Lists

Level Up: Pairing Video Games with Children’s and YA Books (Halo)

Level Up- Video Game Book Lists

Each Thursday this summer, I’ll be posting a video game and corresponding book list. This is just a fun, personal project that was actually the brainchild of my boyfriend who thought that A) it sounded awesome and B) that there are a lot of parents who would love to have some resources for those kids who would rather be in front of a screen than a book. I’m hoping these titles will appeal to both boys and girls who love gaming and who do love storytelling; they just need the right book to make them readers. Each list will include the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s (ESRB) rating for the game. I know that every family is different, but want to make sure this information is provided as I’ll be offering lists for games for younger kids as well as teens.

Halo (Teen – Mature)

c2LMRHalo is described as a first person shooter in a military science fiction setting. With a number of games created under the franchise, Halo is one of the most popular games for the Xbox console. Players battle aliens from across the galaxy while completing objectives in order to uncover the secrets of the Halo Array. The books chosen for this list include science fiction novels, many of which are set in the future and hold onto the belief in extraterrestrial life.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The book the movie was based on of the same name, Ender’s Game is the story of 6-year old, Ender who believes he is only playing a video game when in fact, he’s training to become the military genius he was created to be through genetic engineering, but will the militray push him too far?
HALO: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund
The Halo franchise has also created novels and comics that feature characters from the video games. Is there a better way to put a book in a kid’s hand than one written about their favorite video game? Probably not!
I am Number 4 by Pittacus Lore
Nine aliens living among humans on Earth all stronger, faster and more powerful than you can dream of being. They thought they could hide, but three have already been killed, will Number 4 be next?
Insignia by S.J. Kincaid
World War III is raging over natural resources and controlling the assets of the solar system and it looks as if the enemy might win. But salvation may be in the hands of a fourteen year old kid named Tom Raines. Tom is a video game expert making him the perfect person behind the controls of a battle drone. With his new job, Tom has a chance to be a whole new person, but at what price?
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
A classic that when produced for radio, sent hundreds of people into a panic that aliens were in fact, invading. Set at the turn of the 19th century, London, Martians invaded with advanced technology and laid waste to world as we knew it.

22 Comments

Add a few sprinkles

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.