Aliens Among Us: 15+ Science Fiction Titles for Ages 8-12

Summer is here! And that means loads of time for kids to experience books in all their glory. This is also a great time to encourage kids to read the books they choose (without having to worry about school assignments) and to try out new genres that they might be interested in learning more about.
This series will offer titles for toddlers to teens and include a variety of formats. Each week will focus on a different genre and will follow the same format:

• Mondays – Titles for Ages 3-7
• Tuesdays – Middle Grade Titles for Ages 8-12
• Wednesdays – Young Adult Titles for Ages 13+
• Thursdays – Nonfiction pairings
• Friday – Recap of the Week

Middle Grade
2018 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide edited by Corie Weaver and Sean Weaver
A science fiction, short story anthology for kids to explore as they learn about new authors and diverse voices!

Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rosi, her brother Bobo and the other children have always been raised in exile by adults called “Freds”. They’ve always been told they’re too dangerous to live at home with their parents, until one day they are sent back. Will the children be able to adjust to their new life?

Daniel Coldstar: The Relic War by Stel Pavlou
Daniel has no memory of how or why he came to be in a mine sifting through rubble, searching for ancient alien artifacts on a forgotten planet, but he does know that if he even questions the process, the fearsome Overseers will make him disappear.

Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker
“When Felix Yz was three years old, a hyperintelligent fourth-dimensional being became fused inside him after one of his father’s science experiments went terribly wrong. The creature is friendly, but Felix—now thirteen—won’t be able to grow to adulthood while they’re still melded together. So a risky Procedure is planned to separate them . . . but it may end up killing them both instead.” (Taken from Goodreads)

The Firefly Code by Megan Frazer Blakemore
Mori and her friends live a normal life in Old Harmonie, but when a new girl moves into the community who seems a little too perfect. Mori and her friends begin to ask hard questions about their idyllic town.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
Ellie’s life changes when her grandfather shows up at her front door as a 13-year-old boy. And so begins their time together as Ellie helps her grandfather access his old lab and data as she learns about how a special jellyfish serum was able to reverse her grandfather’s aging process.

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar
Marshall and Tamaya take a shortcut through the woods on their way home one day from school to steer clear of the school bully, but what they come across could be so much worse.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
When a monster apocalypse hits town Jack and his friends take refuge in his old treehouse planning to defeat the evil Blarg once and for all!

The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge
Growing up in a family of scientists, Albie searches for a parallel dimension to find his mom after she’s passed away.

Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall
“And despite everything that happened to me and my friends afterwards, I’d do it all again. because until you’ve been shot at, pursued by terrifying aliens, taught maths by a laser-shooting robot goldfish and tried to save the galaxy, I don’t think you can say that you’ve really lived.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Masterminds by Gordon Korman
Eli lives in a small idyllic and boring town of Serenity, New Mexico. He’s never left, but one day biking with his friend too close to the town limits, Eli gets a horrible headache and collapses. He awakens in the hospital, his best friend’s family has disappeared and Eli has questions… lots of them.

MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester
“A boy and his friends must find a way to survive in the mining tunnels after their new space colony is attacked in this gritty action-adventure novel.” (Taken from Goodreads)

One Trick Pony by Nathan Hale
Humans have reverted to a time before electricity as alien blobs suck up any and all electrical devices. Strata and her family are digital rescuers trying to save part of Earth’s history. Strata and her brother are separated from her family as they try to save a robotic horse from the aliens, can they defeat them once and for all?

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Nine children live on an island, no more, no less. Each year a boat magically appears with a new child and the oldest must leave the island. But what happens when the oldest doesn’t feel quite read to leave and ten children live on the island?

Space Case by Stuart Gibbs
Can you crack the case of the murder mystery on the moon? Dashiell lives in a tiny moon base and when an scientist ends up dead, Dashiell thinks foul play is involved, will anyone believe him?

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
“When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero.” (Taken from Goodreads)