It is so important to read the books upon which film adaptations are based because they offer a subtlety in syntax and tone that is all the author’s and that simply can not be transmitted by any filmmaker.

The Hunger Games, a sort of cross between such films as “Logan’s Run”, “Battle Royale” and “The White Mountains”  was a massive theatrical success, and while its concept may seem a bit morbid and adult for a young reader, there is also a lot of heart, and an introduction to some more advanced themes that would still be manageable by younger readers.

The writing is easy to follow and not so stylized as to be confusing.  If you believe your young one is ready for the heavier elements involved (blood sports in this case), then this one is worthy of a read.

Publisher’s description: “In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called,”The Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.”

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; Reprint edition (July 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439023521
• ISBN-13: 978-0439023528

Though the dialogue is at time a little thin and the plot rather straightforward, City of Ember introduces some very intriguing and imaginative settings not seen elsewhere, and concludes with a very positive and thought provoking message.

In 2008, City of Ember was released as a major motion picture starring Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Saoirse Ronan, and Harry Treadaway.  The clockwork, Steampunk aesthetic and quirky characters make for a highly entertaining and unique adventure story.  Of course, we always recommend reading the book first, or at the very least, afterwards so as to participate in the original author’s stylistic and thematic intent.  This tie-in edition of The City of Ember features a movie-art cover and an 8-page photo insert.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (August 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385736282
• ISBN-13: 978-0385736282

Although Brave New World could be taken as the alternate path the future could take from George Orwell’s 1984, the two books now seem to have converged into a mutually prescient set.  Where 1984 introduced the idea of Newspeak, Brave New World introduced “Soma” which can be taken as the hypnotic effect of new media to the more literal prevalence of better living through chemistry via such mood tailoring drugs as Prozac. Regardless of how it is interpreted, Brave New World is essential science fiction for introducing young readers to critical thinking and social awareness.

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics (October 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060850523
• ISBN-13: 978-0060850524

“Jack is a kid who grew up on Freedom Station. He works in a bar and can tell the Earthies from the Spacers. He thinks he knows everything about Earthies, but that was before Kit showed up. Kit is just a normal Earthie except for what she carries with her. When Jack finds out Kit’s secret, he feels he has no choice but to help her. Even if it is illegal. Even if it means risking their lives in space.”

Margaret Bechard has naming colony and ship names after Shakespearean characters and science fiction icons from the twentieth century.  Thematically, the story considers both the despair of a solar system which has never succeeded in solving its health, political, or environmental problems, coupled with the possibilities that open up in the mind of the protagonist who begins to see the cosmos he inhabits, in a whole new light.  A quick, albeit light read for young readers of science fiction.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596430583
• ISBN-13: 978-1596430587

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry; 1st edition (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689506155
• ISBN-13: 978-0689506154

Josh Lewis’s best friend, Aaron Zimmer, has turned his computer into a wish-granting machine. Unfortunately, there are a few bugs in the system. Nobody knows when the computer will interactivate next!  When a mysterious spy called The Watcher starts monitoring the boys’ every move in cyberspace, the trouble begins….

“Humor, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery all cleverly combine to make this book guaranteed fun.”– School Library Journal

A truly entertaining science fiction book for kids.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014038264X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140382648

The first book in the Tripods series, The White Mountains describes the journey of three young boys who are eager to escape the Capping ceremony of the Tripods and go on a journey to the White Mountains where there is a rumor free-men still live.

When thirteen-year-old Will is told that there is a place in the mountains where there are people free of the Tripods, he decides he doesn’t want to be capped and runs away. Along the way, he is joined by a childhood friend and an old man. Their journey goes fairly well, until Will becomes really sick and the three have to seek shelter in a medieval-like town.

A compelling adventure story filled with action and suspense, young readers will be captivated by this science fiction story that also incorporates a medieval fantasy setting in a fast-paced, easy to read but utterly gripping odyssey. The White Mountains is a flawless start to the Tripods series of children’s books.  Also be sure to take a look at the companion novel, When the Tripods Came.

As an aside, Disney purchased the rights for the Tripods series in the 1980′s but never did anything with it.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689856725
• ISBN-13: 978-0689856723

“This zany caper showcases Coville’s ( My Teacher Is an Alien ) ability to make the unbelievable close to credible. The young hero, down-to-earth Rod Allbright, doesn’t quite believe his eyes when a small blue spaceship flies through his bedroom window and lands in a vat of papier-mache he is using for a science project. Within minutes the startled boy meets the spaceship’s curious crew, and is recruited to become an integral player in their mission to apprehend an alien criminal whose specialty is cruelty. As it turns out, Rod knows too well how cruel this culprit can be, as he has been posing as the bullying Billy Becker, Rod’s archenemy at school. After several surprises and funny moments (as Billy turns in his math assignment, he is horrified to see that one of the aliens hiding in his desk has chewed on it so that it resembles a lace doily), the plot ends with Billy (literally) getting his comeuppance, as the aliens carry him off to a faraway planet.” – Publisher’s Weekly

The first book in a delightfully quirky series perfect for young readers (who might be a little bored of day to day school activities), this book and its three sequels, “I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X”, “The Search for Snout”, and “Aliens Stole My Body”) is a thoroughly entertaining romp for the imagination and ripe for a cinematic adaptation.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416938834
• ISBN-13: 978-1416938835

We can’t tell you who we are. Or where we live. It’s too risky, and we’ve got to be careful. Really careful. So we don’t trust anyone. Because if they find us…well, we just won’t let them find us. The thing you should know is that everyone is in really big trouble. Yeah. Even you. There’s a massive outdoor concert coming to town. Offspring. Alanis. Nine Inch Nails. Marco refuses to miss it. He even has a great idea for getting in, uh, free: He and Jake will morph dogs. Marco thinks it’s a perfect set up (especially since girls LOVE cute dogs). And even though Jake doesn’t agree at first, he finally decides that if Marco goes to the show someone should be around to watch him. Right?

A rich universe unfolds in a dense series of books that are very hard to put down for readers of any age.  With powerful imagery, memorable scenes and a list of unforgettable characters, Animorphs is a series you will enjoy and remember for many years.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590629778
• ISBN-13: 978-0590629775

“Tria never, ever goes Outside that’s where germs are . . . and living, bacteria-breathing humans! She’d much rather stay inside her pod with her best friend, a hologram named Star. But now she doesn’t have a choice. Her mom has disappeared and Tria is in terrible danger and must flee their home to the security of a Back to Basics school. Before Tria tearfully turns her friend off, her mom manages to send Star a message vital information Tria can retrieve when she’s safe. Except holoprojectors are strictly forbidden at her new school. No technology or modern influences are allowed! Tria has no way to contact Star or find out what her mom needed to tell her. Not to mention she has to put up with Dayla, a mean-spirited girl determined to make Tria’s life even more miserable.”

Tria and the Great Star Rescue is a terrific was to introduce young readers to the fantasy genre; a cast of interesting holographic characters, the invention of wondertools and creative plots sustain interest in a gentle but truly imaginative fantasy setting.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (June 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440418240
• ISBN-13: 978-0440418245

Mala is a brilliant 15-year-old from rural India whose leadership skills in virtual combat have earned her the title of General Robotwalla. In Shenzen, heart of China’s industrial boom, Matthew is defying his former bosses to build his own successful gold-farming team. Leonard, who calls himself Wei-Dong, lives in Southern California, but spends his nights fighting virtual battles alongside his buddies in Asia, a world away. All of these young people, and more, will become entangled with the mysterious young woman called Big Sister Nor, who will use her experience, her knowledge of history, and her connections with real-world organizers to build them into a movement that can challenge the status quo.

While author Cory Doctorow usually plays to a more adult crowd, For the Win is so in step with the present generation that it easily makes our reading list of science fiction books for young adults.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tor Teen; 1 edition (May 11, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765322161
• ISBN-13: 978-0765322166

Ketchvar III’s mission is simple: travel to Planet Earth, inhabit the body of an average teenager, and determine if the human race should be annihilated. And so Ketchvar who, to human eyes, looks just like a common snail crawls into the brain of one Tom Filber and attempts to do his analysis. At first glance, Tom appears to be the perfect specimen fourteen years old, good health, above average intelligence.

But it soon becomes apparent that Tom Filber may be a little too average gawky, awkward, and utterly abhorred by his peers. An alien within an alien’s skin, Ketchvar quickly finds himself wrapped up in the daily drama of teenage life infuriating family members, raging bullies, and undeniably beautiful next-door neighbors. And the more entangled Ketchvar becomes, the harder it is to answer the question he was sent to Earth to resolve: Should the Sandovinians release the Gagnerian Death Ray and erase the human species for good? Or is it possible that Homo sapiens really are worth saving?

Devilishly comedic, David Klass’s version of a teenager’s life on our own crazy planet provides a new look at the nature and value of real friends, truer villains, and the awkwardness that one feels with a first romance with an alien.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (March 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374399514
• ISBN-13: 978-0374399511

Completely frustrated with the predictability of his town, Jason Miller finds himself totally bored, until Ethan, Jason’s friend, suddenly dies and Jason quickly discovers that his peaceful town and the town doctor are up to something horribly evil.

At first the book’s cover art may be what grabs the reader’s attention, but it is ultimately the colorful characters, a twisting plot, and as is always the foundation of a classic science fiction novel for children, the deeper moral implications that the reader discovers by virtue of the story’s protagonists that wins us over.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Rebound by Sagebrush (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613288122
• ISBN-13: 978-0613288125

When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. Now, it’s time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community’s Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his Utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy.

With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, author Lois Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385732554
• ISBN-13: 978-0385732550

In the Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, a lonely unicorn discovers that she is the last of her kind in the world, and sets off to see if any others might remain. On her journey, she meets Schmendrick the Magician whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended–when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna’s Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions. They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men. Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land.

“The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.  But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.”

The Last Unicorn is one of the true classics of fantasy, ranking with Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.  Beagle writes a shimmering prose-poetry, the voice of fairy tales and childhood.

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Roc Trade (January 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451450523
• ISBN-13: 978-0451450524

“The Other Side of Yore” by author J. Lyon Layden, is a thrilling adventure story written for young children, and one that adults will find entertaining as well. The book puts out a strong message about being heroic, even in the scariest moments, all wrapped up within a story that children will want to hear again and again. Author J. Lyon Layden and artist Kenny Savage have created a lasting work that will surely take its place among the great family books, such as “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Harry Potter.”

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Booklocker, Inc. (January 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601451229
• ISBN-13: 978-1601451224

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (September 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486437450
• ISBN-13: 978-0486437453