Some of our favorite science fiction stories for school-age children.
Compiled by:
Children's Services Staff
Picture Books and Younger Elementary
J-GN Martz Burts Way Home
Burt is an alien from a distant galaxy with advanced technology, but an accident has made his parents disappear and trapped him on Earth. But when Burt embarks on a plan to teleport home once and for all and ventures into the cold all alone, his foster mother Lydia will have to find a way to bridge the gulf between them.
J-GN Glorkian Warrior v. 1
The Glorkian Warrior isn't the brightest bulb in the box, so it's good he's got his trusty talking backpack to advise him as they set out on a perilous journey to deliver a pizza. The pizza's got clams and peanut butter on it, so it's not clear who's going to want it, but deliver it they will.
J-GN Hatke Little Robot
When a girl finds a lost robot in the woods, they become fast friends, but they're both in for an adventure when a much larger, menacing robot comes to retrieve it.
J-GN Pluto Rocket v. 1
Series: Pluto Rocket
An unlikely friendship forms between a street-smart pigeon and an out-of-this-world visitor.
J-GN Waffles and Pancake v. 1
Series: Waffles and Pancake
Future CatStronaut Waffles and his younger sister Pancake are kittens who enjoy visiting the science museum with Dad-Cat.
Older Elementary
J-GN Five Worlds v. 1
Series: 5 Worlds
A story that explores new worlds packed with amazing adventures; ancient mysteries; the unlikely bond of a clumsy dancer, a boy from the poorest slums, and a superstar athlete--and their quest to save one small, distant galaxy from the forces of evil
J-GN ANimorphs v. 1
Series: Animorphs (Graphic novels)
Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He could tell you about the night he and his friends saw a strange light in the sky that seemed to be heading right for them. That was the night five normal kids learned that humanity is under a silent attack -- and were given the power to fight back. Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco can transform into some of the most dangerous creatures on Earth. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil greater than anything the world has ever seen.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Vaneekh)
Cog looks like a normal twelve-year-old boy. But his name is short for 'cognitive development,' and he was built to learn. But after an accident leaves him damaged, Cog wakes up in an unknown lab and Gina, the scientist who created and cared for him, is nowhere to be found. Surrounded by scientists who want to study him and remove his brain, Cog recruits four robot accomplices for a mission to find her.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Lee)
Min, a 13-year-old girl with fox-magic, stows away on a battle cruiser and impersonates a cadet in order to solve the mystery of what happened to her older brother in the Thousand World Space Forces.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Sachar)
Two middle-grade kids take a shortcut home from school and discover what looks like fuzzy mud, but is actually a substance with the potential to wreak havoc on the entire world.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Lowry)
Series: The Giver Quartet; 1
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community. Then, he discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
J-GN Wilgus Grace Needs Space
Grace's excitement to accompany her "fun" mom on delivery to Titan quickly turns to frustration when her mom is too preoccupied with her mission to spend time with Grace, yet when their ship stops working on their return home it is up to Grace to save the day.
J-GN Hilo v. 1
Series: Hilo
When a mysterious boy falls from the sky, friends D.J. and Gina must discover the secrets of his identity and help him save the world.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Marcian)
Series: Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat; 1
Klawde, the exiled ruler of the planet Lyttyrboks, and Raj, who just moved from Brooklyn to tiny Elba, Oregon, forge an unlikely friendship as they find their footing in a strange new world.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Cartaya)
In a future shaken by climate disasters, Yolanda Cicerón knows that nature is something to be feared. From the crops that don't grow to the terrifying creatures that roam the countryside, Yoly's life in the Valley is brutal and harsh. She dreams of leaving her farm to live in Silo--the most advanced town for miles around. But first, Yoly will need to prove she belongs in a place where only the smartest and most useful are welcomed.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Bradfor)
Eleven-year-old Ruby, a Black girl who loves studying insects, accidentally captures an alien bug, but when the creature escapes and starts wreaking havoc around the neighborhood, it is up to Ruby and her rag-tag group of friends to find this new invasive species before the feds do.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Hernand)
In order to heal after his mother's death, 13-year-old Sal learns to reach into time and space to retrieve things—and people—from other universes.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Haddix)
Series: Greystone Secrets; 1
Told from separate viewpoints, Chess, Emma, and Finn Greystone investigate why their mother went missing and uncover their ties to an alternate world.
(Juvenile Fiction - J Brown)
Roz the Robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there. Her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants.