Published by Quill Tree Books

Summary:  Anna’s new at her Madison, Wisconsin middle school.  She’s a little young for eighth grade and still trying to figure out how the middle school social hierarchy works, so when she notices that a girl named Rachel Riley is shunned by all her classmates, she’s curious to find out why.  Digging deeper into the mystery, Anna discovers that Rachel was one of the popular girls until the end of seventh grade, when a mysterious fire disrupted the end-of-the-year dance and awards ceremony.  A devoted podcast fan, Anna decides to make a podcast to answer the question, what happened to Rachel Riley?  In addition to her own narration, the story is told through texts, emails, letters, interviews, and news reports, which slowly reveal to Anna a tale of bullying and sexual harassment that has been ignored by teachers and administrators and laughed off by students.  As Anna uncovers the truth, she learns the importance of using her own voice to speak up in defense of truth and justice.  352 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  It’s not often that I wish I were still running middle school book clubs, but it happened as I read this perfect middle school story.  The format and the mystery elements make it a quick and engaging read, and the story raises important questions about sexual harassment and how it affects both boys and girls.

Cons:  The large cast of characters and story format left me feeling like I didn’t really get to know several of the secondary characters.