Recently, the Forest of Reading announced their summer reading lists for Silver Birch readers in Grades 3–6,
(ages 8–12),
and one for Red Maple readers in Grades 7 and 8 (ages 12–14). Now there's a summer reading list for teens ages 14–18 (Grades 9–12) who would be in the White Pine program of the Forest of Reading.
This list which came together after a teen committee met to discuss recently published books by Canadian creators is a fabulous list of titles teens might consider reading this summer.
Congratulations
to the young people who worked so diligently to champion Canadian books
for their peers and to prepare such stellar lists.
Here are
their selections for 2026:
White Pine
(Ages 14–18, Grades 9–12)
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
Written by Heather Fawcett
Del Rey
368 pp.
Ages 18+
2026
Bad in The Blood
Written by Matteo L. Cerilli
Tundra Books
392 pp.
Ages 14–17
2025
The Beauty of Us
Written by Farzana Doctor
ECW Press
304 pp.
Ages 15–18
2024
Behind Five Willows
Written by June Hur
Feiwel & Friends
336 pp.
Ages 13–18
2026
A Deadly Inheritance
Written by Kelley Armstrong
Tundra Books
424 pp.
Ages 14+
Ages 14+
2026
Here for a Good Time
Written by Kim Spencer
Swift Water Books
256 pp.
Ages 14+
2026
Like a Bird
Written by Becky Citra
Second Story Press
250 pp.
Age 12–18
2025
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
Written by Zoulfa Katouh
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
368 pp.
Ages 12+
2026
Other Worlds: Stories
Written by André Alexis
McClelland & Stewart
288 pp.
Ages 17+
2025
Red Flags and Butterflies
Written by Sheryl Azzam
DCB Young Readers
258 pp.
Ages 12–17
2025
Small Ceremonies
Written by Kyle Edwards
McClelland & Stewart
368 pp.
Ages 18+
2025
This Place Kills Me
Written by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Nicole Goux
Harry N. Abrams
272 pp.
Ages 14–18
2025
A Treachery of Swans
Written by A. B. Poranek
Margaret K. McElderry Books
368 pp.
Ages 14+
2025
What Wakes the Bells
Written by Elle Tesch
Feiwel & Friends
331 pp.
Ages 13–18
2025
The downloadable list and poster are available at the Forest of Reading website here:
