Teen Programs

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, June 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han is the second book to the Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy. Belly, her brother Steven and her mother always spend each summer in Cousins Beach with Susana, Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this summer. Belly and her family get life changing news that stopped them from being able to return to the beach. Belly is left heartbroken, as she and Conrad had a falling out during the winter. Belly’s best friend, Taylor, cheers Belly up by planning a summer full of fun activities to do together. Belly is starting to look forward to the summer Taylor had planned, until Jeremiah calls and says Conrad has gone missing. Now, Belly needs to make a decision. Will she fight for Conrad one last time, or will she let him go?

The Summer I Turned Pretty books by Jenny Han are one of my favourite trilogy sets. I will forever be Team Conrad for both the movie and the books, as I find that he cares for Belly more. My best friend and I read all three books together one summer and talked about it non-stop. This is one of my favourite books to re-read in the summer while at the cottage by the lake. I first read this book in 2019, before the tv series was announced and it became a popular book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good summer romance, a found family and a cozy beach house.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, June 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han is the third book in The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy. It’s been a few years since Belly and Jeremiah have gotten together and Belly is finally getting what she has always dreamed of. The Fishers have always been her second family, spending each summer with her two favourite boys. Belly has always been in love with one of the Fisher boys. Susana always told her she was destined for one of her boys. Belly always thought it was Conrad, but now she believes it’s Jeremiah. Jeremiah proposes to Belly and gives her her dream of being Belly Fisher. Everything is going smoothly as they are planning their wedding back at Cousins, until Conrad shows up and puts a wrench in their plans. Conrad tells Belly she is making a huge mistake and his biggest one was letting Belly go. Now, Belly has a decision to make. Will she go back to Conrad, or see what’s in store with Jeremiah?

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han is the final book in the Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy. It was once last summer at Cousins before Belly’s life changed. I read this book with my friend down by the lake at my cottage and have not been the same since. I’ve always been rooting for the Conrad and Belly endgame. This is my favourite series to re-read in the summer down by the water and it feels as if I am reading it for the first time every summer. Jenny Han’s words paint a picture of a beautiful beach every kid dreams of spending their summer days at. I first saw this book while shopping and wanted a cute summer read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a cute summer romance down by the beach.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, May 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Lovers is about Nora, a literary agent, who visits Sunshine Falls with her little sister. Sunshine Falls is a small town in North Carolina, and just so happens to be the setting in a very popular book of one of Nora’s clients. But when Nora and her sister arrive in town, it is nothing like the book. Charlie is a book editor, who doesn’t get along with Nora. Charlie happens to be from Sunshine Falls and Nora needs a place to work away from her sister. They make a deal where they each help each other out and quickly become friends, then more.

This is a cute summer romance surrounded by books and banter. Emily Henry is one of my favourite authors, especially because of all of the funny banter in her books, as well as the realistic characters that she creates. They lend a hand to other characters in the book and show that even when someone is at a low in their life, they can still find happiness. Book Lovers is an enemies to lovers trope that takes place in a small town. You can see the character growth throughout the book, which makes the characters more memorable. I first heard of this book after I finished another Emily Henry book and was looking for more of her books. I read this in the summer with my best friend and we both really enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance book with funny banter between the characters.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, May 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Happy Place is a summer romance book by Emily Henry. Harriet and Wyn broke up five months ago and never told anyone. They both have been living their lives separate from each other while keeping this secret, until the news that their best friend’s parents are selling the cottage they go to every year, which forces them to see each other again. Instead of breaking the news on their friends’ fun weekend, they decide to pretend to still be together. This forces them into many awkward situations, forcing them to talk about what happened five months ago. This one weekend is their chance to try and fix their past, or finally accept that they aren’t meant for each other.

Happy Place by Emily Henry is a heartfelt summer romance about two exes that are forced to fake date to avoid telling the truth about the end of their relationship. Emily Henry is my favourite author and I have read all of her books, but this one is one of my top picks. I love the setting and the strong friendships that both characters have. This book is one of my go-to re-reads in the summer and I will definitely be reading it again this summer. I first heard of this book when it was announced to come out, which was when I was reading People We Meet On Vacation. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good second chance summer romance or to anyone who wants to get into Emily Henry’s books.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, March 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Funny Story is a cute story written by Emily Henry. Daphne has the perfect wedding with the perfect man planned out, up until her fiance, Peter, gets home and breaks the news that he and his best friend, Petra, are running off together. He also informs her that they are going to be living in their house and that she needs to have all of her stuff out by the time they get back from their trip. Daphne goes running out after them and she runs into Petra’s boyfriend, Miles, who was looking for his girlfriend. Daphne asks Miles if he has anyone who rents out the second bedroom in his apartment, which he answers no, so she then moves in with him. After a bit, they become friends and more.

Funny Story is an, ironically, funny story about two roommates that will have you laughing out loud at their banter. I first heard of this book when Emily Henry announced that her new book called Funny Story was coming out. I had read all of her other books and they were all five stars and Funny Story was added to the five star collection. You will fall in love with every character Emily Henry writes and every story she creates. Emily Henry is one of my all-time favourite authors. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy and entertaining characters. I would also recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance book that you can’t put down.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, March 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

People We Meet On Vacation is a best friends who fell apart to lovers trope. Poppy and Alex have been best friends ever since Alex drove Poppy home from college. Poppy works as a travel blogger and travel journalist. She and Alex would always go on these trips together, meeting a bunch of different types of people who make their journey memorable. Something happened two years ago that caused them to not speak to each other, until Poppy gets another chance to go on a trip and Poppy misses Alex and his company on these trips. Poppy reaches out to Alex asking if he wants to go on one last adventure together, and to Poppy’s surprise, he agrees. They go on vacation, relishing in the past doing the things they used to do while Poppy tries to recover their friendship.

I first heard of this book from my friend, whose copy I read without knowing I already had the book but with a different cover. I read this book in two days while relaxing by the pool during the summer and I couldn’t stop reading it. Emily Henry is one of my favourite authors and People We Meet On Vacation is my favourite book of hers. Emily Henry has a certain style of writing that everyone loves and every single one of her books never disappoint. Henry has a talent for creating characters that you won’t forget. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves any of Emily Henry’s books and people who like sweet romance books.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, February 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

This Summer Will Be Different is a great summer read that takes place in the quaint province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. This book jumps back and forth from the first summer Lucy ever spent on the island and each summer after, leading up to present day. Lucy’s first summer in P.E.I is when she goes with her best friend Bridget to stay with her family. When Bridget missed her flight, Lucy was alone on the island and headed to a restaurant to kill time, when she fell upon a local islander named Felix. They instantly had a connection. They found a reason to stop them from being together and decide to keep the fact that they know each other a secret, which could end up hurting others.

I first heard of this book online when I was looking for some new books to buy for a trip I was going on to the east coast last summer. I found this one and knew I had to buy it since I was going to P.E.I during my trip. I had also just read another book by Carley Fortune so I knew this would be a good book. I loved the connection between Lucy and Felix and how Carley Fortune described what Prince Edward Island was like perfectly. Fortune describes what life on the island is really like and how the residents of Prince Edward Island will steal your heart, showing their traditions and love for the island and their community. I would recommend this book to people who like a cute summer romance.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, February 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Just For The Summer is a meet cute summer romance that has you invested from the start. It takes place in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Lake Minnetonka. Emma is cursed, every guy she goes out with breaks up with her and finds their soulmate right after. Emma reads an article about a guy who has the same problem. They text online and she figures out that Justin lives in Minneapolis. Emma and her best friend Maddy are travel nurses headed for the beautiful island of Hawaii, but Emma is invested in Justin’s story and they come up with a plan. If they date each other for a little bit, then break up, they will both find their soulmates, due to their curses. So, Emma convinces Maddy to switch their plans for Hawaii and go to Minneapolis. They decide to make a plan to meet up and go out on a date. Emma and Maddy rent a cozy cottage on a small secluded island on Lake Minnetonka, and settle in for a summer to remember. This book shows how being in love can change you.

I first heard of this book after I read the Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez and wanted to read her newest book that had recently come out. I read this in the car while on a road trip and I can’t wait to read it again. Abby Jimenez creates amazing characters that everyone falls in love with. This book makes you feel as if you are right in the story with the characters. They have amazing banter that will make you laugh out loud. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good summer read and a cute romance.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, February 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Love and other words is a book that travels back and forth in time between now and when Macy was a kid going to her summer house in San Francisco with her dad. 15 years ago, Macy and her dad bought a summer home next door to a nerdy boy. They instantly bonded over their love for books. In her closet, her dad built her own library where she and Elliot would spend their summer days reading together. Fast forward 15 years later, destiny brought the two back together to try and recover their past. Christina Lauren has a way with words that make you feel as if you were a character in the book. She always had you on the edge of your seat, not knowing what might happen next. A serendipitous encounter that leads to a lifelong friendship is only the beginning.

I saw this book online when I was looking for my next read. I had already read a book by Christina Lauren and knew this book would be a great read. I had asked my friend who has read this book before and she instantly recommended it to me. The one thing that stood out to me the most was the way Christina Lauren was able to transition through the book smoothly without giving too many hints of what may have caused their drift. Christina Lauren is known for her plot twists and this book proves it. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a good romance that will pull on your heartstrings.

Genre: Romance
Reviewed by: Abby C., Grade 10, February 2025
Rating: 5/5 stars

Every summer after takes place at a cottage in the beautiful Muskoka’s, Ontario, one of Ontario’s treasures. When Percy was a teenager, her parents bought an old rustic cottage to get away from the city for the summer. On the first night there, she met two boys next door. Percy and the youngest, Sam, became best friends instantly. Percy and Sam were inseparable, always spending their summer days laying out on Sam’s dock reading together. Their relationship grew as they grew older, growing into a sweet teenage romance. When Percy gets a call, years later, she is forced to go back to the Muskoka’s and see Sam again.

This book reminds me of spending the summer at my own cottage, with my best friends next door. One of my best friends introduced me to this book and I could never go back. When I found out that this book takes place in Muskoka's, I instantly bought it when I visited my cousins who live there. This book stood out to me since I had already read This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune and loved it. Carley Fortune shows how important it is to have a best friend and how Percy and Sam’s connection was real and strong. One of my favourite parts of this book was how it took place in Canada, somewhere that I’ve been many times, and could picture how the summer in the Muskoka’s really is. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance, especially friends to lovers.  

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania
Written and Directed by: Jeff Loveness and Peyton Reed
Reviewed by: Anonymous Grade 9 student, September 2023
Score 3/5     

Ant Man and the Wasp Quantumania  is an exciting film directed by Jeff Loveness and Peyton Reed and was a kickoff to phase 5 of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Quantumania is a funny movie that has some pretty decent action scenes and good effects. However it does have its flaws, the plot can be a bit confusing which can be hard to follow at times. The main plot is that the characters are sent to the Quantum Realm but get separated. They have to try to find each other but run into some problems along the way. One thing this movie did well in comparison to some earlier MCU movies is that it knew when to be funny and when to be serious, unlike Thor: Love and Thunder (which is directed by Taika Waititi). 

Quantumania has some characters that are interesting while others are sidelined and haveno significant part of the plot, like the character of The Wasp played by Evangeline Lily. On the other hand, Paul Rudd who plays Ant Man was great in this movie. He was really funny and his scenes with Kathryn Newton who played Cassie, his daughter were entertaining because they had good chemistry. Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas, was also sidelined. He didn’t have as major a role as he had in previous Ant Man movies. Janet played by Michelle Pfeiffer had a lot to do in this movie mainly because of her past in the Quantum Realm. Lastly, Jonathan Majors who plays Kang played a great villain, he had great scenes and made the plot more exciting and kept the audience engaged. 

In conclusion, Ant Man and the Wasp Quantumania is an average MCU film. It doesn’t give you enough to really like but it also doesn’t give you enough to not like it. There is just so much going on at once making the plot difficult to follow, despite this the movie is worth watching if you are an MCU fan because it is entertaining and Paul Rudd is really funny.

Written and Directed by: John Hopkins
Reviewed by: Anonymous, Grade 9, July 2023
Rating: 3.5/5

Bluefin is written and directed by John Hopkins Bluefin is an entertaining documentary film that is set in North Lake, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Bluefin digs deep into the sad history of the great Bluefin Tuna and the mystery of why these fish no longer fear humans.

Bluefin is 53 minutes long but captures its audience through the many interviews and stories gathered from the local people and fishermen of North Lake. The people talk about what they think of the situation, how they want it to get fixed and for others they talk about the impact it is happening on their lives and their families.

What makes this film interesting is hearing the many stories from the perspective of the local people. They passionately talk about how fishing for Bluefin Tuna is something they love and how it has been happening through generations. Their stories are the key parts of the film,  allowing the audience to connect to the emotion of the film, especially for those who also have a love of fishing, like myself.

This film is extremely entertaining and is filled with a lot of questions and mysteries that are answered throughout the film by scientists and local fishermen. I would recommend this documentary for anyone who would like to learn and discover more about these fantastic creatures.

Directed by: Chris Columbus
Reviewed by: Anonymous, Grade 12, May 2023
Rating: 3/5 stars

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a magical film directed by Chris Columbus based on the first book in J.K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter series. The film takes us on a journey with young Harry Potter, who discovers he is a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The film does an excellent job of bringing the magical world of Hogwarts to life, with stunning visual effects and imaginative set designs. The cast, led by Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, are all outstanding in their roles, bringing the beloved characters to life in a way that feels both authentic and engaging.

The story follows Harry as he learns about the wizarding world and his place in it. Along the way, he encounters friends and foes, including the dark wizard Voldemort, who killed his parents. The film balances its darker themes with humor and heartwarming moments, making it a family-friendly adventure that appeals to audiences of all ages.

The film's score, composed by the legendary John Williams, is a standout element of the film, adding an additional layer of magic and excitement to the already enchanting story. Overall, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a fantastic film that captures the wonder and magic of the book series, making it a must-see for fans and newcomers alike.

Reviewed by: Anonymous, Grade 12
Rating: 4/5 stars

Stephen King's novel "The Shining" is a gripping and atmospheric horror story that is sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats. The book follows the story of Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic and struggling writer, who takes a job as the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado with his wife Wendy and young son Danny.

As winter sets in and the family settles into their new home, it becomes clear that the hotel has a dark and haunted past. Danny, who possesses a psychic ability known as "the shining," begins to see visions of the hotel's sinister history, including the ghosts of former guests and staff members who met untimely ends. Meanwhile, Jack's own demons begin to resurface, as he struggles to overcome his addiction and the pressures of his failing writing career.

King expertly builds the tension throughout the novel, with eerie and unsettling scenes that will keep readers up late into the night. The characters are well-drawn and complex, particularly Jack, who is both sympathetic and deeply flawed. King also touches on themes of addiction, family dysfunction, and the legacy of trauma. Overall, "The Shining" is a masterful work of horror that is sure to haunt readers long after they've turned the final page. It's a must-read for fans of the genre and a great introduction to King's body of work for those who are new to his writing.