Middle-grade dystopian and Utopian science fiction

Future Earth science fiction for young people

When we think of science fiction, we usually imagine spaceships and encounters with aliens. But developments like artificial intelligence, bioengineering, and climate change will radically alter human society long before advances in space travel.

The generation that will determine how humanity deals with such challenges are young readers today. One of the best ways to get them thinking about the promises and dangers of new technologies is through speculative fiction set in the near future.

These books are all written for young people and take place on a future Earth that has been transformed by technological progress and climate change. Some are dystopian, others are hopeful. All will leave readers thinking more deeply about the future they want, and how to get there.

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    The City of Ember

    Jeanne DuPrau · 2004

    An intriguing science fiction novel about two children who orchestrate an escape from a strange city that was built as a last refuge for human society. The mystery of the city and unexpected plot twists will keep readers turning pages.
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    Deep Calls

    Julia Kurnia · 2026

    The survivors of the twenty-first century climate disaster have retreated to the poles, where they are watched over by the Algorithm, an advanced AI tasked with maximizing human happiness. When the Algorithm starts behaving irrationally, Kaira must team up with a fun-loving hacker to save a secret remnant of humanity's past. Along the way, Kaira's AI companion is freed from the Algorithm's control and begins to develop aspirations of its own.
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    The Giver

    Lois Lowry · 1993

    A thought-provoking book about a highly controlled society in the unspecified future that seeks to end suffering by abolishing differences between people. This is a beloved middle-grade classic that is also worthwhile reading for adults.
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    An anthology of short stories about changemakers who successfully combat climate change, this provides a hopeful counterpoint to the more common dystopian climate fiction.
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    Tested

    Anna Monders · 2026

    Mikayla lives in a society where everyone's future is determined by their Genetic Report Card. She doesn't see any problem with the system, until she finds out that her Elite classification was based on someone else's DNA.
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    Eager

    Helen Fox · 2006

    In the late 21st century, every home has a robot butler. When a family receives a new model that can learn and experience feelings, their kids team up with it to investigate a group of advanced robots that are behaving suspiciously.
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    The Eye of Minds

    James Dashner · 2013

    Set in a future where many people spend their lives immersed in VR games, this book by the author of Maze Runner follows an expert gamer as he pursues a dangerous hacker through the virtual universe.
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    Star Split

    Kathryn Lasky · 2001

    Darci lives in a world where genetically enhanced people have formed a class apart from those whose ancestors could not afford enhancements. When she runs into an illegal clone, she finds herself in the middle of a clandestine movement to preserve original human DNA.

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