Dystopian Worlds: 13+ Science Fiction Titles for Ages 13 and up

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

Young Adult
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
“Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson
The vuvv, an alien race that has colonized Earth, love all things Earth culture, so in order to survive Adam and Chloe work together, but what are they willing to sacrifice in order to save themselves and their families?

LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff
“In the wake of an uprising in a post-apocalyptic USA, the robotic populace have been reduced to slaves, and androids (robots who look like humans) have been outlawed. A girl named Eve and her best friend Lemon, who find a ruined android in a scrap heap – an almost-boy named Ezekiel, who knows the truth behind the robotic revolt. ” (Author review on Goodreads)

Light Years by Emily Ziff Griffin
Things are looking up for Luisa who recently earned a fellowship spot for her excellent work in coding, that is until a deadly epidemic sweeps across the globe. With her father in quarantine, Luisa learns there may be a way to stop the epidemic, but at what cost?

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Rosemary learns the meaning of family whey she joins the crew of the Wayfarer and soon is stuck in a dangerous position on a job of a lifetime.

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
In a futuristic world where dreams are no more for most of the population, only Indigenous people can dream and within their marrow is the cure for all, unfortunately it also causes their demise. But that doesn’t stop the recruiters, hot on the trail of a 15-year-old runaway trying to save his life and find his family.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
“As Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron discovers things about himself that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is? ” (Taken from Goodreads)

On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
The big one (a comet) is finally coming and Denise and her mother and sister must get to safety when an interesting opportunity presents itself – climb aboard a ship headed for outer space and colonization. That is, if you have a skill to provide and that’s what has Denise worried, she’s on the autism spectrum and can only hope that they’ll accept her on board.

Proxy by Alex London
Being a Patron, Knox is never punished, rather a Proxy is punished in his place. When Knox and Syd realize they only way they can save each other is to runaway, they set out on a cross-country trip as they learn a secret group fo rebels and more about their world than they ever knew.

Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh
Jaewon has been recruited by a weapons development division in Neo Seoul, which is exactly what he wants, to prove himself and make a name. But, when he meets Tera, a government test subject, Jaewon must decide what is more important his alliance to an oppressive regime or a rebel?

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
“Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.” (Taken from Goodreads)

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
“In her YA debut, Johnson (the Spirit Binders series) depicts a future that’s recognizably Brazilian and human…With its complicated history, founding myth, and political structure, Palmares Três is compelling, as is the triple bond between June, Enki, and Gil as they challenge their world’s injustices.” (Publishers Weekly)

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman
This book has been compared to both Indiana Jones and Doctor Who for it’s adventure, scavenging and an alien race ready to end life as we know it on Planet Earth.

Warcross by Marie Lu
“When a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game – it’s a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. When Emika hacks into the game illegally, she’s convinced she’ll be arrested, and is shocked when she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job.” (Taken from Goodreads)