Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

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 get some Newbery recognition.

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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...

The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish

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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 Rapid Reader

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