekly's list of top YA books for 2016. (And it was well-deserved!) Sex: During the Edward and Gifford chapters, the boys often comment on the figures of women. People are under the impression that Gifford is a "ladies man." Two of the characters are in an arranged marriage and the book does mention in the last chapter that they "totally consummated." There are sexual innuendos but nothing graphic. Language: Extremely mild, especially for a YA book. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few mentions of drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a war and plenty of people are threatened with losing their heads, but since this book is a comedy, it's nothing graphic or seriou

What is The Rapid Reader?

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

The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish

The Ethan I Was Before is a middle grade fiction novel by Ali Standish. Ethan and Kacey were the best of friends. But when a terrible accident rips them apart, Ethan and his family pick up and move from Boston to a small town in Georgia. Now Ethan must figure out what life looks like moving forward. He meets Coralee and is enthralled by her marvelous stories. Can the two of them share secrets and give each other the friendship they both long for? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful scenes. Death is a big part of the story line as well. Final Note: I loved this book! This is Ali Standish's first novel and she hit it out of the park. It was hauntingly beautiful. My heart ached for Ethan. I think readers grades 6-8 would really like this one.

The Rapid Reader

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