The Rapid Reader

Purchase this book on Amazon here! The Pearl Thief is a YA historical fiction novel by Elizabeth Wein. The prequel to Code Name Verity , this book gives readers a look into Julie's life. When she was fifteen years old, Julie spent her summer saying goodbye to her grandfather's estate. While there, Julie is attacked but cannot remember the circumstances surrounding the incident. A family employee is also missing and no one can find him. Julie makes it her mission to find out what really happened and to help the Scottish Traveller family she has befriended. Sex: There are no explicit scenes, but Julie explores her sexuality, with both an older man and a female friend. Both scenes just involve kissing, but the details are pretty sensual. A man is naked when searching in the water. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Some drinking and smoking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are suspected deaths and Julie is attacked. There are a couple of f...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Everything That Makes You is a YA contemporary novel by Moriah McStay. Fiona, or Fi, Doyle's life could have gone two different ways. Fiona was in a terrible accident as a child, leaving one side of her face covered in scars. She loves to write songs but is too afraid to stand up and let anyone listen to them. What would her life be like if the accident had never happened? Then there's Fi. She has a flawless face and is the top lacrosse player in school, headed toward Northwestern. But one choice changes her future. Moriah McStay gives readers the answers to "what if?" How do our circumstances and choices truly determine our future? Sex: Nothing explicit. There is romance and kissing. Language: Mild to moderate. Drug/Alcohol Use: Some instances of underage drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a death in this book. Fiona was also in an accident that burned her face when she was younger. ...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Clayton Byrd Goes Underground is a middle grade fiction novel by Coretta Scott King Award winner Rita Williams-Garcia. After his Cool Papa dies, Clayton's mother forbids him from playing the harmonica his grandfather gave him. But Clayton can't stop. The blues are what connects him most to Cool Papa. Clayton runs away from home and his journey teaches him many things along the way. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Clayton has a few run-ins with a local gang on the subway. Clayton finds his grandfather after he has died. Final Note: I love Rita Williams-Garcia! This book was short, but it was an awesome read! Clayton is a character that many kids will be able to relate to. Clayton and his mother disagree, but I loved how they were eventually able to see things from the other's perspective.

Purchase this book on Amaon here! One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance is a middle grade collection of poetry by Nikki Grimes. Grimes uses the "Golden Shovel" method to combine poems from the Harlem Renaissance with her own words. This book also includes beautiful illustrations.  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Some poems discuss struggles with violence faced by African Americans. Final Note: This book was gorgeous! Not only will readers be exposed to classic poems, but Nikki Grimes does a fabulous job including her own works.

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Me and Marvin Gardens is a middle grade fiction novel by Amy Sarig King. Obe Devlin's family has had their farm taken over by developers. The only thing Obe has left is the creek. He doesn't even have his best friend Tommy anymore.Tommy found new friends when the development kids moved in. One day, Obe spots a creature that is unlike anything he's ever seen or read about before. He names him Marvin Gardens and the creature becomes his best friend. But when something strange starts to happen, Obe must decide if he can share his secret. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is some bullying and fist fighting. Final Note: This book was super cute! I recently read Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere and this book was pretty similar, but with a deeper story line. I think middle school boys and girls will really enjoy this unique novel!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Midnight Without a Moon is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Linda Williams Jackson. Rose Lee Carter is a 13-year-old African-American girl living in 1950s Mississippi. Life is moving forward normally until Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy, is killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Now Rose must decide what is truly important: letting things stay the same or fighting for her rights.  Sex: There are mentions of unplanned teenage pregnancies. A character sneaks off to see a boy at night, but no details are told.  Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The death of Emmett Till is very emotional and disturbing. While less graphic than some other books, this novel still shares details.  Final Note: I truly believe this book is a Newbery contender. Upper middle grades and high school students will learn a lot from this story. Rose is a likeab...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War is a nonfiction book by Mary Roach. Although it isn't technically a young adult book, it has been on several recommended reading lists for high school students. This book covers the science behind modern warfare: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sex: Sex is discussed in relation to war injuries. Language: Moderate. There are several instances of strong language. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several gory chapters and topics covered. This book is not for those with a weak stomach. Final Note: This book was not my cup of tea. But the author has a very unique and intriguing writing style and anyone who is interested in nonfiction war-related books will like this one. It is very graphic, but it is also quite humorous. I can say I learned a lot of new information.

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History is a YA nonfiction book by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger, the authors of the New York Times bestseller George Washington's Secret Six . It tells the little known history of President Jefferson's confrontation with the pirates of Tripoli. These pirates kidnapped American ships and sailors. In response, Jefferson began developing what is now the United States Navy.  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Several war battles. There are a few deaths. There are also prisoners of war. Final Note: This was a very compelling nonfiction novel. I learned so much about Thomas Jefferson. I had never heard of the Tripoli pirates and this book kept my attention. This is a great read for history lovers!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler is a middle grade and YA nonfiction book by Newbery Award winning author, Russell Freedman. This is the story of the Scholls, the siblings who formed the White Rose, a resistance movement in Germany against the Nazi regime. They wrote and distributed leaflets throughout their country, defying the government and urging their fellow country people to do the same. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are descriptions of imprisonment and death. Final Note: Russell Freedman is truly a literary genius when it comes to nonfiction works for middle grade to high school readers. This book eloquently shared the story of the Scholl siblings. It was extremely informative and engaging and the pictures were just icing on the cake. Anyone who is interested in World War II history, whether they are a s...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Waiting for Normal is a middle grade fiction novel by Leslie Connor. It is a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALA Notable Children's Book, and the recipient of many other young literature awards. Addie has waited her entire life for normal. But she never knows what she's going to get when it comes to her mother. Her mom is either all in and fully present, or long gone and completely absent. Addie's mother is bipolar. Sex: No sex. Addie doesn't know who her father is, but she's close to her stepfather. Her mom is often out late for business dinners with men. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Mild. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Addie is frequently neglected by her mother. There are a few intense scenes but it's nothing inappropriate for middle grade readers. Final Note: This book has been on my list for awhile and I just now got around to reading it. I'm glad I did! Again, I truly bel...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! The Someday Birds is a middle grade fiction novel by Sally J. Pla. Charlie likes for everything to be predictable. He has a very specific way of doing things and he knows what he likes. But when his dad is sent across the country to be treated for a medical condition, Charlie and his siblings embark on a road trip that challenges everything he knows. Will he be able to go with the flow? And most of all, will he be able to find every bird on his dad's list? That's the only thing that will make him better, right? Sex: No sex, but Charlie often remarks on how "boy crazy" his sister is and she is often seen flirting with different boys. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are some discussions of death and war. There are also a few suspenseful scenes, but nothing too mature. Final Note: I loved this book! It's on my Newbery prediction list. Middle grade lite...

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Lost in the Pacific, 1942: Not a Drop to Drink is a nonfiction middle grade novel by Tod Olson. In October 1942, a B-17 bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The survivors included one of America's greatest living war heroes on a secret mission. For days, they drifted along in the ocean, with nothing to eat or drink. Would they make it out alive?  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The crash scene is pretty suspenseful. There is also a death. There are several mentions of war and the story itself is about survival and is a little intense. Final Note: This is a truly wonderful book for middle grade students interested in war history. It was captivating and easy to read. Although about different people, it remind me a lot of Unbroken. I highly recommend this book for male middle grade readers especially.

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Slacker is a middle grade fiction novel by New York Times Bestselling Author Gordon Korman. Cameron Boxer is perfectly content to do nothing but play video games. But when he almost accidentally burns his house down, Cameron must come up with a way to convince his parents that there's more to him than meets the eye. He convinces his friends to help him create a fake school club, but instead of it being the "cover" he desires, Cameron finds himself leading nearly the entire school! He just wants to play video games! Getting rid of the club won't be too difficult, will it?  Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: A few physical altercations between students, but nothing too over the top. Final Note: Gordon Korman writes some wonderful books for middle school students. This was a book kids, especially boys, can relate to and it was funny as well!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Bubonic Panic! When Plague Invaded America is a middle grade nonfiction novel by Gail Jarrow. This book tells the history of the bubonic plague in America and how it has been approached and handled over the years. Sex: None. There are a few mentions of symptoms of bubonic plague being from sexually transmitted diseases, but it's never in detail. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The pictures and descriptions are pretty graphic. This book is definitely not for any students who have a weak stomach! Final Note: I learned a ton about the bubonic plague that I didn't know before! For middle graders who are interested in science and nonfiction, this book is well-written and informative. I think students will really enjoy it.