The Adventures of Rap Kid

Main character ‘Z’ – short for Zero, since he speaks no words at school – is bullied and teased, and doesn’t really fit in; his passion for rapping means that he finds it difficult to talk without rhyming his words and this can lead him into trouble. Then Mr G, a teacher who seems to understand Z, introduces him to beatboxing new pupil Essef – SFX for short – who also prefers not to speak, relying instead on pointing to phrases on her decorative jacket badges. The two quickly bond, especially as Mr G wants them to audition as a duo for the upcoming famous Rap Rumble competition but there is always the shadow of Bully Boy – Z’s nemesis – hanging over them.

The book has a straightforward storyline and much of the narrative is taken up with Z talking to you, the reader, who he terms ‘my G’. There is plenty of child-level humour – for example the main character picks his nose and flicks it at someone and there is some toilet humour.

This book has themes of friendship, acceptance and bullying. It has a main character wearing a hijab, featuring different family dynamics (parents separated), and states that other kinds of families are ‘cool’.

Written by ex-primary teacher turned viral video celebrity MC Grammar, this is the kind of book that many children will love to pick up – even those who are not usually drawn to chapter books. Funny and entertaining, the book is full of street words e.g. sick, bro/bruh, garms, barz. The story also encourages literacy and reading in one of the latter chapters as potential rappers must have a great vocabulary to find the words to create rhymes about their interests. There are many pages where you can fill in your own rapping ideas and a section with hints and tips for writing your rap.