This section of the library’s web site is all about reading, for the fun of it!

Join the 2024 Rez Reader Challenge!

Here you’ll find lists of recommendations & read-alikes, book awards, and other sites/blogs about reading.   Once you find something you like, check our Online Catalogue.  And, if you don’t find something, feel free to send Ms. Martin your suggestions of books – or lists – you’d like to see in the library!

Join our Rez Reads Book Club!  See Ms. Martin to join the D2L classroom.

We also now have SORA eBooks & audiobooks.  Login on your MyApps page by clicking on the SORA icon.

  • Rez Recommends ~ these are the books that, over the years, Rez students have rated a perfect 5 out of 5. Categories include realistic fiction, literary fiction, fantasy/supernatural, dystopia/sci-fi, historical fiction, mystery/action/adventure, and non-fiction (some books will be listed in multiple categories).  If you save a copy of the Rez Recommends master list spreadsheet, you can sort by genre – see Ms. Martin if you want a demo. If you have a title you’d like to add to the list, fill out a Rez Recommends survey online or in print and submit to Ms. Martin!Rez Recommends scale (out of 5):
    1. ~ It was a waste of time…and trees!
    2. ~ Not horrible, but I would have rather been watching TV or having a nap!
    3. ~ Good. I’ve read better, but at least I didn’t fall asleep reading it!
    4. ~ Great book! I would recommend it to my friends.
    5. ~ Amazing!! Life-altering! Everyone should read this book! 
  • Gr 12 English ISU novels SHSM ~ looking for something a little more challenging…maybe to prepare to head into Gr. 12? These titles, sorted by Specialist High Skills Major categories, are ones to get you started (and most could be used for a 4U ISU novel). Most are literary fiction, although there are some non-fiction listed as well.
  • NoveList ~ a great way to search for something new to read! Search by genre, recommended read-alike (type in the name of a book you’ve liked and it will give you suggestions of other similar titles!), and more. Note: if you’re not at school, you’ll need a username and password…see the handout in the library.
  • Books & Authors ~ explore the endless possibilities and combinations of books, authors, genres and topics. Combining over 140,000 titles, 50,000 authors, and thousands of read-alike, award winner and librarian’s favorites lists, Books & Authors helps bring readers and literature together.  Use your Gale database password to access (posted in the Library @ Rez Google classroom; email Ms. Martin for the code).

  • ​Teen’s Top Ten (YALSA)​ ~ voted on by students from across the US and Canada from a list of 25 nominees
    • 2022 nominees
    • 2021 ~ All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (#2-10)
    • 2020~ Wayward Son (Simon Snow, #2) by Rainbow Rowell (#2-10)
    • 2019 ~ #1 #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil (#2-10)
    • 2018 ~ #1 Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (#2-10)
    • 2017 ~ #1 Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan (#2-10)
    • 2016 ~ #1 Alive by Chandler Baker (#2-10)
    • 2015 ~ #1 The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen (#2-10)
    • 2014 ~ #1 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (#2-10)​
    • 2013 ~ #1 Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (#2-10)
    • 2012 ~ #1 Divergent by Veronica Roth (#2-10)
    • 2011 ~ #1 Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (#2-10)
    • 2010 ~ #1 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (#2-10)
    • 2009 ~ #1 Paper Towns by John Green (#2-10)
    • 2008 ~ #1 Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (#2-10)
    • 2007 ~ #1 New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (#2-10)
    • 2006 ~ #1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (#2-10)
    • 2005 ~ #1 Girls In Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares (#2-10)
  • Michael L. Printz Award ~ for excellence in Young Adult Literature
    • 2022 ~ The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
    • 2021 ~ Everything sad is untrue : (a true story)  by Daniel Nayeri
    • 2020 ~ Dig by A.S. King
    • 2019 ~ The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
    • 2018 ~ We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
    • 2017 ~ March, Book 3 (graphic novel) by John Lewis
    • 2016 ~ Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
    • 2015 ~ I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
    • 2014 ~ Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
    • 2013 ~ In Darkness by Nick Lane
    • 2012 ~ Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
    • 2011 ~ Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
    • 2010 ~ Going Bovine by Libba Bray
    • 2009 ~ Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
    • 2008 ~ The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
    • 2007 ~ American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
    • 2006 ~ Looking for Alaska by John Green
    • 2005 ~ how i live now by Meg Rosoff
  • Young Adult Canadian Book Award ~ from the Canadian Library Association (2016 was the final year for this award)
    • 2016 ~ Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
    • 2015 ~ This One Summer (graphic novel) by Mariko Tamaki
    • 2014 ~ Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass
    • 2013 ~ My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt
    • 2012 ~ All Good Children by Catherine Austen
    • 2011 ~ Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
    • 2010 ~ Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
    • 2009 ~ Chanda’s Wars by Allan Stratton
    • 2008 ~ Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
    • 2007 ~ The Blue Helmet by William Bell
    • 2006 ~ Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai
    • 2005 ~ A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
  • White Pine Award ~ compiled by the Ontario Library Association, includes books by Canadian authors, written for high school students. Each year, students from across Ontario can vote for their favourite. Winners include…
    • 2022 ~ What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate Locke
    • 2021 ~ Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
    • 2020 ~ Sadie by Courtney Summers
    • 2019 ~ The Agony of Bun O’Keefe by Heather T. Smith
    • 2018 ~ Everything Beautiful is not Ruined by Danielle Young-Ullman
    • 2017 ~ Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw
    • 2016 ~ ​The Bodies We Wear by Jen Roberts
    • 2015 ~ Rush by Eve Silver
    • 2014 ~ Live To Tell  by Lisa Harrington (fiction ) & The Secret of the Blue Trunk by Lise Dion and Liedewij Hawke (non-fiction)
    • 2013 ~ Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
    • 2012 ~ The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong (Fiction) and The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha (Non-fiction)
    • 2011 ~ The Monkeyface Chronicles by Richard Scarsbrook
    • 2010 ~ Mostly Happy by Pam Bustin
    • 2009 ~ Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
    • 2008 ~ Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
    • 2007 ~ Shattered by Eric Walters
    • 2006 ~ Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
    • 2005 ~ More Than You Can Chew by Marnelle Tokio
    • 2020 ~Steve Sheinkin for Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon and others
    • 2019 ~ M.T. Anderson for Feed, Symphony for the Dead, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, and more
    • 2018 ~ Angela Johnson for The First Part Last and more
    • 2017 ~ Sarah Dessen for Along for the Ride, What Happened to Goodbye, Just Listen, and more
    • 2016 ~ David Levithan for Every Day, Two Boys Kissing, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and more
    • 2015 ~ Sharon Draper for Tears of a Tiger, The Battle of Jericho, November Blues, Copper Sun
    • 2014 ~ Markus Zusack for The Book Thief, I am the Messenger, Getting the Girl
    • 2013 ~ Tamora Pierce for Song of the Lioness series and The Protector of the Small quartet
    • 2012 ~ Susan Cooper for The Dark Is Rising sequence
    • 2011 ~ Terry Pratchett
    • 2010 ~ Jim Murphy
    • 2009 ~ Laurie Halse Anderson
    • 2008 ~ Orson Scott Card
    • 2007 ~ Lois Lowry
    • 2006 ~ Jacqueline Woodson
    • 2005 ~ Francesca Lia Block
  • YALSA Morris Award ~  honours a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.
    • 2020 ~ The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe
    • 2019 ~ Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
    • 2018 ~ The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
    • 2017 ~ The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
    • 2016 ~ Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
    • 2015 ~ Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
    • 2014 ~ Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
    • 2013 ~ Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
    • 2012 ~ Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
    • 2011 ~ The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston
    • 2010 ~ Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
    • 2009 ~ A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
  • CBC’s Canada Reads ~  CBC’s annual battle of the books, where five Canadian personalities each select a book they want Canadians to read. They defend their chosen title in a series of debates, and the books are eliminated one by one until a winner is declared.
    • 2020 ~ We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib
    • 2019 ~ By Chance Alone by Max Eisen
    • 2018 ~ Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto
    • 2017 ~ Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis
    • 2016 ~ The Illegal by Lawrence Hill
    • 2015 ~ Ru by Kim Thúy
    • 2014 ~ The Orenda by Joseph Boyden
    • 2013 ~ February by Lisa Moore
    • 2012 ~ Something Fierce by Carmen Aguirre
    • 2011 ~ Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis
    • 2010 ~ Nikolski by Nicolas Dickner
    • 2009 ~ The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
    • 2008 ~ King Leary by Paul Quarrington
    • 2007 ~ Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill
    • 2006 ~ A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
    • 2005 ~ Rockbound by Frank Parker Day
  • Giller Prize ~ best in Canadian adult fiction
    • 2019 ~ Reproduction by Ian Williams
    • 2018 ~ Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
    • 2017 ~ Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
    • 2016 ~ Do No Say We Have Nothing  by Madeleine Thien
    • 2015 ~ Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis
    • 2014 ~ Us Conductors by Sean Michaels
    • 2013 ~ Hellgoing by Lynn Coady
    • 2012 ~ 419 by Will Ferguson

  • Reading Rants! ~ an awesome collection of book reviews, sorted into categories like Reality Bites, Riot Grrrl, Dead Heads and Most Pits, Historical Fiction for Hipsters, Nail Biters, Teen Tearjerkers, and more. One of Ms. Martin’s all-time favourite book review sites!
  • KPL’s Teen Bookslists web site ~ booklists by category, as well as teen book reviews!
  • Toronto Public Library’s Books for Teens page ~ so many great reading lists!  We have a lot of the books on these lists…but if you see a book you want, and we don’t have it, tell Ms. Martin and she’ll see if she can order it!
  • One Book One Community ~ encourages people in Waterloo Region to read the same book, discuss it, attend an event, and meet the author. The book and author are announced annually in April and the author visits for a reading tour in late September.
  • YALSA’s Teen Book Finder app ~ this free app gives you access to the past three years’ of award-winning books; search for books by author, title, award/list year, genre, by award, and by booklist
  • GuysRead ~ a collection of book titles that guys have said they like