Unbecoming by Jenny Downham

Unbecoming is a YA fiction novel by Jenny Downham. It was on Publishers Weekly's list of top YA books for 2016. Spanning three generations, Unbecoming tells the story of Katie, a high school girl quietly exploring her sexual identity. Her grandmother, Mary, suddenly appears on the scene, afflicted with dementia and unable to recall important memories. The two become close, with Katie's mother stuck in the middle.

Sex: It's mentioned pretty frequently in this book. Mary speaks a lot about her different boyfriends and lovers growing up. She also got pregnant with Katie's mother when she was a teenager. Katie herself is struggling with her sexuality. She tries to have a relationship with a boy she meets at a party, but in the end decides that she's attracted to girls. She has a few detailed discussions with a girl from her school who is gay.

Language: Mild to moderate.

Drug/Alcohol Use: Mary often smokes. Katie gets drunk at a party.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Mary moves in with Katie's family because her boyfriend has died. There are also several disturbing bullying scenes. Mary's sister Pat suffered from depression and committed suicide.

Final Note: This book wasn't my favorite, but there were a few positive things I found. One, Jenny Downham is a beautiful writer. I loved how the story slowly unfurled with the use of flashbacks. The reader finds out things as Mary remembers them. Also, I really enjoyed that Katie and her mother and grandmother finally found a way to communicate and grow close as the story ended.

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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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