Mind-Blowing Dystopian Books for Middle Grade Readers
by Melissa Taylor
Kids can’t get enough of dystopian novels, stories set in a post-apocalyptic time where things have gone very, very wrong. Typically, it’s survival of the fittest, the natural world is destroyed, and a totalitarian government oppresses the people. Good stuff, right? Here are our favorite mind-blowing dystopian books for middle grade readers. Once your kids start these, they won’t be able to put them down.
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Bloom
Available from:Bloom is the first book in the Overthrow trilogy about an alien invasion. It begins when a rainstorm delivers foreign seeds to the earth, which sprout into toxic, carnivorous plants. Three teens immune to the plants must figure out how to stop them before it rains again. Readers who enjoy high-stakes plots where kids save the world will love this series.
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The Last Kids on Earth
Available from:This is one of the most popular dystopian series for middle grade readers right now. It’s about a group of misfit teens surviving a monster apocalypse and hiding out in a treehouse. They band together to tackle an infamous monster and ditch their dorky status. All eight books in the bestselling series are jam-packed with illustrations, humor, and non-stop action.
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The Lion of Mars
Available from:If the talk of visiting Mars in the near future fascinates your kid, they’ll love this award-winning adventure novel. Bell lives in a colony on the red planet with stringent rules. But when all the adults on Mars get sick, Bell and her friends must work together to save the world.
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D-39
Available from:Dog lovers will enjoy this post-apocalyptic novel about a girl named Klynt, a robot dog named D-39, and her neighbor, Jopa. When war comes to her peaceful farming community, Klynt and Jopa get separated from their families and must embark on a perilous journey to search for them. It’s a dystopian adventure with added themes of hope, whimsy, and family.
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Children of the Flying City
Available from:A magical floating city, an orphan with a bounty on his head, ominous secrets, and whispers of war brewing — this novel will keep readers glued to the page. Plenty of suspense and more twists and turns than a roller coaster will keep kids (and adults) racing through the pages. Bring your sense of humor and adventure and dive into this action-packed novel!
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The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne
Available from:Kids who enjoyed this author’s series, Lockwood & Co., will quickly get pulled into this dystopian novel. When a thief named Scarlett finds a boy at the scene of an accident, she allows him to tag along with her. But that decision quickly turns into a game of cat and mouse with law enforcement as the kids try to dodge and outrun their pursuers. The near-future setting and fast-paced plot make it impossible to set down.
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The City of Ember
Available from:Lina and Doon live in the underground city of Ember where their ancestors fled to escape a toxic world above. Unfortunately, after so many generations underground, the lights and food supply are running low. In a world carefully controlled and monitored, Lina and Doon secretly try to decipher ancient clues that might lead to a long-forgotten way to the surface.
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Hunters of the Lost City
Available from:This is a fascinating, atmospheric novel about a girl named Octavia who lives in the last city on earth — at least, that’s what she’s been told. A chance encounter with an outsider makes Octavia realize that the truth is much different from what she believed. It’s a coming-of-age novel in a dystopian fantasy world filled with monsters, corruption, and magic.
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Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation
Available from:In a high-tech, futuristic world, 12-year-old Hana Hsu attends an elite academy for gifted children called Start-Up. She competes against her classmates to win a chip implant that will “mesh” her to the multiweb. But suspicious events at the school make Hana second-guess her desire for the implant and lead her on a quest to uncover the truth behind the secretive corporation that created it.
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The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
Available from:Based on the Peabody Award–winning podcast, this sci-fi novel is perfect for kids who love technology, mysteries, and nerd culture. When students vanish from Mars’s school, he and his friends follow the clues to a famous tech genius and podcaster. This book is the first installment in a series about friendship and courage in the face of corporate greed.
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Map of Flames (The Forgotten Five, Book 1)
Available from:Five supernatural children who live in a remote location must re-enter society when the last remaining adult dies. They find a harsh world that forbids supernatural abilities — instantly making them all outlaws. Kids who loved Lisa McMann’s series, The Unwanteds, will love the author’s latest foray into middle grade dystopia.
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Futureland: Battle for the Park
Available from:Cam lives with his parents in their magical, floating theme park and is excited about their next stop — Atlanta. But trouble plagues the opening, and Cam realizes someone is trying to sabotage his family. Readers who love roller coasters, technology, and mysteries will enjoy every twist and turn as Cam searches for the culprit.
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The Root of Magic
This is a short, gentle dystopian novel filled with intrigue and magic. Willow and her family move to a new town where everyone knows what will happen before it does. At first, Willow loves the town and the comfort it offers her family. But the town has secrets, and Willow must help her family see that no amount of comfort is worth sacrificing their freedoms.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2023.