Who hasn’t imagined what it would be like to travel to another world? Whether it’s exploring the vast expanses of space, finding new alien civilizations, or adventuring through the wilds of never-before-seen planets, the genre of science fiction is unlimited in its ability to expand our ideas of what’s possible.
This list features works of fiction set across galaxies and dimensions, touching on deep subjects that hit the reader at the heart. With examples for younger and older children, these 10 sci-fi books each offer a unique spin on the excitement of space exploration and will light up the imaginations of young and adult readers alike.
1. The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi
This book from Tony DiTerlizzi, the co-creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles, takes the wonder of classic fantastical creatures and blends it with the excitement of a new unknown world. Eva Nine has spent her first twelve years in an underground home with a robotic mother programmed to care for her.
Having learned about the outside through an interactive holographic encyclopedia, she is desperate to explore the real thing. But when her home is attacked and she is forced to flee alone into the unknown, it is completely unlike what she expected.
Why we recommend it: With lovable yet complex characters and an enchanting alien planet, this book is perfect for young readers with a passion for the natural world who are looking to delve into something captivating.
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The protagonist of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Arthur Dent, lives a simple English life until he is suddenly whisked away from Earth by his best friend Ford Prefect, just before the planet is destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass.
Arthur, and Ford, who are secretly an alien and researchers for the latest edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, begin an adventure through space where they encounter bizarre alien peoples and planets and use the guide to navigate the aliens’ quirks, and sometimes unpleasant plans. Filled with unique alien characters and worlds, this classic piece of sci-fi is heartily silly in its exploration of the big questions.
Why we recommend it: This book is perfect for kids who want to enjoy something funny and unique. The characters are emotional, the topics it touches on are interesting and the action is grand and exciting.
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3. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Patrick Ness’ captivating novel follows the journey of 12-year-old Todd Hewitt who lives in an isolated, male-only town in a newly colonized world. In this town where the Noise shows everyone each other’s thoughts, Todd is forced to run away when it is learned that he discovered a patch of silence. During his escape, he encounters the first girl he has ever seen, and they travel tentatively together as Todd searches for answers about his past and himself.
Why we recommend it: This book stands out in how Ness has written Todd’s circumstances. It explores deep themes of privacy, bigotry, and human connection through a gritty adventure that is gripping from beginning to end.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter4. The Northern Lights/The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
The Northern Lights, and the overall series His Dark Materials, is a must-read for any young reader who is captivated by animals, magical abilities, and alternate worlds. The series centers around Lyra, who has grown up the only child in a prestigious Oxford college, cared for by guardians and her intimidating uncle.
She is scrappy, and fearsome and always has her soul daemon, Pan, by her side. But Lyra is soon swept up in a rush on an adventure to save the people she loves, riding on an armored bear and with a mysterious golden compass in her hands.
Why we recommend it: Pullman has created a beautiful world that explores traditional fantasy mixed with the idea of the multiverse. It’s deeply emotional and creative, perfect for older kids who are looking for a heartfelt story and complexly developed worlds.
5. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
This is a classic, exciting piece of science fiction which is a great way to familiarize kids with the genre. Set in a distant future, Earth has been invaded by insectoid alien creatures who are at war with the human race. Follow the protagonist Ender as he grows up in a harsh world with many expectations of him, and navigates the journey from training games to the real game of war.
Why we recommend it: This is a story which doesn’t shy away from how it feels to grow up in difficult times. Ender’s Game can be a great way to show young readers how to face adversity and what it means to choose between ruthlessness and compassion.
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6. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
This 2013 book from the renowned children’s author Neil Gaiman is a fantastically charming novel about Dad going out to get some milk. When he returns after a suspiciously long time, he regales his curious children with an explanation filled with an abduction by green aliens and adventures through time featuring vampires, dinosaurs (most importantly Professor Steg, the time-traveling stegosaurus), and a host of more quirky characters.
Filled with gorgeous illustrations by the legendary Chris Riddell in the UK version, and Skottie Young in the US, this book will delight and light up young readers’ minds.
Why we recommend it: This beautiful book is a whimsical tale which gives kids best of the shiny, inspiring side of science fiction. It’s simpler in style, filled with illustrations which even feature within the text so younger readers won’t feel overwhelmed.
7. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
When the robot Roz wakes up alone on a deserted island, she doesn’t know how she got there or how to survive. Searching for answers, she battles life in the cruel wilderness while trying to learn from the animals who don’t yet trust her.
Follow Roz’s journey as she begins to earn the trust of the animals around her, settles into life, and finds what could be called a family, until one day the island is visited by more unwelcome visitors from Roz’s past. This book, which was recently adapted into an animated film, is a beautiful exploration of otherness, finding a home for oneself, and technology’s place among nature.
Why we recommend it: This book is an accessible jump into the beauty of nature and friendship that children will be amazed by.
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8. The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron
Originally published in the 1950s, The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet is a stellar example of classic sci-fi, inspired by the era of the first space explorations. Chuck and David, two boys from California, build their own spaceship and travel to the alien planet of Basidium which is populated by gigantic mushrooms. This classic piece, which is the first in a six-part series, has delighted children with the wonders of space travel for generations.
Why we recommend it: This book has stood the test of time as a fun-filled adventure typical of the genre. Anyone looking for the charm of retro sci-fi will be enamored with this classic children’s novel.
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine l’Engle
Meg Murray, her genius younger brother Charles, and their school friend Calvin, are shocked one day to find out that their eccentric neighbor Mrs. Whatsit is actually a supernatural being from outer space.
She, along with two more mysterious women, offers to help Meg and their friends on a journey to find her father, who disappeared while working on a scientific project on the tesseract, the key to their intriguing adventure through dimensions. In this adventure, which was adapted into a 2018 Disney film, the kids and their inter-dimensional friends battle the forces of evil to find and rescue their father and bring him back to Earth.
Why we recommend it: This book uses the theory of physics to tell a wonderful story of three kids traveling further than the confines of the world they’ve known. For kids hooked on the wonders of physics or dimensions, this is an unmissable piece that marries science with the wonder of adventure.
10. Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville
As the title suggests, this book is a classic addition to the sci-fi genre aimed at children. But don’t be fooled: this book is imaginative and forward-thinking in its own right. Rod Allbright is minding his own business when an alien spaceship crashes into his bedroom and on top of his homework.
Before long, Rod is whipped up on an adventure to save the Earth from the evil alien criminal BKR, who has been hiding in the form of Rod’s school bully Billy Becker. Developed into a 2018 film starring William Shatner of Star Trek, the adventure features alien sidekicks, extraterrestrial technology, and realistic dialogue which explores surprisingly deep topics such as empathy and what it means to always tell the truth.
Why we recommend it: This sci-fi romp is simply a fun, relatable, and delightful book that does a great job of appealing to how it feels to be a kid (with an above-average amount of the supernatural thrown in).
So whatever lights up your child’s imagination, be it the big questions of physics, the wonder of unexplored worlds, or the relatability of these plucky protagonists, these books are perfect to inspire them and open their minds to new possibilities.
