Book Recommendations From Our Volunteers

by Stephanie C., Main Library

​Every summer we ask our Teen Squad volunteers what their favorite books are and what books they would recommend to other teens. That list goes up on our website August 1st and you can click directly on a title to reserve a copy for yourself. While you wait, here's a sneak peek and some quotes from our volunteers about why these books are their favorites.

Middle Grade Fiction
​

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

"Hatchet is a book where a boy named Brian has to figure out how to survive in the wilderness. Brian got in a plane crash and landed in a river and he's hoping someone will save him." - Mafazah
​

Liberty by Kirby Larson

"For my recommendation I would definitely choose Liberty by Kirby Larson. It's a book about a kid with Polio during the WWII era. I've seen very little books that happen during the WWII timeline without the main character being directly involved in the war. It will leave you thinking and is a great read" - Jasmine
​

​Teen Fiction
​

Technically, You Started It by Lana Wood Johnson

"A cute, epistolary novel told entierly in text messages. A quick read, and always makes my little heart so happy everytime I read it. A tropey but adorable case of mistaken identity." - Amelie
​

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

"I really enjoy this book because the story is unpredictable and you never know what's gonna happen next. I also like this book because of the amazing detail it has. This story has great romance, action, and drama that keeps the story flowing and exciting." - Mads
​

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

"They Both Die at the End is a sad book about two teenage boys who get a call that they are going to die, and they don't know how or when they will die, so they have to live the day to the fullest. So, they go on an adventure and find themselves and the ending will break your heart." - Kaylee

​
​Adult Fiction
​

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

"This was a really great book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy. It had a combination of important themes, modern day issues, and magic. It was a beautifully written book with an interesting language style. The characters were very well developed and had realistic personalities, but it also had a lot of action. It was an exciting, fast-paced book that also developed themes and characters very well. The main basis of the story was magic and witches, but it also focused on themes like forgiveness, determination, perseverance, and love. Even though it is set in the 1800s, it talked about important topics such as racism, LGBTQ+ rights, women's rights, and worker's rights. I really enjoyed this book, and it had a good combination of deep, serious topics, as well as fun fantasy and magic." - Ria
​

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

"This is my favorite book because it is soft, bitter and tender, and more intimate than most novels can imagine to be. Written as a letter to an illiterate mother from her son, it follows the story of a Vietnamese immigrant family, and of which is fresh, vulnerable and ceaseless, defiant of form as it blends poetry and fiction - to call it only a book feels like an understatement when it feels so alive."
- McKinley

​