The League of Seven - by Alan Gatz

Bringing together a band of teenage oddballs in a futuristic/old-fashioned America, this steampunk story will capture your imagination and leave you cheering!  The heroes are flawed but worth cheering for, the villains both oddly familiar and ridiculously unimaginable.

Like all steampunk stories, this one relies on lots of futuristic 18th-century technology, such as brass laser guns, airships, submarines, and robot babysitters.  When Archie finds out that his parents have been brainwashed by giant insects, he must set out across the country to Old Florida to rescue them.  Falling in with two mysterious but distinctly talented new friends, it is up to the three to stop not only a crazed murderous inventor (Thomas Edison), but the largest monster in history, who lies trapped under the swamps.

This story has plenty of mystery, lots of action and suspense, and enough dramatic twists to keep any reader turning pages.  It is highly imaginative and a bit inspiring.  You may find yourself, like I did, wishing you could climb aboard their airship for just one short adventure.

Legend - by Marie Lu

June is rich, her brother is a powerful and important soldier in the Republic's army, and her skills are remarkable.  Day is dirt-poor, on the run from the law, apparently homeless, but his skills equal June's. What brings these two teenage characters together is the stuff of legends, and the plot of this book, so I won't give it away.  I can tell you that the story takes place in an imagined future in the American west, that there is a good assortment of likable and believable characters, and that the action, including some rough fight scenes, is fantastic.

This is probably my favorite of this type of books: The teen dystopian/futuristic America drama/adventure series with a strong but flawed heroine/hero.  With Marie Lu's Legend, you've got the real deal.  June and Day are both fascinating characters, and to see what happens when their worlds spin together makes for an unforgettable story.

There are many middle grade/teen series out there, but this one has just as much action and suspense as the others, but none of the graphic love scenes.  It's a winner, trust me.  Keep your eye on Marie Lu!

Insurgent - by Veronica Roth

How would it be if everyone thought you were a traitor and your boyfriend was a coward, and then you found yourself in a situation in which the only way you can save the world(so to speak) is by defying your own faction, and lying to the very person you trust the most?  Welcome to Tris's world in this epic sequel to the powerful novel Divergent.

Things are not going well in futuristic Chicago.  Factions have taken up arms against one another, and beyond the obvious reasons lies a true secret known to only a few people, for which people are willing to die.  What can be so important?  Luckily for the reader, this secret is exposed in the final chapter, setting the stage for an explosive third book.

Tris is a lovable heroine, though she's tough and conflicted.  In this book we get to know Four/Tobias better, and he becomes even more likeable. A previously trustworthy character commits a shocking act of betrayal, while a sworn enemy unexpectedly does the right thing in a moment of need.  Read this action-packed book to witness relationships stretched to the breaking point, tension rising to the boiling point, and (no more analogies, I promise) a really good story.

The Hunt - by Andrew Fukuda

This is an absolutely original and stunning book!  There are vampires, but not the Twilight variety.  There is a futuristic America, but not like The Hunger Games or Divergent.  Best of all, there is amazing writing, a very tight plot, and as much suspense as I can handle. For TEENS, this is a new dystopian thriller to check out immediately.

Meet Gene: He is a human. The only problem is that he lives in a land of vampires.  They seem normal, but for their pale skin, extreme strength, razor-sharp canine teeth, lack of sweat or body odor, and the fact that they all eat raw meat and don't drink water.  All of his life, Gene's father has taught him the tricks for survival:  Whatever you do, don't draw attention to yourself!  Don't sweat, don't laugh, and don't fall in love.  It's hard enough to keep pushing away the beautiful girl who keeps catching his eye at school, but when he is chosen to participate in the historic Heper Hunt and taken away to a training institute, keeping his true identity secret becomes nearly impossible.  Just wait until you find out what the hunt is all about...

This book is fast-paced, brilliantly imagined and detailed, and very enjoyable.  If you like non-magicsci-fi/fantasty/alternate-future series, this is one of the best.

Divergent - by Veronica Roth

Don't compare this to The Hunger Games, first of all. This genre is bursting with good futuristic altered-American-reality books, and this one is fantastic.  Yes, it is a movie, but of course the book should be read first!

Divergent focuses on Tris, a girl who must choose, as everyone her age must, which of the four "factions" in their society they would like to join. It is most common to stay in your family's own faction, but switching is not unheard of. When Tris finds out during her screening test that she actually has the skill or inclination for three different factions, she learns that she is actually "divergent," a label which could get her killed!  She decides to leaver her straight-laced Abnegation faction for the thrill-seeking Dauntless, and through many hard times, she learns that she is, though small, a natural fighter.

Though Tris is enjoying her new freedom and faction, she soon learns that there is a plot afoot that could destroy everything, and it is up to her and a few trusted friends to save the day.  As family, friend, and faction are shaken, shocked, and turned against one another, Tris realizes that nothing is as it seems after all.  The adventures of Tris are incredible, exhilarating, and heart-wrenching, and you will not be able to put this book (or its two sequels) down!

This is really a TEEN book, because of the violence, love scenes, and more mature content.  That said, the fifth graders who have read it seem to have no problem with those parts...  Perhaps we parents and teachers worry too much?  Or perhaps children today have been exposed to more than is good for their young minds and are not surprised by things that should shock them.  I can't say, but I would recommend young (elementary-age) kiddos to get their parents' approval before reading this one.

Winter of the Robots - by Kurtis Scaletta

Robots are cool, right?  You know, R2D2 and C-3PO from Star Wars were pretty awesome.  But what happens when robots begin to think on their own?

Set in North Minneapolis, this is the story of  Jim, a middle-school kid who joins his best friend in their science project to make a small robot that can battle other robots in a competition.  As Jim learns how to write code to program a robot's actions, he has no idea how useful those skills are going to become.  While Jim and his friends encounter and work through normal teen issues like strained friendships, dating, problematic siblings, and dealing with concerned parents, something sinister is taking place at the junk yard down the road.  As you may have guessed it is up to Jim and his friends to save the day.

Full of robotics talk, this is a must-read for any future programmers or battle-bot competitors.  It's also a plain old good story with some good twists and turns.

H.I.V.E. Book 1 - by Mark Walden

There are all sorts of books out there about how to become a super hero, but how on Earth do you train to become a super VILLAIN?  You go to H.I.V.E., of course.  However, this super-secret Higher Institute of Villainous Education is not only extremely expensive, but nobody seems to have ever heard of it.  When young Otto Malpense is tranquilized and brought to the school, he didn't know what to think.  Why would someone kidnap a poor orphan?  Although he doesn't exactly get an answer to that question, he does learn quite a bit about the school as he and his new classmates begin their six year course of study to become the next generation of criminal masterminds.

Otto is an exceptionally bright and funny boy, and the book is even more exciting by the fact that Otto and three of his friends are planning a grand escape.  The mysteries and action build to an exceptional, and somewhat unexpected climax, when the teens put their plan into action.  The secretive and truly villainous headmaster, Dr. Nero, has his work cut out for him trying to tame Otto. The technology in this book is mind-boggling, and the characters are captivating.  It has elements of many of my favorite books: The Mysterious Benedict Society, Harry Potter, The Girl Who Could Fly, but it is truly its own creation. As this series progresses, I can't wait to see where the author's imagination takes us!

The Keys to the Kingdom One: Mister Monday - by Garth Nix

Who would have thought the minute hand from a clock could a) be the perfect weapon, b) cure asthma, and c) help an average teenage boy rescue a magical kingdom from one of seven all-powerful nasty guys.  This book is a bit odd, but is very well-written, fast-paced, and captivating.  Some bits are hard to get used to, like one character named Will, who is actually a small part of a will.  You know, the paper that explains what should happen to your stuff after you're gone.  And that's a main character, so you see what I mean about the oddness.

Strange or not, this first book in The Keys to the Kingdom was amazing and hard to put down.  It was intriguing, mysterious, amazing, and even thrilling.  The levels of fantasy in this book get more extreme as the story moves on, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.  The bad guys chasing Arthur (our main character) are really bad, and you wonder where the author gets his ideas, or if he, perhaps, is just a little sleep-deprived. Regardless, it makes for a fun read!

Son - by Lois Lowry

Not at all what I expected.  How many times have I written that, yet it's perfectly true here.  You'd think I'd learn to not expect anything, and to just go with the flow, yet when I read the back of this book, about how a mother goes searching for her son, I definitely did not to read about an adventurous, mystical quest, and an epic battle between good and evil!

This is a powerful book on many levels.  Any parent will relate to it deeply because of the strong parental themes, but any child will be swept up in the mystery and adventure of Claire's quest to regain what once was hers: Her son.  Claire was born in the futuristic and utopian/dystopian village that was the setting of The Giver and its sequels: The Messenger and Gathering Blue.  Unlike these three, this fourth and last book of the series takes its characters on long, fantastical journeys, into new and mysterious lands, and places them in harms way again and again. Although it is a fitting end to the series, you could easily read this book on its own without ever having heard of The Giver.

This is an amazing, surprising, hair-raising, emotionally touching book.  It has elements of the movie Rocky, especially the training scenes as Rocky builds strength to take on that Russian powerhouse.  At the same time, it is reminiscent of the best Harry vs. Voldemort battle scenes in the Harry Potter books.  Yes, there is adventure and action, though sometimes you have to wait for it... wait for it... though it is worth the wait.

Not at all what I expected, but so much better!

Dark Life - by Kat Falls

It is the future, and the world has had some problems, and things aren't what they used to be.  Oceans rose, earthquakes toppled cities, and humans live crowded into tall buildings in big cities on the coasts.  The surface of the earth is no longer safe for farming, and humans need to eat, so the government (The Commonwealth) has started a colony of experimental farms on the bottom of the ocean.  This is the story of those colonists and their fight to survive their challenges, including attacks by the notorious Sea Blight Gang.

Our protagonist is 15-year-old Ty, the first boy born undersea, who dreams of having his own sea-bottom farm one day.  Problems occur and Ty realizes that he is going to have to fight if his dream will ever become reality, and his unlikely partner is a Topsider (their term for folks who live on land) named Gemma, a spunky girl with a mission of her own.  These two have a number of adventures, battle their fair share of nasty folks and creatures, and... well, I can't tell you how it ends up, can I?  Trust me that it is worth your time to read their story on your own.

This is a wonderful new series that takes on a new landscape and introduces some fascinating characters, both good and bad, and somewhere in between.  You will love reading about the technology these pioneers use to survive and farm the sea floor, but you'll also find the descriptions of the post-climate-change Earth fascinating.  I liked this book so much that as soon as I finished it, I went out and bought six copies because I know my fourth graders will want to read and discuss it as much as I do.  Do yourself a favor, and get yourself a copy, too.

True Meaning of Smekday - by Adam Rex

This is a pretty hefty book, and it took me a while to get to it.  The cover gives no indication as to what it's really about, and after reading it I can understand why.  It's no ordinary book.

The reader is first introduced to 12-year-old Gratuity (Tip) Tucci when she is entering an essay contest for her school on the topic, "The True Meaning of Smekday."  Through her essay, we learn not only what Smekday is, but the story of her unbelievable adventure.  I can't really tell you all of what happened to her, but here's the gist:  After her mother was abducted (again), and the first group of aliens take over Earth and relocate all Americans to Florida, Tip meets a friendly fugitive alien and drives all over the U.S. with him in a modified junker car (it hovers!) looking for her mom, who is not in Happy Mouse Kingdom after all.  Along the way, they form a wonderful friendship, overcome many obstacles, and work to find a way to make everything right again. This is complicated by the second alien invasion, and the (looming) end of the earth.

Told with an amazing wit, and supplemented by all sorts of odd and delightful illustrations, this is a book to be treasured.  It's an ambitious read, with many pages (nearly 500), some tricky concepts, and lots to make you think.  That said, it's a reading adventure that you will be glad you took.  Grab this book and discover for yourself what the true meaning of Smekday.

Molly Moon, Micky Minus, and the Mind Machine

This fourth book by the mysterious Georgia Byng is her best yet, and considering how WONDERFUL this series is, that's a real compliment.

Molly, her friends, and her loyal pup Petula spend this book going back in time (Or is it forward? It's tough to keep track) to rescue someone very important. I can't tell you who without ruining some of the suspense of earlier books in the series, but it's really not important. In each book, Molly discovers new powers and learns to use them to do good deeds, and this book is no different. One thing I love about this series is that Molly is a very realistic character, and the reader gets the feeling that she's far from perfect, just like us. Mrs. Byng really knows how to pull the reader in and hold our attention, and though this book takes a long time to read, it's a tough one to put down. There are a number of outrageous characters, some wild situations, and an ending that is full of shocks, but still satisfying and well worth the read. If you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for, you fool?

Check out the Meet Molly Moon website for all kinds of cool stuff, and to learn more.
(Special thanks to FGD Eggplant for loaning me this book, and to her and Em for letting me join the MM fan club!)

The City of Ember - by Jeanne DuPrau

Lina and Doon are just two normal 12-year-olds in the city of Ember, except for one little thing... they're not satisfied. They're not willing to sit around while their entire world fades into darkness, and they are both sure that there is more out THERE, beyond where citizens are allowed to travel, beyond the city that is all anyone has ever known or ever dreams to know. It's up to these two brave and adventurous children to set off on the quest that will quite possibly save the city of Ember from extinction. But what do they find? Sorry, you've got to read to find out.

This futuristic book brings the reader right into a strange civilization that is much different than our own, but with the same type of human relationships. Can two children get away with questioning the government and trying to change the way everyone thinks about everything? Some of the book is hard to follow, making it ideal for experienced readers, the plot twists and turns enough to satisfy mystery lovers, and the drama will keep adventure fans on the edge of their seats. Best of all is what the two discover when they dare to go beyond... There are two more books in the series, so when you get to the end, you're all set to keep going.

Lion Boy - by Zizou Corder

Terrific! This story, the first in a series of three by mother/daughter author combo Zizou Corder (read the book jacket and you'll understand), is simply a fabulous adventure. Set in Africa, England, and around the world in the not-so-distant future, this book imagines what life will be like when we've used up all of our natural resources for energy and must live more simply, but also what could happen if the Corporation (a large corporation, if you can imagine) tried to take over the world. Our main character is a boy, Charlie, who makes unlikely friends and discovers some odd but useful abilities in his quest to find his captured scientist parents. Just trust me, it's a great book. This is ideal for fourth graders and up, and will appeal to those who like adventure, animals, courageous main characters, and fine writing.

Among the Hidden - by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is a "what if" type of futuristic fiction. In this story, the author portrays a society in which families are only allowed to have two children. Luke is that third child in his family, and he must stay hidden in his house, at least until... Sorry, can't tell you that! Are there other third children too? What would happen if they were caught? How did this two child rule come to be? What is Luke going to do? There are so many reasons for you to read this book, that you should be ashamed if you're still reading this, rather than running to the library to get a copy.
This book will excite kids who wonder "what if" about the future. Fans of science fiction and fantasy will likely be interested, as well as people who don't like their third sibling (joke!). It's well-written, and fans will be happy that this is only the first book in the Shadow Children series.