RAWR Recommendations for Teens and Tweens

Sink your teeth into these peer and librarian-recommended reads and share your thoughts in a written review via the RAWR review form found at gvpl.ca. Every review is a chance to win a prize!

Updated July 12, 2025
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The black flamingo
Atta, Dean
Paper Book
Stonewall Book Award Winner * A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, and Kacen Callender. Michael is a mixed...
Four for the road
Reilly, K. J. (Writer of young adult fiction)
Paper Book
The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets The End of the F***ing World in this dark young adult comedy about four unlikely friends dealing with the messy side of grief who embark on a road trip to Graceland full of "laughter, tears, budding romance, and well-placed insights" (Kirkus...
Nimona
Stevenson, Noelle
Paper Book
Now a Netflix animated film! Nimona is the New York Times bestselling graphic novel sensation from ND Stevenson, based on his beloved and critically acclaimed web comic. Kirkus says, "If you're going to read one graphic novel this year, make it this one." Nemeses!...
Scythe
Shusterman, Neal
Paper Book
A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) Two teens must learn the "art of killing" in this Printz Honor-winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology. A world with...
The princess and the grilled cheese sandwich
Muniz, Deya
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER! A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023  * Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2023  * YALSA 2024 Great Graphic Novel for Teens  * An ALA Rainbow List Pick * 2024...
The marrow thieves
Dimaline, Cherie
Paper Book
Winner of the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award (Young People's Literature - Text) Winner of the 2017 Kirkus PrizeWinner of the 2018 Sunburst Award Winner of the 2018 Amy Mathers Teen Book Award Winner of the 2018 Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit...
Scott Pilgrim: color collection. Volume 1
O'Malley, Bryan Lee
Ebook
The New York Times bestselling series and basis for the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is now available in a new softcover format! Collects both Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World color edition story pages in one massive volume for easier bingeing. Never leave...
Gone
Grant, Michael
Paper Book
The first book in the bestselling cult YA thriller series GONE that Stephen King calls a "driving, torrential narrative." "I am now free to leave the FAYZ, but my time there was well spent" --Stephen King Welcome to the FAYZ. In the blink of an eye...
Icebreaker
Graziadei, A. L.
Paper Book
A. L. Graziadei's Icebreaker is an irresistible YA debut about two hockey players fighting to be the best--and the romance that catches them by surprise along the way. Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey...
Iron widow
Zhao, Xiran Jay
Paper Book
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant robots that battle aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall of China, no matter that the girls die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male...
Above all else
Levy, Dana Alison
Paper Book
In a novel as riveting, irresistible, and heartbreaking as Into Thin Air, teen climbing prodigies Rose and Tate attempt to summit--and survive--Mount Everest. Rose Keller and Tate Russo have been climbing for years, training in harsh weather and traveling all over the...
Looking for Alaska
Green, John
Paper Book
A gorgeous collector's edition of the critically acclaimed debut novel by John Green, #1 bestselling author of Turtles All the Way Down and The Fault in Our Stars A perfect gift for every fan, this deluxe hardcover features a stunning special edition jacket and...
Hidden systems : water, electricity, the internet, and the secrets behind the systems we use every day
Nott, Dan
Paper Book
We use water, electricity, and the internet every day--but how do they actually work? And what's the plan to keep them running for years to come? This nonfiction science graphic novel takes readers on a journey from how the most essential systems were developed to how they are implemented in our...
The lightning thief
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times Bestseller Percy Jackson and the Olympians series now streaming on Disney+! The paperback edition of the first book in Rick Riordan's thrilling middle grade series, filled with magic, Greek mythology, and plenty of monsters....
The fall of Whit Rivera
Maldonado, Crystal
Paper Book
Could you plan the Fall Formal with your (hot) nemesis? Whit Rivera is about to find out. A MASSACHUSETTS BOOK AWARD WINNER! Frenemies Whit and Zay have been at odds for years (ever since he broke up with her in, like, the most embarrassing way imaginable), so...
Jumper
Crowder, Melanie
Paper Book
In a ripped-from-the-headlines story, nineteen-year-old Blair's passion for fighting fires lands her a spot with the Forest Service and sets her on a wilderness adventure that quickly turns catastrophic. How far would you go to save yourself? Blair Scott is in...
Code Name Verity
Wein, Elizabeth E.
Paper Book
The beloved #1 New York Times bestseller, a "fiendishly plotted" (New York Times) "heart-in-your mouth adventure" (Washington Post), that "will take wing and soar into your heart" (Laurie Halse Anderson) -- now with a new bonus chapter. October 11th, 1943 --...
Wild Bird
Baugh, Leanne
Paper Book
In the opening pages of this historical novel, sixteen-year-old Kate Harding is desperately trying to assist her mother who is about to give premature birth to a child in their home in the small colonial community of Victoria in 1861.The experience is gruelling for mother and daughter, and in the...
The mysterious Benedict Society
Stewart, Trenton Lee.
Paper Book
For fans of Lemony Snicket and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, this first book in the bestselling, award-winning Mysterious Benedict Society series is not to be missed! "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of...
Zara Hossain is here
Khan, Sabina
Paper Book
Zara's family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them. Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life...
Circe : a novel
Miller, Madeline
Paper Book
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a "bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story" that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times). In the house of Helios,...
It waits in the forest
Dass, Sarah
Paper Book
The very first thriller from Rick Riordan Presents! Drawing from the darkest corners of Caribbean mythology, acclaimed author Sarah Dass crafts a chilling tale of magic, murder, and how far we'll go to protect what's ours-perfect for fans of Angeline Boulley and Tiffany D. Jackson.
A hero's guide to summer vacation
Cartaya, Pablo
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather. Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He's...

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