15 Best Science Fiction Children’s Books

Parents and teachers want young kids to read to unleash their creativity and imagination. This helps the kids to widen their horizons and learn about different things. A science fiction book is different from a fantasy book. Science fiction has a bit more information or aspects than a magical fantasy. They include science and technology and are based on the premise that it could happen in the future, space, or some other dimension.

Reading fantasy and science fiction children’s books helps the kids question and understand unique things different from their daily lives. It also develops their interest in science and outer space, among other things. The kids develop the habit of reading if they start with books that interest them or capture their interest. In this article, we’ll share some of the best sci-fi books for kids that are fun, thought-provoking, and full of adventure.

Science Fiction Books for Kids to Read

Science fiction books for pre-schoolers have drawings and illustrations to capture their attention and make them more involved, whereas science fiction books for older kids are more focused on storylines and adventure. Here is a list of some astonishing kid’s science fiction books for you to choose from for your kids:

1. Zita the Spacegirl By Ben Hatke

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Age Recommended: 6 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

Zita the Spacegirl is one of the popular graphic science fiction books for elementary students telling the story of Zita who saves her best friend and the galaxy. Her best friend is kidnapped by a doomsday alien cult and Zita in search of her, arrives at a strange planet. Zita takes the role of an intergalactic hero as she encounters shocking things. She tackles neurotic robots, humanoid chickens, doomed planets, ancient prophecies and con man to save her friend. The book tells a fascinating tale of friendship and redemption, much loved by kids.

2. Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot Vs. The Voodoo Vultures From Venus By Dav Pilkey, Illustrations By Dan Santat

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Age Recommended: 6 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This beautiful book created by Dav Pilkey, with marvelous illustration by Dan Santat is an action-packed story for young kids. The book in full-cover tells the story of Ricky and his Mighty Robot as they fight with bad guys. The bad guys are evil Victor Von Vulture and his army consisting of Voodoo Vultures from Venus who want to take control of Earth. Ricky with his friendly and flying robot send them packing.

3. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator By Roald Dahl

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Age Recommended: 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This beautiful book for kids by the famous writer Roald Dahl is the sequel to the popular Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The book tells the story of the same Charlie and begins from a point in the prequel where Charlie and Wonka burst through the chocolate factory roof in the Elevator. As they pick up the Grandparents, they meet an accident and head straight into orbit in the Space Hotel.  At the hotel, they encounter the famous aliens Vermicious Kids who are in wait to devour the guests and staff of the hotel.

4. Doodle Adventures: The Search for Slimy Space Slugs! By Mike Lowery

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Age Recommended: 7 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This popular book engages the young kids with its space-adventure plot and Carl Duck but, the hilarious narrator of the story invites the kids to find the priceless artifact which is missing by using their bravery, drawing, and heroism. The artifacts are taken by Captain Sleezoog, the slug and in the journey to recover the artifacts from him, the reader has to do their bit by drawing. The young reader has to draw to ensure they get the spacesuit and everything else to bring along. The kids need to draw some other things and it keeps the kids engaged.

5. Hello, Nebulon! (Galaxy Zack) By Ray O’Ryan

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Age Recommended: 6 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This fun and entertaining chapter tells the story of a boy, Zack who moves to a new planet.  The boy Zack is nervous about his new life, a new school and who his new classmates will be. He dreams that his classmates are not human but slimy aliens and pizza have the toppings of gross bugs and worst that he can never talk or meet his friends on Earth. But contrary to his fears when he comes to Sprockets Academy, he befriends Drake Tucker who is the resident of Nebulon. And he starts enjoying the school and later a mysterious surprise ensues. The story is about that surprise.

6. If You Decide to Go to the Moon By Faith McNulty and Steven Kellogg

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Age Recommended: 4 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This a lavish storybook with beautiful pictures that tells the story of a boy who travels to the moon. The book has a wonderful combination of science with poetry. The book tells us how the boy has to prepare for the travel and spend two and a half days on a ship. The boy needs to contemplate the vast and immense space. He enjoys bouncing on the moon in an airless and waterless environment and also finds his way back home from the grey surface.

7. Cosmic By Frank Cottrell Boyce

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Age Recommended: 7 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This hilarious book tells the story of Liam, a big boy of 1-2 years of age. He is so big, that people take him for an adult rather than a 12 years old boy. He is expected to behave as an adult as he is big. So frustrated Liam enters the Greatest Dad Ever Contest. Somehow in the contest, he finds himself in space on a rocket ship 200,000 miles away from Earth.

8. Eager By Helen Fox

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Age Recommended: 7 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

The family of Gavin Bell had a robot, Grumps. After many years of use, the robot starts to malfunction. The family can’t afford a new robot, so they take the offer to keep Eager, an experimental robot who is goofy-looking. Eager is taking time to understand the world and in the meantime, Gavin and his sister see that the new robot has a rebellious streak against the new owners. The book also raises some questions about what it is to be a human, technology and free will.

9. Found By Margaret Peterson Haddix

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Age Recommended: 7 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

The book is about the childhood fantasy or aspiration that most children have that they are offspring of some famous personality, somehow lost and adopted by an ordinary family. The book adds to it’s the ultimate science fantasy of time travel. The story starts with a tantalising scenario where a plane out of nowhere comes and drops thirty-six babies and vanishes. The story forwards to thirteen years and two kids out of those babies start receiving sinister messages, which prompts them to investigate their past. Their quest for their past leads them to where they came from and the conspiracy takes them to a very distant future from the far past.

10. Aliens for Breakfast By Stephanie Spinner and Jonathan Etra

Age Recommended: 6 to 8 years

Why It’s Great 

This simple and fun story is about Richard Bickerstaff. One morning as Richard sits down for his breakfast, he discovers that his favourite cereal, Alien Crisp cereal, and its bowl is the home of the real alien, named Aric. Aric tells him that he has come to save Earth from the wrath of evil Dranes, a rival alien community.

11. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe By Carlos Hernandez

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Age Recommended: 10 to 13 years

Why It’s Great

Sal has the power to open portals to other dimensions, but things get messy when he uses this power at school. With vibrant Cuban-American culture, quirky humour, and tons of heart, this story explores grief, friendship, and science in a completely unique way.

12. A Wrinkle in Time By Madeleine L’Engle

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Age Recommended: 10 to 14 years

Why It’s Great

This sci-fi classic introduces young readers to the idea of travelling through dimensions (called “tessering”) in search of a missing father. Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin go on a cosmic journey guided by mysterious beings. The book weaves science and fantasy with themes of love, courage, and individuality.

13. Dragon Pearl By Yoon Ha Lee

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Age Recommended: 10 to 13 years

Why It’s Great

Set in a space-faring society rooted in Korean mythology, this book follows 13-year-old Min, who leaves her home to find her missing brother and uncovers secrets about her family and a powerful magical artifact. It’s part of the “Rick Riordan Presents” series and is filled with action, rich world-building, and moral complexity.

14. Cleopatra in Space By Mike Maihack

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Age Recommended: 8 to 12 years

Why It’s Great

This graphic novel series reimagines the young Cleopatra as she is transported to the future, where she discovers she is destined to save the galaxy. With vibrant illustrations and a strong female protagonist, it’s an engaging blend of history and science fiction that appeals to middle-grade readers.

15. The Last Wild By Piers Torday

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Age Recommended: 9 to 12 years

Why It’s Great

In a dystopian world where animals are thought to be extinct, a boy named Kester discovers he can communicate with them. Embarking on a journey to save the last wild creatures, this novel combines adventure with environmental themes, encouraging readers to think about conservation and courage.

FAQs

1. At what age can kids start reading science fiction?

Kids as young as 5 or 6 can start enjoying science fiction, especially if the books have lots of pictures and easy-to-follow stories. As they get older, around 8 to 12 years old, they can read longer books with more exciting adventures and deeper ideas.

2. Can science fiction books teach children about real science?

Yes! Many science fiction books include real scientific concepts or are inspired by them. While the settings and stories are often fictional, they can introduce kids to topics like space exploration, genetics, or artificial intelligence in a fun way that inspires further learning.

Gifting a science fiction book to young kids is the easiest way to improve their reading habits and keep them occupied for hours. These books are easy to read for the kid and keep them engaged due to interesting characters such as aliens and robots. Most take the young kid to an adventurous journey and unleash their imagination. They aim at making the child start liking science and start developing an interest in it. So they are good for his mind and creativity.

Also Read:

Feeling Books for Kids
Spy Books for Children
Adventure Books for Kids
Historical Fiction Books for Kids

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