Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

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 basically their version of curse words.

Alcohol/Drug Abuse: The boys try to find the perfect bottle of wine to take to their teacher in the hospital. They approach a stranger to get him to buy it for them. Several different types of wine and Jack Daniels are discussed. The boys don't drink it, though.

Final Note: I'll admit it, I LOVED this book. I love that it was an emotional story that showed how important teachers are and that it revolved around male characters. That is an uncommon combination that is severely needed in junior fiction. Another contender for the Newbery this year!

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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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