The Rapid Reader

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.

The Sweetest Sound is a junior fiction novel by Sherri Winston. Cadence Jolly is as shy as they come. Born with a beautiful voice, no one knows about her talent because she's too shy to share it. When a secret recording of her singing is accidentally released and goes viral, Cadence must make a decision. Should she lie to the ones she loves or finally come out of her shell? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Cadence's mom left their family a few years before. She struggles with feelings of sadness and anger because of this. Final Note: A really cute junior fiction novel! I felt like Sherri Winston did a great job of addressing how it feels for a young girl to feel abandoned by her mother. I also really loved how Cadence handled peer pressure from her friends and how the community stepped up to take care of Cadence's family.