The Wolf Keepers by Elise Broach

The Wolf Keepers is a junior fiction novel by Elise Broach. Twelve-year-old Lizzie Durango gets to live at the zoo because her father is a zookeeper. Of all the animals, she's most interested in the new wolves. One day while waiting for lunch, Lizzie spots a boy who seems to be secretly making the zoo his home. Lizzie befriends Tyler and the two of them work together to find out why the wolves keep getting sick. They soon find themselves on an adventure in the Yosemite wilderness.

Sex: None. Lizzie remarks that her father sometimes goes out with Karen, the zoo vet. She mentions that Karen "never stays the night."

Language: Mild.

Drug/Alcohol Use: Tyler's biological mother is a drug addict.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are some suspenseful scenes. Some of the wolves are sick and appear to have died. Lizzie's mother died when she was a newborn and Tyler's mother is in rehab.

Final Note: What a great book! Although it's not technically historical fiction, the author shares a lot of true history about John Muir and Yosemite. My one reservation about this book is how much Lizzie lies to her dad and sneaks around. In fact, there are a few secrets she keeps throughout the whole book and never tells her dad. In her defense, she often says how guilty she feels about lying to her dad and sneaking around. Other than that, this was a wonderful book with lots of adventure and history.

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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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