8 Books That Will Make Kids Lifelong Readers of Sci-Fi & Fantasy

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
The book of the moment, Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 fantasy science fiction novel has been beloved for decades. It’s the story of 13-year-old Meg Murray, a stubborn misfit with a father who’s already been missing for some time by the novel’s opening. Fortunately, her 5-year-old child prodigy brother Charles Wallace has been putting together a team to find him: a schoolmate named Calvin, and three ancient alien beings who call themselves Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. The five of them are soon off to the dark world of Camazotz, controlled by an evil entity known only as “IT.” On Camazotz, absolute conformity is the only rule. Elements of Meg’s development, particularly over subsequent novels in the four-book series, might seem a little troublesome today. Nevertheless, L’Engle made a girl the lead a science fiction novel in which both parents are scientists, and in which the plot turns on points of math and quantum physics. I mean, we know that math and science are cool, but there are worse ways to convince kids of that notion than with a galaxy-spanning adventure. (Recommended for age 11+.)

The White Mountains, by John Christopher
John Christopher’s Tripods trilogy (well, trilogy plus belated prequel) starts in familiar post-apocalyptic territory: the alien Masters have conquered Earth, dominating mankind with their massive, War of the Worlds-esque tripod machines. Those, and the “Caps” that suppress curiosity in anyone over the age of 13, making humans their docile slaves. Into this world comes a group of young teens determined to change their fate. Christopher’s world is more pastoral than the typical future wasteland, but really stands out due to its lead character. Will isn’t particularly special, he’s not much of a hero, he’s not always particularly likable. In other words, he’s someone to whom most of us can relate. (Recommended for age 12+.)

Akata Witch, by Nnedi Okorafor
Nnedi Okorafor creates a brilliantly distinctive world in this magical-realist synthesis of West African and American history and mythology. Sunny Nwazue is a 12-year-old girl from America who lives in Nigeria. She’s also black and albino—an athlete who can’t play in the sun. She feels as though she fits in nowhere at all, until she learns of her latent magical powers and joins a quartet of similarly gifted students tasked with tracking down a criminal with powers far greater than their own. Okorafor never loses sight of the believable trials of her characters, conjuring a world in which magic doesn’t feel so far removed from the wonders and mysteries of growing up in our own world. The sequel, Akata Warrior, is even better. Her earlier young adult novel, Zahrah the Windseeker, is a similarly impressive achievement. (Recommended for age 12+.)

Proxy, by Alex London
London’s 2013 novel updates a classic dystopian science fiction idea—the haves above lord over the have-nots below—with modern sensibilities and a gay teen protagonist. In London’s world, residents of the Lower City are inescapably indebted to citizens of the Upper City. In practice, the wealthy and powerful of the Upper City will buy off the debts of the poor; in exchange, the Lower City residents act as proxies for patrons who break the law, serving any required prison sentences and accepting any punishment to be metered out (they also can be called upon to provide blood or organs when needed). Syd Carton is proxy to a wild, rebellious young man who kills a woman with his car. What follows sets up Syd as the Lower’s City’s only hope of eradicating the unfair system. It’s heavy stuff, no doubt, but a great choice for kids ready to tackle bigger themes, and it will get them used to looking beyond the surface story to find the deeper resonance—which is one of the things that’s truly great about SFF. (Recommended for age 12+.)

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin
It’s tempting to name Earthsea as a good book for fans of Harry Potter, but Earthsea came first, so it really should be the other way around. Le Guin’s prose is more complex and her pacing more measured than is found in many children’s books, which is probably why it’s a bit less read than other classics of the same era (though maybe the forthcoming illustrated edition will help change that). The rewards, though, are appropriately greater—Le Guin writes with absolute respect for the intelligence of children. Ged is a young boy set adrift in the world of Earthsea, an enormous archipelago inhabited by a wide variety of human cultures as well as dragons and wizards. Naturally gifted in magic, Ged is sent to a renowned school for wizards, where his pride creates challenges for him that follow him into the wider world. It’s a coming of age story that also deals with big ideas about the need for balance (in the natural world, and within ourselves), as well as self-acceptance. (Recommended for age 12+.)

City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
Ember was built underground in order to spare mankind from a coming disaster. The problem is, 241 years after the city’s founding, the city is dying—its stores running low and its machinery failing—and no one remembers why they’re even down there in the first place. The secret set of instructions has been lost—or has it? Lina Mayfleet is a young woman whose baby sister uncovers the tattered documents that were intended to guide humans out of the city at the proper time. Reconstructing them with her friend Doon, Lina uncovers the history of Ember as well as a way to a promised future on the surface. But, because nothing is ever easy, she and Doon are declared fugitives by the greedy Mayor and forced to decide if they can save both themselves and the people of Ember itself. (Recommended for age 9+.)

Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
It’s hard to pick a single book from the oeuvre of a children’s author who produced one a a year for four decades, many of them worthy of being called classics. Howl’s Moving Castle, the first of a trilogy, wasn’t even a particularly big hit upon its initial release in 1986. But Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film version rescued it from near-obscurity, and good thing, too: the film is a visual feast with endearing characters and a muddled plot; the book betters it in almost every way. Plus, Sophie Hatter is one of the author’s most compelling protagonists, a shy, anxious, finicky teenager who ultimately finds the courage to be a hero—but not without a significant amount of development that’s less about her becoming a different person and more about recognizing what’s already inside. Oh, and she’s placed under a spell that transforms her into an old woman, a curse that can only be broken by the hapless wizard who lives in the oddly moving castle in the hills. This one won’t just make you an SFF reader for life, it will make you a convert in the church of Diana Wynne Jones. (Recommended for age 10+.)

Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi
This new book skews a bit older, solidly into young adult territory, but it has been so rapturously received by both adults and young teens, it’s definitely worth a look. On the surface, it’s a fairly straightforward heroic quest involving young Zélie Adebola, daughter of a powerful summoner of souls who loses everything when a ruthless king tries to put an end to magic. Without a family, Zélie joins with a rogue princess to fight back and to take her one chance to restore magic to her land. What makes it greater than the typical quest narrative is not only Adeyemi’s confident, lyrical style, but also the empowering message at the heart of the book, which is based on the legends and traditions of West Africa; she has crafted a powerful metaphor about the ability of bigotry to divide, and our power to rise above it. (Recommended for age 14+.)