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What Happened to Rachel Riley?
ALA Notable Children's BookRegional Indie BestsellerAudie Award WinnerEdgar Award NomineeCybils Award NomineeYALSA Best Fiction for Young AdultsNew York Public Library Best Book of the YearChicago Public Library Best of the BestAmazon Best Book of the YearSLJ Best Book of the YearTexas Lone Star Reading ListCapital Choices Noteworthy Book for ChildrenBookPage Best Book of the Year2024 Elizabeth Burr/Sheridan Worzalla Award for the most distinguished work in children's literature
In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go, Bernadette with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school.
Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there’s something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why.
As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there’s always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won’t stop running through her What happened to Rachel Riley?
With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there’s one thing she’s certain If you’re going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer.
In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go, Bernadette with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school.
Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there’s something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why.
As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there’s always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won’t stop running through her What happened to Rachel Riley?
With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there’s one thing she’s certain If you’re going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer.
Audible Audio
First published January 10, 2023
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About the author
Claire Swinarski
9 books591 followersClaire Swinarski is the author of multiple books for both kids and adults. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Seventeen, Milwaukee Magazine, and many other publications. She lives in small town Wisconsin with her husband and three kids, where she writes books, wears babies, and wrangles bread dough. You can follow her on Instagram @claireswinarski.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 784 reviews
January 18, 2023
I love this book! Part of that is the adult in me excited that the author has delivered such an important message to young people in this tremendously entertaining package. It's like a Trojan horse life lesson.
But the other half of my enthusiasm is simply as a reader. The researching and recording a podcast structure made for a different and really engaging way to explore the goings-on at this middle school. Additionally, I listened to this title as an audiobook, which was performed by an entire cast of actors. The podcast structure lent itself especially well to the audio format.
As for the plot, it explores issues of consent, harassment, gender dynamics, power imbalances, friendship , conflict, bullying, and more in a gentle and age appropriate way. On the contrary, I suspect the average eighth grade has seen and experienced far worse. And kids are barraged with so many more negative or conflicting messages than they were in my day. This novel is timely, important, and extremely well-executed. Highly recommended!!
But the other half of my enthusiasm is simply as a reader. The researching and recording a podcast structure made for a different and really engaging way to explore the goings-on at this middle school. Additionally, I listened to this title as an audiobook, which was performed by an entire cast of actors. The podcast structure lent itself especially well to the audio format.
As for the plot, it explores issues of consent, harassment, gender dynamics, power imbalances, friendship , conflict, bullying, and more in a gentle and age appropriate way. On the contrary, I suspect the average eighth grade has seen and experienced far worse. And kids are barraged with so many more negative or conflicting messages than they were in my day. This novel is timely, important, and extremely well-executed. Highly recommended!!
December 23, 2023
4 stars
What Happened to Rachel Riley was such an interesting and important middle grade novel. I loved the way it was told, from Anna’s perspective but also through interviews for her podcasts and school emails. The full cast narration was wonderful and Anna was a strong and brave heroine.
What Happened to Rachel Riley was such an interesting and important middle grade novel. I loved the way it was told, from Anna’s perspective but also through interviews for her podcasts and school emails. The full cast narration was wonderful and Anna was a strong and brave heroine.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Full Cast
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade
Length: 5h 49m
January 6, 2023
What Happened to Rachel Riley? is a stellar middle grade mystery about sexual harassment, creativity, and standing up for something. This book truly shines for the author’s creative, yet accessible storytelling and characterization. The characters feel well-drawn, relatable, and inspirational all at once. I wanted to be a part of Anna’s family and also be Rachel’s friend. This is Swinarski at her finest and I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/review...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/review...
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November 21, 2024The author is staunchly anti-choice & transphobic. While these views aren't explicitly, immediately present in the text, that affects my reading of it. EDIT: here's another instance of her quoting positively a transmisogynist whose bigotry is on full display a click away.
...and so I don't really know what to say. Things I would have said:
- as powerful as Speak
- made me remember my middle school years, and how little anybody talked about this, and how awful it is to think about it happening to kids now
- the ways in which my transness saved and damned me
- made me want to scream & cry
- great pacing, great form
- everyone should read it! :D
Now all I can say is that the author is not as feminist as she thinks if, had this been a story about rape-- had it gone as far as Speak-- it would also have been about forced birth. My disappointment in how the boys' victimization of each other (and, by implication, of specifically gay boys) is not wholly addressed is explained by her myopic views on gender as victim/abuser. She doesn't actually speak for me, because my varied and ever-changing experiences re: misogyny don't fit into her boxes; reality doesn't fit into her boxes. I'm disappointed at what would otherwise have been one of my favorite reads of the year.
...and so I don't really know what to say. Things I would have said:
- as powerful as Speak
- made me remember my middle school years, and how little anybody talked about this, and how awful it is to think about it happening to kids now
- the ways in which my transness saved and damned me
- made me want to scream & cry
- great pacing, great form
- everyone should read it! :D
Now all I can say is that the author is not as feminist as she thinks if, had this been a story about rape-- had it gone as far as Speak-- it would also have been about forced birth. My disappointment in how the boys' victimization of each other (and, by implication, of specifically gay boys) is not wholly addressed is explained by her myopic views on gender as victim/abuser. She doesn't actually speak for me, because my varied and ever-changing experiences re: misogyny don't fit into her boxes; reality doesn't fit into her boxes. I'm disappointed at what would otherwise have been one of my favorite reads of the year.
February 10, 2026
Great middle-grade fiction! Emphasizes the harm that can come from bullying, and also the consequences of saying nothing about it and covering it up. Very timely subject in today’s society.
October 20, 2023
this was EXCELLENT
November 25, 2023
I started a themed reading of reading books that were potential Newbery Medal nominees for 2024, thus the books would be written in 2023. Goodreads has a very nice and solid list of their site and this was among the books. I really hope that this book either gets the medal or an honor, because it was amazing! I felt that the character structure and development, the story, the methods that were used to peel the information until we knew what happened, and the methods used to tell the story (general first person, emails, texts, posters, etc.) were extraordinary and perfectly executed. I was really intrigued in learning about how Rachel Riley went from being one of the most popular people in school to becoming an outcast and a pariah among the general population.
Anna Hunt is our central character. She and her family just moved to Madison, Wisconsin from Chicago (Swinarski herself is from Madison). Anna's immediate family consists of her Polish-born mother, Maja, who is an attorney that is currently a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her father, Jamie, who is also an attorney, but has a job where he can work from home and on the computer, and Nikola (known as "Nik"), who is Anna's older sister that is deemed a "computer genius" with her advanced knowledge of computers. Anna also frequently interacts with her grandmother, whom she refers to as "Babcia," who is living in Poland. Anna is assigned to do an "un-essay" in her Social Issues class, which is taught by Ms. O'Dell. Their assignment can be about anything that pertains to the nature of their class, as long as it is not an essay. After gathering enough information on the surface, observing the environment around her, and seeing fellow student Rachel Riley, who is also in her algebra class, as a nice person, but shunned by those around her, she decides to put together a podcast asking "What Happened to Rachel Riley?". Anna already has a fascination for podcasts based on being a fan of "Stories of Our Lives with Mimi Miller," her favorite podcast.
Throughout the novel, Anna deals with a lot of hurdles that go to the extent of having to create a "front" so that it looks like she is working on another un-essay in order to avoid the trouble that could come with this one, so that front is a light effort about recycling. Anna continues to learn more and more throughout the piece, though, much to the dismay of those around her, who are initially patient with her due to being new, but she does seem to dig herself a hole with getting into business that they feel she should stay out, but everything comes down to what an environment of this nature can be like and what really is fair and respectful for ALL of the attendees, not just those that want something at any given time.
This book was amazing! This should be viewed as a standard for telling the story that it sets out to tell. I loved how the characters were fleshed out and how I genuinely cared for the characters that were looking to do good or were being shunned for trying to do good. I admired the structure in its freestyle, first-person narration from Anna, and its creative use of emails, texts, notes, podcast submissions, letters, flyers, among other modes of interaction and storytelling.
The only gripes I had were how "one size fits all" approaches were taken to solve a problem that takes on many faces and extremities; as well as the reference to Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" as "The Road Less Travelled." I see a lot of technicalities with the name of this poem and it is the former, not the latter.
My gripes do not affect my feelings about the book, though, because the former is an honest depiction of how problems of this nature are handled, while the latter is merely a personal gripe. What matters is that is book is honest and heartbreaking, but also heartfelt, hilarious, and has a very fine flow in the way that Swinarski creatively tells this story. These characters are real and genuine, and I think that this book with strengthen one's character, empathy, and ability to understand the interior and exterior of their being.
Anna Hunt is our central character. She and her family just moved to Madison, Wisconsin from Chicago (Swinarski herself is from Madison). Anna's immediate family consists of her Polish-born mother, Maja, who is an attorney that is currently a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her father, Jamie, who is also an attorney, but has a job where he can work from home and on the computer, and Nikola (known as "Nik"), who is Anna's older sister that is deemed a "computer genius" with her advanced knowledge of computers. Anna also frequently interacts with her grandmother, whom she refers to as "Babcia," who is living in Poland. Anna is assigned to do an "un-essay" in her Social Issues class, which is taught by Ms. O'Dell. Their assignment can be about anything that pertains to the nature of their class, as long as it is not an essay. After gathering enough information on the surface, observing the environment around her, and seeing fellow student Rachel Riley, who is also in her algebra class, as a nice person, but shunned by those around her, she decides to put together a podcast asking "What Happened to Rachel Riley?". Anna already has a fascination for podcasts based on being a fan of "Stories of Our Lives with Mimi Miller," her favorite podcast.
Throughout the novel, Anna deals with a lot of hurdles that go to the extent of having to create a "front" so that it looks like she is working on another un-essay in order to avoid the trouble that could come with this one, so that front is a light effort about recycling. Anna continues to learn more and more throughout the piece, though, much to the dismay of those around her, who are initially patient with her due to being new, but she does seem to dig herself a hole with getting into business that they feel she should stay out, but everything comes down to what an environment of this nature can be like and what really is fair and respectful for ALL of the attendees, not just those that want something at any given time.
This book was amazing! This should be viewed as a standard for telling the story that it sets out to tell. I loved how the characters were fleshed out and how I genuinely cared for the characters that were looking to do good or were being shunned for trying to do good. I admired the structure in its freestyle, first-person narration from Anna, and its creative use of emails, texts, notes, podcast submissions, letters, flyers, among other modes of interaction and storytelling.
The only gripes I had were how "one size fits all" approaches were taken to solve a problem that takes on many faces and extremities; as well as the reference to Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" as "The Road Less Travelled." I see a lot of technicalities with the name of this poem and it is the former, not the latter.
My gripes do not affect my feelings about the book, though, because the former is an honest depiction of how problems of this nature are handled, while the latter is merely a personal gripe. What matters is that is book is honest and heartbreaking, but also heartfelt, hilarious, and has a very fine flow in the way that Swinarski creatively tells this story. These characters are real and genuine, and I think that this book with strengthen one's character, empathy, and ability to understand the interior and exterior of their being.
April 10, 2024
This is a very well written MG novel that tackles some extremely relevant topics in a sensitive and age appropriate way.
Anna Hunt is a new eighth grade student who misses her previous home and regularly emails her Polish grandmother with updates on her life. She cares about current events and is a podcast enthusiast who notices things around her. When she realises that one of her classmates, Rachel Riley, is somewhat of a social outcast who no one talks to, she wants to know why. Especially after getting to know that till a year ago, Rachel was one of the popular girls with a lot of friends. No one will tell her the reason and even Rachel answers her questions by asking her to find out herself. So Anna does. What she finds out comes to us in the form of emails, texts, notes and podcast recordings with Anna's own voice interspersed in the middle as she navigates this enquiry.
The book gives out a very important message that inappropriate behaviour that makes you uncomfortable is never to be tolerated, even if calling it out makes you seem uncool. Standing up for yourself is always a good thing. Expressing your feelings is perfectly okay. All very important lessons that cannot be inculcated too early! It's also a fact that many times even though there are rules and policies and procedures to prohibit certain things from happening, their interpretation and implementation leaves much to be desired. That's the other thing that's highlighted here.
I loved Anna's family with her law professor mom, stay at home lawyer dad who makes delicious meals and her nerdy and very supportive older sister Nik. They seem so comfortable with each other always and are so loving and loved. Anna, as the sometimes quiet kid who loves to read and struggles to relate to other kids at times reminded me of myself at that age. She's curious and compassionate and determined as well.
The voice of the story is distinctly middle grade and that's true for the audiobook narrators for the female characters but not that of the male characters who makes the boys sound much more mature than they are. Apart from this, I wish Anna's mom did not keep repeating that she is a working mom who cannot be bothered to volunteer at her school or attend every event! For all her strong woman persona, this was a little off because she had the advantage of a wonderful spouse that not everyone has. Also, those who make the choice to balance both or even concentrate on family are in no way inferior. I just thought the story could have done without this irritating niggle and it would have been perfect.
The positives far outweigh the minor negatives though and I really enjoyed the book.
Anna Hunt is a new eighth grade student who misses her previous home and regularly emails her Polish grandmother with updates on her life. She cares about current events and is a podcast enthusiast who notices things around her. When she realises that one of her classmates, Rachel Riley, is somewhat of a social outcast who no one talks to, she wants to know why. Especially after getting to know that till a year ago, Rachel was one of the popular girls with a lot of friends. No one will tell her the reason and even Rachel answers her questions by asking her to find out herself. So Anna does. What she finds out comes to us in the form of emails, texts, notes and podcast recordings with Anna's own voice interspersed in the middle as she navigates this enquiry.
The book gives out a very important message that inappropriate behaviour that makes you uncomfortable is never to be tolerated, even if calling it out makes you seem uncool. Standing up for yourself is always a good thing. Expressing your feelings is perfectly okay. All very important lessons that cannot be inculcated too early! It's also a fact that many times even though there are rules and policies and procedures to prohibit certain things from happening, their interpretation and implementation leaves much to be desired. That's the other thing that's highlighted here.
I loved Anna's family with her law professor mom, stay at home lawyer dad who makes delicious meals and her nerdy and very supportive older sister Nik. They seem so comfortable with each other always and are so loving and loved. Anna, as the sometimes quiet kid who loves to read and struggles to relate to other kids at times reminded me of myself at that age. She's curious and compassionate and determined as well.
The voice of the story is distinctly middle grade and that's true for the audiobook narrators for the female characters but not that of the male characters who makes the boys sound much more mature than they are. Apart from this, I wish Anna's mom did not keep repeating that she is a working mom who cannot be bothered to volunteer at her school or attend every event! For all her strong woman persona, this was a little off because she had the advantage of a wonderful spouse that not everyone has. Also, those who make the choice to balance both or even concentrate on family are in no way inferior. I just thought the story could have done without this irritating niggle and it would have been perfect.
The positives far outweigh the minor negatives though and I really enjoyed the book.
March 1, 2024
No one leaves middle school unscathed, but Rachel Riley had had a particularly hard year. When Anna, the new girl at school, realizes Rachel has gone from the center of the in-crowd to beyond the outer fringes of the social circle, she needs to know what happened last year. I loved that she builds a podcast around her efforts to answer this question, but I especially love the courage she learns along the way. This story bears an uncanny resemblance to my daughter’s 8th grade year and I’m so glad we are reading it together (she’s got the book; I’ve got the audio, which does a great job of recreating the Wisconsin accent!) and can process the central event together.
I really could not get enough of this story. I loved the way it was framed around a central mystery and how every new reveal added to my indignation. I came to really admire Rachel and Anna, and I really appreciated the way these girls convey the realistic tension between knowing what is right and having the courage to DO what is right. I thought Swinarksi covered all the different ways kids respond to uncomfortable teenage behaviors and turned it all into a compelling plot. The ending seemed like it was all going to be just a little too tidy, but even then Swinarksi avoids making this too much like an “after-school special” while still giving a satisfying ending. By the end, I was so proud of my own daughter for her own courage in facing a similar circumstance. She will hopefully relate a lot to the brave girls in this book.
When I described the plot to my 9th grade students, I could tell by their shock that Swinarski has completely nailed what it’s like to be their age. Not only that, it’s also set in Madison, WI where we live and is written by a WI native author! Such a great read to raise important discussion topics with a teen.
I really could not get enough of this story. I loved the way it was framed around a central mystery and how every new reveal added to my indignation. I came to really admire Rachel and Anna, and I really appreciated the way these girls convey the realistic tension between knowing what is right and having the courage to DO what is right. I thought Swinarksi covered all the different ways kids respond to uncomfortable teenage behaviors and turned it all into a compelling plot. The ending seemed like it was all going to be just a little too tidy, but even then Swinarksi avoids making this too much like an “after-school special” while still giving a satisfying ending. By the end, I was so proud of my own daughter for her own courage in facing a similar circumstance. She will hopefully relate a lot to the brave girls in this book.
When I described the plot to my 9th grade students, I could tell by their shock that Swinarski has completely nailed what it’s like to be their age. Not only that, it’s also set in Madison, WI where we live and is written by a WI native author! Such a great read to raise important discussion topics with a teen.
January 10, 2023
A new girl arrives at a middle school in 8th grade and quickly observes that there is an 8th grade girl who is being ostracized by everyone else. She begins to investigate to try to figure out why. The story is told through emails, newspaper articles, text messages, and podcast interviews and the multi-format is probably the strength and appeal of the book. But overall, this book was a mess for me. As a middle school teacher and someone who grew up on the east side of Madison, this book should not have been set there. There was no mention of race except for some last names that could be assumed to be Indian and Japanese. The middle school where this was set would be very diverse and kids would definitely recognize and talk about race. There was also no talk of gender identity. This book is very clearly a "boys against girls" book. It is set in 2021. There was no mention of pronouns or gender fluidity which would definitely be a thing in the neighborhood where this book was set. Plus the main premise of the book probably wouldn't have gotten very far (boys sexually harassing girls) because in 2021 girls would not put up with it. Finally, there were a lot of things that were wrong with describing Madison itself. The main character wouldn't walk past Atwood Avenue on her way home but also walk by Trader Joe's and be able to walk to the big houses on Lake Mendota. Setting the book in a fictional place would have helped this book tremendously. (I will forgive the Ella's Deli references even though it has been closed for several years because I am okay with imagining that it's still open.) ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.
May 23, 2023
Shout out to You/Book-Tuber IAMPAXIMUS for his Current Middle Grade Readathon. This reminded me of BookTuber Just Martine and her review of this book centered around sexual harassment in middle grade. Martine is currently doing her grad studies in Forensic Psychology (where did the time go? You were running to the Dollar Store when I began watching you.) and prompted me through her review to pick this up.
Bottomline: Change: Squint to see it, Sit still to feel it, & Create it if you try. Sounds so easy.
What Happened to Rachel Riley explores boys popping bra straps for points and educators laughing. I went to the bathroom and cried -- apparently his right to play and have fun was more important than me. While some of the words here are notes I've taken from the book, they are also experiences I had fifty years ago.
Who do you tell? How do you tell? Educators laugh, tell you to toughen up. If you have parents do they care? Is it part of growing up?
Are kids being groomed? A robber wants and a robber takes: boys will be boys, and pedophiles and human sex traffickers walk amongst us.
This should be mandatory reading for educators and serious policies employed.
Bottomline: Change: Squint to see it, Sit still to feel it, & Create it if you try. Sounds so easy.
What Happened to Rachel Riley explores boys popping bra straps for points and educators laughing. I went to the bathroom and cried -- apparently his right to play and have fun was more important than me. While some of the words here are notes I've taken from the book, they are also experiences I had fifty years ago.
Who do you tell? How do you tell? Educators laugh, tell you to toughen up. If you have parents do they care? Is it part of growing up?
Are kids being groomed? A robber wants and a robber takes: boys will be boys, and pedophiles and human sex traffickers walk amongst us.
This should be mandatory reading for educators and serious policies employed.
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March 9, 2023I *loved* this. It was really nuanced and spectacular and the type of middle grade that hits for me SO hard.
September 10, 2022
This book was an amazing read and I found myself enjoying it more than I thought for a few reasons. What Happened to Rachel Riley? is a tween read and set in 7th Grade/8th Grade. Anna has just started a new school and at the school, on everyone's birthday - it is read over the intercom and people cheer. One day, she hears a girl's birthday read and nobody cheers at all. This strikes her as odd as the girl isn't ugly by beauty standards and even the freaks and geeks get cheers. This girl got utter silence. The book then jumps to Anna's new social sciences class and the class has been asked to do an un-essay topic on something that they are passionate about or a topic that interests them. Anna wants to know What Happened to Rachel Riley and uncover the reason she was ostracised and no one cheered. The school isn't happy about her project and forces her to change it. Anna does but continues in the background on her Rachel Riley project. As she does this, she learns about a secret game that the boys do in the school which is where the #metoo section of the book comes to light and talks about sexual harassment in schools and the double standards between boys and girls. This book was such a great read and goes into the topic of the #metoo movement without being OTT and this read is suitable for tweens aged 11+ as the content is a fairly clean read considering the theme of the story.
The other thing I loved about this book is that it contained various formats from emails to letters to advertisements, text messages/ notes, and podcast/interview transcripts.
September 7, 2023
A YA book on sexual harassment that explores how bad behavior becomes normalized through peer pressure. I thought the start slow but then it picks up speed. I liked how the author structured the book. It’s like an epistolary story but using social media versus letters. The author captures 8th grade well.
June 10, 2023
The overall message of this book about speaking up for yourself and wanting to make your community a better place is excellent, but I have some other significant issues with this, mostly with Anna's mom and the portrayal of teachers.
Anna is the new girl in town. She has a Social Issues class assignment where she needs to make an un-essay. Basically, pick a topic and share the information about that topic in any other way than an essay. Anna notices that Rachel Riley, a once popular girl, is being ignored and wants to make a podcast on what happened to her. The teacher tells Anna and her mom, please don't do your project on the popularity of another student, but Anna's mom replies with a nasty email threatening legal involvement if Anna isn't allowed to do that topic. Um....okay. And what if you were Rachel's mom and found out another student was doing their project on your daughter? Later, the mom admits that she didn't want Anna to do that topic anyway. This triggered me so badly. So if nothing else, this book confirmed I have Teacher PTSD
Anna ends up just saying she'll do her project on something else and secretly investigates Rachel on her own. She eventually discovers there was a game the boys played where they earned points by slapping girls' butts. I found it highly unlikely that none of the girls would come forward to the teachers that this was going on. They all claimed the teachers wouldn't listen to them. I found this book very anti-teacher. I know that's a middle-grade trope that all adults are useless and kids need to solve their own problems, but this is such an important topic I thought the author could have done a better job showing that adults can be reasonable and helpful. It all works out in the end, but I can't help but feel like more blame was placed on the adults for not noticing what was going on instead of the kids for not speaking up. And, as an art teacher, maybe I took it personally that the art teacher was the worst...
Other things that annoyed me:
-Anna's mom complains that she has to volunteer because it's a public school and she never had to volunteer her $200-an-hour-lawyer-time at the private school they used to go to. What? Lady, I don't know how private schools work in Chicago, but where I'm from all schools like parents to volunteer. In fact, wouldn't you take pride in doing something for your child's school?
-The game is brought back in the form of bra strap snaps. When it happens to Anna and she tells her mother, her mom just lets Anna handle it on her own. What? You sent an angry email to the teacher because Anna couldn't do the topic she wanted on a project, but she's sexually harassed and you just let that go?! I get that the whole point of the book was to learn to stand up for yourself and speak up for others, but some issues need parental involvement.
-Use of the term dreadlocks. Y'all. They are called locs. Dreadlocks come from Europeans describing that hairstyle as being dreadful.
In conclusion, A+ for the effort in bringing an important topic and message to the middle-grade genre, F- for triggering my Teacher PTSD.
Anna is the new girl in town. She has a Social Issues class assignment where she needs to make an un-essay. Basically, pick a topic and share the information about that topic in any other way than an essay. Anna notices that Rachel Riley, a once popular girl, is being ignored and wants to make a podcast on what happened to her. The teacher tells Anna and her mom, please don't do your project on the popularity of another student, but Anna's mom replies with a nasty email threatening legal involvement if Anna isn't allowed to do that topic. Um....okay. And what if you were Rachel's mom and found out another student was doing their project on your daughter? Later, the mom admits that she didn't want Anna to do that topic anyway. This triggered me so badly. So if nothing else, this book confirmed I have Teacher PTSD
Anna ends up just saying she'll do her project on something else and secretly investigates Rachel on her own. She eventually discovers there was a game the boys played where they earned points by slapping girls' butts. I found it highly unlikely that none of the girls would come forward to the teachers that this was going on. They all claimed the teachers wouldn't listen to them. I found this book very anti-teacher. I know that's a middle-grade trope that all adults are useless and kids need to solve their own problems, but this is such an important topic I thought the author could have done a better job showing that adults can be reasonable and helpful. It all works out in the end, but I can't help but feel like more blame was placed on the adults for not noticing what was going on instead of the kids for not speaking up. And, as an art teacher, maybe I took it personally that the art teacher was the worst...
Other things that annoyed me:
-Anna's mom complains that she has to volunteer because it's a public school and she never had to volunteer her $200-an-hour-lawyer-time at the private school they used to go to. What? Lady, I don't know how private schools work in Chicago, but where I'm from all schools like parents to volunteer. In fact, wouldn't you take pride in doing something for your child's school?
-The game is brought back in the form of bra strap snaps. When it happens to Anna and she tells her mother, her mom just lets Anna handle it on her own. What? You sent an angry email to the teacher because Anna couldn't do the topic she wanted on a project, but she's sexually harassed and you just let that go?! I get that the whole point of the book was to learn to stand up for yourself and speak up for others, but some issues need parental involvement.
-Use of the term dreadlocks. Y'all. They are called locs. Dreadlocks come from Europeans describing that hairstyle as being dreadful.
In conclusion, A+ for the effort in bringing an important topic and message to the middle-grade genre, F- for triggering my Teacher PTSD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
It is such a good book. LOVED IT!
November 10, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
When Anna moves from Chicago to Wisconsin so that her mother can teach law at a university, she hopes that the transition to a new middle school won't be too hard. Her older sister, Nik, throws herself into the new environment, joining a coding club in high school and getting involved in school work, but the only thing really speaking to Anna is her current events class. She loves podcasts, and is hoping to apply to a summer podcast program, so when her teacher assigns an "un-essay" about a topic of the students' choosing, Anna is excited. She's noticed that one fellow student, Rachel Riley, often sits alone, although there are pictures in school showcases and on social media showing her looking to be very popular. Anna decides to do her project on Rachel's apparent fall from grace, but her teacher won't allow it, even after Anna's mother throws around some lawyer language in an e mail. Anna starts investigating, but no one will talk to her. Riley, who seems very nice, answers a few questions, but tells Anna that if she really wants to know what happened, she'll have to find out herself. There are some issues that crop up in school while Anna is on the trail that tell her a good deal about the culture of the school and what might have gone on, but people remain tight lipped. Is what happened to Rachel something that happened to lots of other girls as well? Told in interviews, e mails, and straight text this novel takes a deep dive into problematic school culture.
Strengths: This was a great take on moving to a new school, and didn't involve haunted houses or trauma at fitting in. All of the girls in the book were really nice and went out of their way to make Anna feel welcome, even though they weren't thrilled with her investigative efforts. The boys were realistically jerky, and while I don't want to spoil too much of the mystery, there was a satisfying conclusion where people learned how to treat others. Like this author's The Kate In-Between, it takes a good, hard look at how social media shapes students' lives.
Weaknesses: The e mails and shifts of view point made this a little harder to follow, but I can see why Swinarski wanted to show multiple perspectives.
What I really think: Like books about dress code, this doesn't seem to be very applicable to my students. If a student came to me about harrassment, I would follow through to the highest levels. I know many people would argue that there is sexual harrassment everywhere, and that it's probably going on with my students as well, but it just seemed like if boys were snapping bras or grabbing girls in the hallway, our teachers would do something. Makes for a better story if they don't. Hand this to readers who enjoyed Dee's Maybe He Just Likes You, Carter's How to Be a Girl in the World, Messner's Chirp, or Mathieu's Moxie.
When Anna moves from Chicago to Wisconsin so that her mother can teach law at a university, she hopes that the transition to a new middle school won't be too hard. Her older sister, Nik, throws herself into the new environment, joining a coding club in high school and getting involved in school work, but the only thing really speaking to Anna is her current events class. She loves podcasts, and is hoping to apply to a summer podcast program, so when her teacher assigns an "un-essay" about a topic of the students' choosing, Anna is excited. She's noticed that one fellow student, Rachel Riley, often sits alone, although there are pictures in school showcases and on social media showing her looking to be very popular. Anna decides to do her project on Rachel's apparent fall from grace, but her teacher won't allow it, even after Anna's mother throws around some lawyer language in an e mail. Anna starts investigating, but no one will talk to her. Riley, who seems very nice, answers a few questions, but tells Anna that if she really wants to know what happened, she'll have to find out herself. There are some issues that crop up in school while Anna is on the trail that tell her a good deal about the culture of the school and what might have gone on, but people remain tight lipped. Is what happened to Rachel something that happened to lots of other girls as well? Told in interviews, e mails, and straight text this novel takes a deep dive into problematic school culture.
Strengths: This was a great take on moving to a new school, and didn't involve haunted houses or trauma at fitting in. All of the girls in the book were really nice and went out of their way to make Anna feel welcome, even though they weren't thrilled with her investigative efforts. The boys were realistically jerky, and while I don't want to spoil too much of the mystery, there was a satisfying conclusion where people learned how to treat others. Like this author's The Kate In-Between, it takes a good, hard look at how social media shapes students' lives.
Weaknesses: The e mails and shifts of view point made this a little harder to follow, but I can see why Swinarski wanted to show multiple perspectives.
What I really think: Like books about dress code, this doesn't seem to be very applicable to my students. If a student came to me about harrassment, I would follow through to the highest levels. I know many people would argue that there is sexual harrassment everywhere, and that it's probably going on with my students as well, but it just seemed like if boys were snapping bras or grabbing girls in the hallway, our teachers would do something. Makes for a better story if they don't. Hand this to readers who enjoyed Dee's Maybe He Just Likes You, Carter's How to Be a Girl in the World, Messner's Chirp, or Mathieu's Moxie.
February 7, 2023
This is a book I so dearly wished I had as a middle schooler. Eighth grade is H-A-R-D and navigating relationships, social status and hormones is just a drop in the bucket.
This story is creatively written, and I appreciate the investigative bits and pieces of information that appear in the story at the perfect time.
I tried savoring this because I love the writing style, but couldn’t put it down because I needed to know what happened to Rachel Riley!
Whether you’re a middle school girl or not, this book is for you. For your daughters and sons, and to heal the part of YOU that was ‘taken from’ when you were in middle school. I couldn’t love this book any more.
This story is creatively written, and I appreciate the investigative bits and pieces of information that appear in the story at the perfect time.
I tried savoring this because I love the writing style, but couldn’t put it down because I needed to know what happened to Rachel Riley!
Whether you’re a middle school girl or not, this book is for you. For your daughters and sons, and to heal the part of YOU that was ‘taken from’ when you were in middle school. I couldn’t love this book any more.
January 7, 2026
When I saw the name of this book, I immediately that it was going to be one of those books with a weird message and some sort of a weird love interest. Ig that’s why they say don’t judge a book by its cover lol. But this book actually had such an incredible message which should definitely be heard, and I really hope other young teens will be inspired by this book!
January 25, 2023
Loved the format, the story line and the overall message. It’s so encouraging to read a book that empowers girls to be strong women. Claire’s writing is easy to read, a page turner and so well formed. This contemporary topic is one I want both my sons and daughters to read. Brava, Claire!
December 23, 2023
4.5 stars
Anna, a 13-year-old who recently moved from Chicago to Wisconsin, is the new girl in school. She's quick to notice how Rachel Riley is left out of things. Such as when birthdays are announced at lunch, no one claps or cheers for Rachel Riley unlike the enthusiastic applause for other students' birthdays.
Their English teacher assigns them the task of an un-essay focusing on a social issue. Curious about Rachel's isolation, Anna sets out to unravel the mystery behind the transformation of the once-popular Rachel Riley into a school outcast. Despite her teacher's disapproval, Anna decides to pursue this investigation for a podcast she's creating.
Both Anna and the readers are kept in suspense regarding the reasons behind Rachel's social exclusion. As Anna delves deeper into the investigation, the narrative gradually unfolds through emails, text threads, news articles, and more. Slowly, a troubling truth emerges: Rachel's ostracism is linked to sexual harassment. Middle school boys are engaging in inappropriate behavior: snapping bra straps and slapping butts.
The story delves into the far-reaching effects of such behavior on the entire school environment. It grapples with the consequences and implications of these actions, shedding light on the complexities of the issue and the potential outcomes for the future.
Anna, a 13-year-old who recently moved from Chicago to Wisconsin, is the new girl in school. She's quick to notice how Rachel Riley is left out of things. Such as when birthdays are announced at lunch, no one claps or cheers for Rachel Riley unlike the enthusiastic applause for other students' birthdays.
Their English teacher assigns them the task of an un-essay focusing on a social issue. Curious about Rachel's isolation, Anna sets out to unravel the mystery behind the transformation of the once-popular Rachel Riley into a school outcast. Despite her teacher's disapproval, Anna decides to pursue this investigation for a podcast she's creating.
Both Anna and the readers are kept in suspense regarding the reasons behind Rachel's social exclusion. As Anna delves deeper into the investigation, the narrative gradually unfolds through emails, text threads, news articles, and more. Slowly, a troubling truth emerges: Rachel's ostracism is linked to sexual harassment. Middle school boys are engaging in inappropriate behavior: snapping bra straps and slapping butts.
The story delves into the far-reaching effects of such behavior on the entire school environment. It grapples with the consequences and implications of these actions, shedding light on the complexities of the issue and the potential outcomes for the future.
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Full Cast
Length: 5H 49M
January 27, 2025
If you like realistic fiction stories like Maybe He Just Likes You or stories told through texts, emails, interviews, and more like To Night Owl from Dogfish, ttyl, or Posted, you'll enjoy this.
June 4, 2025
Wow am I ever glad for our private Christian school especially in 8th grade. This was an interesting listen! Good writing. Not that gripping. Just enjoyable.
November 17, 2025
I read good girls guide to murder before this, so this was a step down form it, but it did deal with topics that I can relate to
October 27, 2023
Should be required reading for all preteen and teen girls, and is also a fabulous story.
January 11, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, author Claire Swinarski, and HarperCollins Children's Books-- Quill Tree Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This was a hard read at times but a good read. I am so happy for young girls that books like this exist to read in middle school because I know this book will make a great impact on so many readers. I hadn't read a middle grade book specifically focused on sexual harassment before What Happened to Rachel Riley?, and I commend Swinarski for tackling such a monumental topic and doing it with candor and grace. I loved the mixed format storytelling, as the entire book alternated between reading emails, notes, text messages, and regular chapters. I felt having an inside look at some of the secondary characters' private conversations helped to enrich the book and made it feel much more realistic. There are many important themes, including bullying, struggling to fit in, embracing individuality, and more, that are handled beautifully and help to support the main theme and topic of the story. I didn't love at first how single-handedly focused Anna was on making an expose podcast over a girl that she didn't even know because it seemed like a weird way to handle such a situation, but as the story unfolded, it was handled in a bit better way. Anna reminded me a lot of myself in middle school, and I think that young readers of any gender will benefit from this book in many ways. Swinarski never undermines the girls' feelings and makes sure to face difficult issues regarding harassment, such as being scared to speak up and adults not believing young women, head on, which I commend. I ended the book feeling inspired for young women today and renewed in my feelings that the world IS becoming a better place with the coming generations.
This was a hard read at times but a good read. I am so happy for young girls that books like this exist to read in middle school because I know this book will make a great impact on so many readers. I hadn't read a middle grade book specifically focused on sexual harassment before What Happened to Rachel Riley?, and I commend Swinarski for tackling such a monumental topic and doing it with candor and grace. I loved the mixed format storytelling, as the entire book alternated between reading emails, notes, text messages, and regular chapters. I felt having an inside look at some of the secondary characters' private conversations helped to enrich the book and made it feel much more realistic. There are many important themes, including bullying, struggling to fit in, embracing individuality, and more, that are handled beautifully and help to support the main theme and topic of the story. I didn't love at first how single-handedly focused Anna was on making an expose podcast over a girl that she didn't even know because it seemed like a weird way to handle such a situation, but as the story unfolded, it was handled in a bit better way. Anna reminded me a lot of myself in middle school, and I think that young readers of any gender will benefit from this book in many ways. Swinarski never undermines the girls' feelings and makes sure to face difficult issues regarding harassment, such as being scared to speak up and adults not believing young women, head on, which I commend. I ended the book feeling inspired for young women today and renewed in my feelings that the world IS becoming a better place with the coming generations.
January 29, 2023
I won an ARC from the author's Instagram account. I've never read an ARC before, so that was fun! I liked her first MG book okay, (What Happens Next), loved her 2nd (The Kate in Between), and loved this one best of all. I loved the epistolary format and just the mystery of it. It was a really fun read that kept me guessing.
I still waffle about whether to hand this off to my 5th grader, but I think about a year from now she'll be ready. It does address sexual harassment, but it's in a very appropriate way for middle school.
I have followed this author since her podcasting days, and I think she absolutely made the right call to hang up the mic if she's going to continue to put stories like this into the world. Really looking forward to her upcoming work, especially her adult novel!
I still waffle about whether to hand this off to my 5th grader, but I think about a year from now she'll be ready. It does address sexual harassment, but it's in a very appropriate way for middle school.
I have followed this author since her podcasting days, and I think she absolutely made the right call to hang up the mic if she's going to continue to put stories like this into the world. Really looking forward to her upcoming work, especially her adult novel!
February 23, 2025
I’m somewhat surprised by the reviews for this one. I do understand them in the sense that this book feels “important,” because it’s talking about the kind of “everyday” sexual harassment that every single girl (and some boys) experiences at some point. And in that sense, I also liked the plot, which was perhaps more nuanced than some of the other books I’ve read on similar subjects.
At the same time, the book is weirdly messy in its politics, and I wasn’t surprised to find out that even though the author is inarguably a feminist, she’s also a conservative Catholic. She’s vocally anti-choice when it comes to women’s reproductive health and abortions. She has also suggested that trans women are just trying on gender “like a hat.”
This book doesn’t make explicit statements about either issue, so perhaps that background is less relevant. But it *feels* relevant in the sense that there were occasional moments where I felt like the book itself was weirdly conservative. I don’t think that’s a pro or con, especially since the moments were so fleeting that I can’t recall specifics. But I remember that those moments broke the “dream” of the book and kept me from fully engaging with it. They felt like unconscious authorial slips, like if a character’s eyes changed color from one chapter to the next.
The biggest surprise for me, however, is that I haven’t seen a single other reviewer point out that the book just isn’t always great as a work of fiction. Some of the dialogue was wooden. Many of the characters were flat and not fully distinguished from one another. And I also felt like the book summarized important dramatic moments when it would have been much stronger and more enjoyable to read them as scenes. I think the high score from reviewers reflects the #MeToo themes far more than the quality of writing. That’s totally fine, but I kept wishing the artistry of the book more strongly justified the importance of the material.
At the same time, the book is weirdly messy in its politics, and I wasn’t surprised to find out that even though the author is inarguably a feminist, she’s also a conservative Catholic. She’s vocally anti-choice when it comes to women’s reproductive health and abortions. She has also suggested that trans women are just trying on gender “like a hat.”
This book doesn’t make explicit statements about either issue, so perhaps that background is less relevant. But it *feels* relevant in the sense that there were occasional moments where I felt like the book itself was weirdly conservative. I don’t think that’s a pro or con, especially since the moments were so fleeting that I can’t recall specifics. But I remember that those moments broke the “dream” of the book and kept me from fully engaging with it. They felt like unconscious authorial slips, like if a character’s eyes changed color from one chapter to the next.
The biggest surprise for me, however, is that I haven’t seen a single other reviewer point out that the book just isn’t always great as a work of fiction. Some of the dialogue was wooden. Many of the characters were flat and not fully distinguished from one another. And I also felt like the book summarized important dramatic moments when it would have been much stronger and more enjoyable to read them as scenes. I think the high score from reviewers reflects the #MeToo themes far more than the quality of writing. That’s totally fine, but I kept wishing the artistry of the book more strongly justified the importance of the material.
May 7, 2023
I have BIG feelings about this book. The content is absolutely necessary and the quality of the audio narration was outstanding. Sexual harassment is happening in schools and it has been for years. I experienced it in middle school and when I was a high school teacher I had a group of students come forward and share that they had been sexually harassed. Upon reflection that situation is why I left teaching. I tried so hard to make the administration hold the abusers accountable, but in the end the students (who were sexually harassing others) only has a half day of in school suspension. The administration repeatedly asked me why I was being so “emotional” and “dramatic” when I said that a half day wasn’t enough. I also felt like they needed to provide the school with sexual harassment education of students and faculty. I wasn’t being emotional or dramatic. I was working hard to defend, protect, and support the students who were brave enough to come forward about their experience. Books like this should be required reading for adults and youth!
December 1, 2025
Welcome back!
Today’s review will be a bit on the shorter side. I borrowed this audiobook through Libby recently and really wanted to try it. I got a little over 60% of the way through the audiobook (which means I had like a bit over an hour left of listening time) when I made the choice to DNF. I am not going to put a spoilers section as I want to try to keep this a bit vague. I really wanted to enjoy this story, and I really did love our main character, but I just could not click with the book. I think the changing plot lines between focusing on Rachel and just normal life are a bit awkward and kind of threw off my reading groove. I do think the two connect towards the end. I definitely would still recommend giving this book a try if you are interested.
Goodreads Rating: 2 Stars DNF’d
Today’s review will be a bit on the shorter side. I borrowed this audiobook through Libby recently and really wanted to try it. I got a little over 60% of the way through the audiobook (which means I had like a bit over an hour left of listening time) when I made the choice to DNF. I am not going to put a spoilers section as I want to try to keep this a bit vague. I really wanted to enjoy this story, and I really did love our main character, but I just could not click with the book. I think the changing plot lines between focusing on Rachel and just normal life are a bit awkward and kind of threw off my reading groove. I do think the two connect towards the end. I definitely would still recommend giving this book a try if you are interested.
Goodreads Rating: 2 Stars DNF’d
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