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Best Children's Science Fiction Books

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 3)
The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. While I didn't know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games , or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas? A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but--given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games --it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it. Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Lord of the Flies by William Golding Boris by Jaapter Haar Germinal by Emile Zola Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they've grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Stephen King's The Stand .
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
"The problem with most dystopias is that the oppressed do not resist oppression in a realistic way. That being said: in this third volume of the series, there is a peasant rebellion. Recommended- but read the whole series!- for those fond of dystopias and/or peasant rebellions."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 1)
The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Reviewed by Megan Whalen Turner. If there really are only seven original plots in the world, it's odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000 , hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. Grade 7 Up -In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing.
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
"The problem with most dystopias is that the oppressed do not resist oppression in a realistic way. That being said: in this third volume of the series, there is a peasant rebellion. Recommended- but read the whole series!- for those fond of dystopias and/or peasant rebellions."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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Catching Fire (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 2)
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. Gr 7 Up--Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. But most reviewers felt that Catching Fire was still a thrill because Collins replicated her initial success at balancing action, violence, and heroism in a way that will enthrall young readers without giving them (too many) nightmares.
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
"The problem with most dystopias is that the oppressed do not resist oppression in a realistic way. That being said: in this third volume of the series, there is a peasant rebellion. Recommended- but read the whole series!- for those fond of dystopias and/or peasant rebellions."
"If she suspects you of. 1. not telling her everything she want to know immediately. 2. of not having approved (by her) thoughts or. 3. not agreeing with her in every way. she cuts you off with a childish temper tantrum and you are not allowed to offer any defence. .You then have to come crawling back at least twice and a sufficient period of time out must elapse before you are reluctantly her friend again. In one scene she and another minion shoot down a couple of enemy bomber aircraft with.....bows and explosive arrows???????????"
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Best Children's Aliens Books

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles)
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Here, she offers an appropriately sweet, fluttery Snow White-esque voice for Winter; a deliciously purring, cooing "popular mean girl" voice for Queen Levana; a French accent for Jacinl and many, many more. Even background characters who appear for just a line or two get distinctive voices, such as an Australian-accented guest at the wedding banquet. Soler's pacing is excellent, and she skillfully navigates listeners through Meyer's 23-hour story."
Reviews
"The Lunar Chronicles is a re-imagined set of fairy tales set in the future that intertwines Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Fairest of Them All is a companion book that offers Levana's (evil stepmother to Winter) and Stars Above - a set of short stories that take place after Winter."
"However, I don’t feel as attached to Cress, Thorne, and Kai. I like Thorne and Cress, but I feel like with all of the action that happened in the book Cress, there wasn’t a lot of room for me to feel connected to those two. I think some aspects just needed rewritten so it could be at least 200 pages shorter. Wolf and Scarlet’s love story makes me so happy inside. And Cinder’s bravery and take-charge attitude kept me on the edge of my seat. All in all, there were a few things that I didn’t enjoy in this conclusion, but for the most part, it was a good ending to a great sci-fi series and I’m excited to see what else Marissa Meyer has in store for us."
"Having all been united (except for Scarlet- shes still imprisoned on Luna), the team has successful derailed the marriage between Emperor Kai and queen Levena by kidnapping Kai and escaping off in the Rampion to plot their next moves; head to Luna, rescue Scarlet, and overthrow Levena while instating the true Lunar Queen in her place, none other than our beloved Cinder (or Princess Selene as is her true birth name). Meanwhile, Scarlet is imprisoned on Luna, the plaything of the mentally fragile Princess of Luna, Winter. She is thrilled with the return of her best friend Jacin after the kidnapping of the Queens betrothed and through him eventually learns of the plan by the others to overthrow Levena and instate Cinder (Selene) as Queen. Having always been jealous of her beauty and the way in which the people of Luna love her, Levena (becoming more and more unhinged as the book wears on) orders the assassination of Winter, by none other than Jacin (she is so twisted that Levena). Cinder and her gang eventually put into motion their plan which involves returning Kai to resume his marriage to Levena, arriving (semi)undetected to Luna, rescuing Scarlet."
"A very good friend enlightened me, and I promptly purchased and consumed the preceding books and then started "Winter" from the top."
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Best Children's Dystopian Sci-Fi Books

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 3)
The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. While I didn't know every detail, of course, the arc of the story from gladiator game, to revolution, to war, to the eventual outcome remained constant throughout the writing process. In the novel, you never leave Katniss for a second and are privy to all of her thoughts so you need a way to dramatize her inner world and to make it possible for other characters to exist outside of her company. Q: Are you able to consider future projects while working on The Hunger Games , or are you immersed in the world you are currently creating so fully that it is too difficult to think about new ideas? A: I have a few seeds of ideas floating around in my head but--given that much of my focus is still on The Hunger Games --it will probably be awhile before one fully emerges and I can begin to develop it. Q: The Hunger Games is an annual televised event in which one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts is forced to participate in a fight-to-the-death on live TV. A: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Lord of the Flies by William Golding Boris by Jaapter Haar Germinal by Emile Zola Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Grade 7 Up Following her subversive second victory in the Games, this one composed of winners from past years, Katniss has been adopted by rebel factions as their symbol for freedom and becomes the rallying point for the districts in a desperate bid to take down the Capitol and remove President Snow from power. But being the Mockingjay comes with a price as Katniss must come to terms with how much of her own humanity and sanity she can willingly sacrifice for the cause, her friends, and her family. Collins is absolutely ruthless in her depictions of war in all its cruelty, violence, and loss, leaving readers, in turn, repulsed, shocked, grieving and, finally, hopeful for the characters they've grown to empathize with and love. Mockingjay is a fitting end of the series that began with The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) and will have the same lasting resonance as William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Stephen King's The Stand .
Reviews
"All in all, this is a really good book which are a great gift for every Hunger Games fan!"
"I felt that it started out strong and Katniss showed some serious hope and depth in terms of her character and what she wanted and how she was not going to compromise, but then it became a little boring, the characters in District 13 were not very interesting and the absence of Peeta, as another reviewer carefully mentioned, took away that balance - that harmony - that common sense side of Katniss. Also I do wish there was a clarity as to what in the world had happened behind the scenes between President Snow and Coin but no explanation."
"However, it is almost given that unlike the Enders series that turned more and more unreal as well as more distant from the subjects of the first book, this one could develop with more continuity."
"Catching Fire is different than most of the other young adult fiction books, because of the character development, and the relationship from book to movie."
"She unwillingly and reluctantly has become the symbol of the rebellion and the rebel leaders urge her to exploit this via video feeds to the 12 Districts. Katniss at first feigns infirmity but eventually caves in after negotiating an agreement with the rebel leaders that they will not harm Peeta or the other Hunger Games survivors if they assume leadership."
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Best Children's Steampunk Books

A Series of Unfortunate Events #5: The Austere Academy
NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES. When Count Olaf appears on the scene disguised as Coach Genghis (covering his monobrow with a turban and his ankle tattoo with expensive running shoes), the Quagmires resolve to come to the aid of their new friends. Snicket disarms us again with his playful juxtapositions--only he can compare bombs with strawberry shortcake (both are as dangerous to make as assumptions), muse on how babies adjust developmentally to the idea of curtains, or ponder why the Baudelaire orphans would not want to be stalks of celery despite their incessant bad luck as humans. There is the usual array of stupid/evil adults including the ridiculous Vice Principal Nero, who mimics everything that Klaus and Violet say and employs baby Sunny as his secretary because she is too young to attend class.
Reviews
"My kids love this series, as do my wife and I."
"These are all good reading of this series, I am re reading these, enjoyed and couldn't put down the books."
"I am sure the answers to these questons will be revealed as the saga continues... For me, money very well-spent for an entertaining, well-written, totally-original two hour read."
"Why is the writer "compelled" to write this tale?I am sure the answers to these questons will be revealed as the saga continues... For me, money very well-spent for an entertaining, well-written, totally-original two hour read."
"The narrations are amazing."
"That is my favorite book in the series."
"Delivered promptly, and a terrific book!"
"These books are really good we have the whole series."
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Best Children's Time Travel Books

A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet Book 1)
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger. They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem. A Wrinkle in Time is soon to be a movie from Disney, directed by Ava DuVernay, starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling. The Polly O'Keefe books The Arm of the Starfish. Dragons in the Waters. A House Like a Lotus. And Both Were Young. Camilla. The Joys of Love. Spurred on by these rumors, Meg and Charles Wallace, along with their new friend Calvin, embark on a perilous quest through space to find their father. In doing so they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time. Young people who have trouble finding their place in the world will connect with the "misfit" characters in this provocative story. "Two children, accompanied by an older boy, go on a search for their missing scientist-father-a dangerous search that takes them through space by means of a 'tesseract,' or wrinkle in time, to the dark planet Camazotz, whose puppetlike inhabitants are controlled by IT, a disembodied brain.
Reviews
"He loves, even at 12, for you read a chapter, I read a chapter every night time. This has led to some deep conversations and has increased his ability to read dramatically and fluently."
"This story involves the twins, Sandy and Dennys, who unwittingly put themselves inside one of their father’s time travel experiments."
"At my age I am not much of a fan of fantasy or of reading about time travel, but I realize the author was not writing for senior citizens."
"Out of boredom though I eventually picked it up and started reading it on the school bus ride home and the next thing I remember , the driver was asking me "aren't you going home today ?""
"While it's a YA book, it doesn't talk down to kids or act as if all they care about is snogging their boyfriends."
"Remembering that I had always thought of A Wrinkle In Time as my favorite childhood book, I realized I had forgotten much of the story, even though I read it over and over."
"This book is a classic."
"I loved this book, because first of all, I related to Meg, Though I wasn't gangly and tall (quite the opposite) I wasn't popular at all, and like Meg was bullied often."
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Best Children's Fantasy Books

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
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Best Children's Scary Stories

Titan's Curse, The (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)
When the goddess Artemis goes missing, she is believed to have been kidnapped. The droll pitch is teen-perfect, as when Apollo heats up the scene by arriving in his fire-red Maserati, wearing jeans, a sleeveless T-shirt, and loafers. All in all, a winner of Olympic proportions and a surefire read-aloud.– Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Their adventures range widely across the U.S., taking them to locales that include Washington, D.C., and the deserts of the Southwest and pitting them against the usual assortment of colorful adversaries. The Percy Jackson & the Olympians series is built around a terrific idea—that the half-mortal offspring of Greek gods live among us, playing out struggles of mythic scale—and Riordan takes it from strength to strength with this exciting installment, adding even more depth to the characters and story arc while retaining its predecessors' nonstop laughs and action.
Reviews
"While the second book in the series, *The Sea of Monsters*, helped to change my mind on this, it was still a bit underwhelming. The whole narrative felt like basically an endless series of cliff-hangers with little to no character development and not enough plot. Now, this isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the first two volumes, but just that they didn't quite (other than some interesting stuff such as likable characters and references to myths) *do* it for me, so to speak. This third book, however, really did make me a major *Percy Jackson* fan, and was absolutely a great read. In a rescue mission to save two fellow demi-gods, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and their new friend Thalia, encounter trouble. Though they save the twin half-bloods, Annabeth goes missing, and to make matters worse, so does a powerful goddess ally, Artemis. Not only did Riordan expand on the mythology of the series, and the connections to Classical Greek myths, but the structure was different. Well, the answer is that they are a) kinda personality-driven, and this interferes with some proactiveness, as they have their own stuff to attend to and their personalities dictate this, and b) related, they are *busy*. For that matter, there is a delicate power balance that too much action on the part of *anyone* will upset."
"We also find out with why Nico is so grumpy and not very talkative with Annabeth anymore like he used to as a preteen. Leo even visited Calypso and we learned what that line in the prophecy about a promise was really Leo promising Calypso to free her from her prison so that one day they could open up a car repair garage/food place. Leo's ADHD hasn't been too bad, Piper can charmspeak things to being actual living things while also learning how to fight, and being in Tartarus both changed Percy and Annabeth while growing them more together."
"Everyone is on survival mode — Percy and Annabeth must survive Tartarus and reach the Doors of Death, as the rest of the team — Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Leo, Nico, and Coach Hedge — travels on the Argo II to reach the House of Hades. The changing points of view allows the reader to keep up with the simultaneous events — sometimes jumping from one place to another at the most inopportune times, other times giving us just enough breathing room to relax for a millisecond. We follow Percy and Annabeth’s impossible and grueling journey through the most horrible of settings — in a surprising turn of events, there is more than just a horde of evil enemies down there… (a silver light as the end of this dark, dark tunnel?)."
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