This book list is for readers looking for fearless and funny protagonists, high stakes adventures, and space adventures. These books are captivating and accessible to most students (even those who are intimidated by science fiction). Perfect for fans of Marvel, Interstellar, and Hunger Games.
THE LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE | LAUREN JAMES
“I'm reading fanfiction in my pajamas when I hear a nightmarish sound: the emergency alarm. Pulling an oxygen mask out of the nearest wall panel, I sprint to the helm with my heart in my throat. There's a glowing red message on the screen, which reads: ASTEROID COLLISION IMMINENT. AUTOMATIC TRAJECTORY ADJUSTMENT FAILED. ENGAGE MANUAL CONTROL. I'm abruptly filled with complete and utter fear."
SUMMARY:
FROM THE PUBLISHER: The daughter of two astronauts, Romy Silvers is no stranger to life in space. But she never knew how isolating the universe could be until her parents’ tragic deaths left her alone on the Infinity, a spaceship speeding away from Earth.
Romy tries to make the best of her lonely situation, but with only brief messages from her therapist on Earth to keep her company, she can’t help but feel like something is missing. It seems like a dream come true when NASA alerts her that another ship, the Eternity, will be joining the Infinity.
Romy begins exchanging messages with J, the captain of the Eternity, and their friendship breathes new life into her world. But as the Eternity gets closer, Romy learns there’s more to J’s mission than she could have imagined. And suddenly, there are worse things than being alone….
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Recommended Age: 14+
Reading Level: Accessible to most readers
Choice Books for All Note: Tense, genre-bending, with several wild twists along the way, you will not be able to put this book down. This book is a great choice for a reluctant reader, or someone wanting to try a new genre.
REVIEWS:
PURCHASE:
Remember! Your local library should have all of the books in physical or ebook format for free!
THE MARTIAN | ANTHONY WEIR
“Six days into what should be the greatest month of my life, and it's turned into a nightmare. I don't know who'll read this. I guess someone will find it eventually. Maybe a hundred years from now. For the record... I didn't die on Sol 6. Certainly the rest of the crew thought I did, and I can't blame them. Maybe there'll be a day of national mourning for me, and my Wikipedia page will say, "Mark Watney is the only human being to have died on Mars. And it'll be right, probably. 'Cause I'll surely die here. Just not on Sol 6 when everyone thinks I did.”
SUMMARY:
FROM THE PUBLISHER: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.
But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
Genre: Science Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (mature language)
Reading Level: A challenge for some students
Choice Books for All Note: The Martian changed my mind about science fiction. I went from a skeptic to a full-on fan. The audiobook absolutely captivated me from the beginning (in fact, it's the only audiobook I've re-listened to!). READ IT!
REVIEWS:
PURCHASE:
Remember! Your local library should have all of the books in physical or ebook format for free!
ILLUMINAE | AMIE KAUFMAN & JAY KRISTOFF
"So here's the file that almost killed me, Director. I won't bore you with the tally of databases plundered, light-years jumped, or cute, sniffling orphans created in its compilation--our fee already reflects Level Of Difficulty. But this dirt is out there, if you know where to look. Seems your cleanup crews weren't quite as thorough as you'd like, and your little corporate war isn't quite as secret as you'd hoped."
SUMMARY:
FROM THE PUBLISHER: This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Recommended Age: 14+
Reading Level: Mature content but accessible to most students
Choice Books for All Note: Illuminae is one of the most unique books to enter my library. Told in a fascinating (and visual) format, Illuminae catapults you into space with two heros that you will root for until the end. This book is the first in a trilogy (yay!).
REVIEWS:
PURCHASE:
Remember! Your local library should have all of the books in physical or ebook format for free!
CLASSICS CORNER -- A WRINKLE IN TIME BY MADELEINE L'ENGLE
CONNECTION:
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, The Martian, and Illuminae feature heart-pounding adventures, creative use of science/technology, and captivating heros. All three books are high interest, un-put-downable novels that will be highly successful with most high school students. If you enjoyed any of these novels, you would love A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. We recommend avoiding the movie and just jumping into the novel. The language is easy to follow, but the story is beautifully complex.
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