Science Fiction Books for Tweens
Do your tweens love science fiction? Are they obsessed with Star Wars and Marvel? Do they love technology, computers, NASA, space, or science? My son has loved sci-fi all his life (he gets that from his mom) and the following list is made up of science fiction books that he has read. So if you have questions, leave them in the comments below.
I’ve got an exciting list of sci-fi books for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders – I’m thinking kids aged 10-14. If your tween likes robots, aliens, time travel, outer space…read on!
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Science Fiction Books for Middle Grades:
Tesla’s Attic (The Accelerati Trilogy #1)
Tesla’s Attic by Neal Shusterman is the first in the series called The Accelerati Trilogy. 14-year-old Nick moves with his family into an old ramshackle house and finds that the attic is a magnetic vortex filled with antiques that have extraordinary properties. He learns that Nikola Tesla, the inventor, placed the items here. Danger ensues…
Winter of the Robots
The Winter of the Robots by Kurtis Scaletta is a book about kids who love and build robots, with lots of unexpected surprises. And what is going on in that creepy junkyard??? This is fun science fiction for tweens.
A Wrinkle in Time (The Time Quintet #1)
A Wrinkle in Time is a classic by Madeline L’Engle about a family of geniuses whose scientist father has gone missing. Turns out the kids not only have to save him, but the universe is in danger. This is the first in a set of five novels known as the Time Quintet. Classic science fiction books for tweens.
Spaceheadz (SPHDZ #1)
Spaceheadz (also known as SPHDZ) is yet another quirky favorite from author Jon Scieszka, and is the first in a series. It’s about Michael, a boy who just started 5th grade at a new school. He makes some new friends, only they turn out to be not kids, but aliens…with a hamster as their leader.
What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World
What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World by Henry Clark is about three kids who find a crayon in a sofa and then find themselves in the midst of a plot to take over the world. The story involves intergalactic portals, DNA, artificial intelligence, and a cat named Mucus. Clever and super funny. Henry Clark has several fun sci-fi choices for middle schoolers, including the next one…
The Book That Proves That Time Travel Happens
The Book That Proves That Time Travel Happens is also by Henry Clark. Who knew that connecting Morse Code and ancient Chinese I-Ching hexagrams had something to do with time travel? This book combines adventure and humor as well as messages about diversity and the need to accept others.
Aliens on Vacation (Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast #1)
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith is the first book in the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series. David is spending the summer with his grandma at what he thinks is her sci-fi-themed bed and breakfast. It turns out his grandma’s inn is full of portals and she is a gatekeeper for aliens who want to vacation on Earth.
The Wells Bequest (The Grimm Legacy #2)
The Wells Bequest by Polly Shulman is actually the second book in the Grimm Legacy Series, but I am choosing to mention it here as it is more science fiction themed whereas the first book in the series, The Grimm Legacy, is more fantasy themed. Leo finds that the objects in H.G. Wells science fiction novels are real, including a time machine that appears in his bedroom. The time machine vanishes and as he searches for it he comes across a collection of powerful objects including robots, rockets, and a shrink ray!
Once Upon a Space-Time
Once Upon a Space-Time by Jeffrey Brown is the first in a silly science fiction book series for tweens by a well-established middle-grade author. I checked the second in the series out from my library – A Total Waste of Space-Time – so that I could review it for you. It’s a fun graphic novel full of quirky aliens and amusing jokes. It’s about a couple of earthling tweens who somewhat accidentally end up on a space mission with a motley group of outer space tweens. This one is definitely a great choice for reluctant readers. The author, Jeffrey Brown, is well-known for his beloved Jedi Academy series, another great choice for tweens who love science fiction.
My Teacher is an Alien (My Teacher Books #1)
My Teacher is an Alien by Bruce Coville is a good choice for kids who enjoy “wacky school” stories. It’s told from the perspective of Susan, a sixth-grader. Susan discovers that her new weird substitute is an alien who plans to abduct her classmates. How can she stop him? I read the first few chapters myself and it looks like fun. This is the first in a series of four books. He also has another series called Aliens Ate My Homework.
Do you have more suggestions for this list of science fiction books for tweens? Please leave them in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
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