Winter Reading 2024: Recommended reads for teens this holiday season!
2024 is coming to a close but there’s still a week of Winter Break! We're rounding out our Winter Reading series with some suggested books for secondary students to enjoy this season.
Check out recommendations for Grade 8 to 12 students from Fleetwood Park Secondary teacher-librarian Lisa MacDougall!
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada
Written by Fleetwood Park Class of 2010 graduate Anthony Nerada, Skater Boy follows punk bad boy Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie in his final year of high school. Wes is failing and his prospects for college do not look promising, and he can only trust his best friends and his single mom. When dragged by his mom to a production of The Nutcracker, Wes quickly falls for dancer Tristan Moore, who encourages Wes to follow his passion for photography. We watch as Wes struggles to confide in his tight group of friends as his relationship with Tristan develops. This is a very sweet coming-of-age story that reminds us of the importance of second chances and being true to yourself.
That is Not My Name by Megan Lally
A bruised and scared girl sits in a police station with no memory of who she is or how she got there. A man arrives to report his daughter missing and, upon seeing the girl, rejoices in being reunited with his beloved daughter, Mary. Meanwhile, just miles away, an entire town is convinced that Drew is responsible for the disappearance of his girlfriend Lola, and Drew is determined to prove his innocence and find Lola. Told from alternating points of view, this book is a psychological thriller and a chilling whodunit. That Is Not My Name is nominated for the 2024-25 Surrey Teens Read.
Rez Ball by Byron Graves
Tre Brun is high school junior, living on the Red Lake First Nations reserve. His family has just lost Jaxon, Tre’s older brother and basketball star. When Tre makes the reservation team, The Warriors, he is faced with family and community expectations and the struggle to balance becoming a role model with fitting in with his teammates and their post-game parties. Basketball fans will enjoy this underdog story of the team from a reservation in Minnesota and their rise to the championship final. Rez Ball is also nominated for the 2024-25 Surrey Teens Read.
The Name Drop by Susan Lee
Jessica Lee and Elijah Ri share the same Korean name, but do not share the same socio-economic background. An airline confusion set in motion a case of mistaken identity as Jessica, an intern for a Korean tech company, assumes the role of Elijah, the company CEO’s son. When Elijah discovers the mistake, the two decide to continue the ruse so that Jessica can prove her leadership skills while Elijah takes advantage of the opportunity to live a less privileged life and make meaningful relationships without the burden of his father’s position. While a rom-com, themes of social class, familial expectations and gender stereotypes are explored.
There are lots of great books to choose for intermediate readers this holiday season! See also some primary reads from William F. Davidson Elementary teacher-librarian Tracey Steeves and intermediate books from Simon Cunningham Elementary teacher-librarian Juniper Ridington.
Thanks for checking out our Winter Reading series -- see you at school on Jan. 6th!
