The Rapid Reader

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls is a middle grade nonfiction book by Coretta Scott King winner Tonya Bolden. This book tells the stories of 16 individuals who made history, but who are often forgotten or not recognized. Beautifully presented with eye-catching illustrations and photographs, this is a book that brings history to life and will be interesting for readers of all ages. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are a few deaths mentioned. Final Note: A wonderful book worth picking up! This book has tons of information and many great lessons about perseverance. I highly recommend this one!

Purchase this book on Amazon here! Midnight at the Electric is a YA novel by New York Times' bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson. This book is split into three different time periods. 2065, 1934, and 1919. Told in alternating perspectives and through letters, Midnight at the Electric is a mix of historical and science fiction. Adri, living in 2065, is one of the lucky few Colonists chosen to live on Mars. While living with a distant family member she previously didn't know existed, Adri comes across some old letters that take her through stories in the past: Catherine, who lived in Kansas during the Dust Bowl and Lenore, who lived through the First World War in England.  Sex: Sex is mentioned on a couple of occasions, but it's never described in a lot of detail. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few instances of drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful scenes and deaths. Final Note: This was such a uniqu...

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! 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! 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!

I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Lauren Tarshis. The twelfth book in the I Survived series, Joplin Tornado tells the story of Dex, an eleven-year-old resident of Joplin, Missouri. Our with a storm chaser, Dex is caught in the middle of the F5 twister when it hits his hometown. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The tornado scenes are pretty suspenseful. Final Note: The I Survived series is an engaging way to introduce kids to disasters and wars in history. This book in particular tells the story of a disaster that happened fairly recently, so it makes it even more real for the reader. I have nothing but good things to say about these books!

Alex and Eliza is a YA historical fiction novel by Melissa de la Cruz. Written beautifully, this is the love story of Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. Eliza is part of one of the most distinguished families in the country. Alex, on the other hand, is an orphan and is only known for his position as General Washington's right-hand man. Although circumstances seem to be working against them, Alex and Eliza continue to find their way back to one another. But is their love enough to last? Sex: There is one scene near the end of the book where a man tries to assault a woman. Soldiers also mention visiting prostitutes in passing. Nothing is graphic or detailed. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few drunken scenes by different characters. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: War-related scenes. Final Note: I thought this book was amazing! Melissa de la Cruz has a beautiful writing style and I couldn't help but be drawn in to Eliza and Alex's story. Historica...

Up From the Sea is a YA historical fiction novel written in verse by Leza Lowitz. Kai was sitting in class when a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck his coastal town in Japan. Not long after the earthquake, a huge tsunami swept over the town, taking many homes and lives with it. This is Kai's story, leading up to the earthquake and the months after. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The earthquake and tsunami scenes are pretty suspenseful. There are several deaths. Final Note: This was a quick read, but not an easy one. Leza Lowitz was living in Tokyo when the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. She did a fabulous job telling this story from the point of view of someone who lived it.

Worlds of Ink and Shadow is a YA fiction novel by Lena Coakley. The Bronte siblings are extremely close. They spend their free time writing stories and exploring worlds of their own making. But when Branwell and Charlotte get in too deep, the siblings must find a way to stop what they’ve started and save one another from the madness that seems to wait. Sex: None. Alexander Rogue and Zamorna are both considered womanizers, but it never goes into detail. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: Branwell gets drunk in one scene. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are a few deaths and scenes of violence. There is also quite a bit of suspense. Final Note: This is a very unique imagining of the life of Branwell,   Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte. While most of it is fantastical, there are some historically accurate aspects. I thought Lena Coakley did a wonderful job spinning this tale.

A Madness So Discreet is a YA historical suspense novel by Mindy McGinnis. When it's obvious that Grace is with child, her family places her in an insane asylum to wait out the birth. Not insane, but definitely damaged, Grace becomes mute. When Grace loses her calm and lashes out, she's banished to the cellar. While there, she's discovered by a doctor who decides to rescue her and use her as an assistant. Moved to a different asylum, Grace is able to find friendship and family. While assisting the doctor, she learns that the line between madness and sanity is not as clear as she once believed. Sex: There are several rape victims in this book. Nothing is told in detail. A few characters are prostitutes. One character is sick and has been institutionalized because of a sexually transmitted disease. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Minor drinking and the use of ether by a criminal. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several deaths. Grace and the doct...

Purchase this book on Amazon here!   The Wolf's Boy is a junior fiction novel by Susan Williams Beckhorn. Kai had been cursed since birth. Born with a crooked leg, his family thought he wouldn't live and left him in the woods. But a mother wolf took Kai as her own and nursed him back to health. Kai's mother returned for him and brought him back to live with his people, but later in life, Kai discovered one of the mother wolf's offspring in trouble. He adopted this young wolf and named it Uff and together they formed a family of their own. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: A couple of different suspenseful scenes between the people and the animals they are hunting. A mother and child are ripped from their hut by a wild cat and killed. Kai comes face to face with a bear. A few instances of bullying. Final Note: I think this book would appeal to young male readers. Kai is seen as an outcast within his...

Purchase this book on Amazon here!   Unbound: A Novel in Verse is a middle grade historical fiction book by Ann E. Burg. Told completely in verse, this is the story of Grace. When summoned to work in the Big House, Grace is forced to leave her family. Her mother warns her to "keep her eyes down and mouth shut," but this proves easier said than done. When Grace accidentally slips and reveals her thoughts out loud, she and her family are forced to leave and run to freedom. Sex: None. Grace mentions that Uncle Jim, her mother's husband, isn't her father. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: Grace's mother and aunt give the small boys something to make them sleep while they're trying to get away. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Because this is a book about a slave family running to freedom, there are several suspenseful scenes. The Missus in the Big House often threatens people with whippings. Final Note: This is a perfect book for middle grad...