Looking for your next whole-class novel? Do students need book suggestions for independent reading requirements? Take advantage of National Science Fiction Day on January 2, and select one of Newsela’s top science fiction novels to share with them! Each one of our science fiction novel studies includes articles, videos, and lesson ideas to help students build background knowledge and make connections to their world, themselves, and other media.

1. “1984” by George Orwell
2. “Among the Hidden” by Margaret Peterson Haddix
3. “Anthem” by Ayn Rand
4. “The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau
5. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
6. “Dread Nation” by Justina Ireland
7. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury
8. “Feed” by M.T. Anderson
9. “Found” by Margaret Peterson Haddix
10. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
11. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
12. “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
13. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
14. “I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov
15. “Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler
16. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
17. “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells
18. “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown

[1. “1984” by George Orwell](id-1984)

Orwell’s “1984” is a dystopian story about Winston Smith, a European citizen who works for an authoritarian and totalitarian government. He becomes involved in the underground resistance as he gives into his curiosity and desire to be free. Students can build background knowledge on the themes in this novel using resources like:

• An interactive video about the origins and reception of “1984.”
• A biography about author George Orwell.
• A nonfiction article about TikTok’s privacy and data policies—and who’s watching students’ online behavior.

[2. “Among the Hidden” by Margaret Peterson Haddix](id-hidden)

“Among the Hidden” is a dystopian novel about a society where families can only have two children. The main character, Luke, is known as a “shadow child,” an illegal extra child who must live his life in hiding to avoid repercussions from the government. Students can explore themes of family and government control with resources like:

• An interactive video about how family structures differ around the world.
• An interactive video that explains what propaganda is.
• A nonfiction article about facial recognition technology used in police departments and the privacy concerns associated with it.

[3. “Anthem” by Ayn Rand](id-anthem)

In “Anthem,” a person known by the code Equality 7-2521 breaks free of their collective society and discovers the concept of individualism. Students can build background knowledge and skills while reading this novel using resources like:

• A comparison article that looks at the qualities of forms of government, like democracy, monarchy, or dictatorship.
• An opinion article that explains why some people resist technological advancements in society.
• An article that teaches students how to find the theme in a book or short story.

[4. “The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau](id-ember)

DuPrau’s dystopian novel follows two young adults, Lina and Doon, on their quest to solve clues and escape the City of Ember before it runs out of resources. Help students better understand the concepts in this story with articles on topics like:

• A group of billionaires who asked to pay more in taxes to offset wage and wealth gaps.
• How curiosity can improve memory and learning.
• An exploration of student activism and how their voices have changed society over time.

[5. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth](id-divergent)

In Roth’s dystopian novel, Tris Pryor finds out that she doesn’t fit neatly into one of society’s four factions and that she must keep her “divergent” status hidden to protect herself from the government. Students can explore more of the themes in this novel through articles on topics like:

• Comparing similarities and differences in the structures of democratic and authoritarian governments. 
• Contrasting the hallmarks of economic systems like capitalism, communism, and socialism.
• What neoliberalism is and how it emphasizes the value of free market competition.

[6. “Dread Nation” by Justina Ireland](id-dread)

In Ireland’s alternate timeline historical fiction novel, the main character, Jane McKeene, must fight zombies and racism in the Civil War era. Students can explore more about zombies and other mythical creatures with resources like:

• A video on how to write a science fiction story.
• Tips from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on preparing for any emergency—even a zombie apocalypse. 
• A video that looks at the “dark” side of media where disinformation and misinformation may happen.

[7. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury](id-451)

Bradbury’s dystopian novel follows firefighter Guy Montag as he questions his society’s ban on books and decides if he should rebel against the system. Students can learn more about dystopia and Bradbury’s work with resources like:

• A video explaining how to recognize dystopia in fiction.
• A biography of author Ray Bradbury.
• An essay about why “Fahrenheit 451” is a scary story, despite its lack of monsters.

[8. “Feed” by M.T. Anderson](id-feed)

Anderson’s “Feed” looks at a futuristic society where everyone receives brain implants to keep them connected to the internet 24/7 so that they ignore the crumbling society around them. Students can look at the more practical ways social and mainstream media affect their lives with resources like:

• An article that examines the information that social media platforms and search engines collect about users.
• A video that explains what fake news is and how it appears in the mainstream media.
• An explainer article on the concepts of consumption and consumerism.

[9. “Found” by Margaret Peterson Haddix](id-found)

In “Found,” the main character, Jonah Skidmore, receives a cryptic letter telling him he is “One of the missing.” He and his friend Chip must go on an adventure to find out what it means to belong to that group. Students can examine the possibility of time travel and alternate timelines with resources like:

• A video overview of the science fiction genre.
• A video that digs into the possibility of time travel.
• An article that explores the mysterious disappearances that happen in the Bermuda Triangle and why they might happen.

[10. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley](id-frankenstein)

In “Frankenstein,” a scientist creates an unusual creature, but things turn frightening when the monster gets a mind of its own. Students can learn more about the history of the novel by using resources like:

• A video biography about author Mary Shelley.
• A video that explores why “Frankenstein” is considered a classic novel.
• An article that looks at how scientists in the late 18th and early 19th centuries did experiments to search for clues about life.

[11. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry](id-giver)

Lowry’s dystopian novel follows Jonas, a young boy who discovers the truth about his collective emotionless society when he becomes the Receiver of Memory. Have students consider themes like emotions and Utopianism by exploring resources like:

• A video biography about author Lois Lowry.
• An article that explains the origins and development of the idea of a Utopian community.
• A video examining why having too many choices can become overwhelming.

[12. “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood](id-handmaid)

In Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the main character Offred lives in a dystopian society where she must grapple with an oppressive, totalitarian government and suppression of her freedom and identity. Students can explore the importance of human rights with resources like:

• An interactive video explaining why “The Handmaid’s Tale” is an important novel.
• An article discussing German Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt’s book, “The Origins of Totalitarianism.”
• An FAQ article that answers important questions about human rights.

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Note: This novel contains mature themes and is not recommended for students below the Upper Secondary level.

[13. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins](id-hunger)

In the first book in the “Hunger Games” series, we meet Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in a battle where 12 citizens from each district of Panem fight to the death until only one remains. Have students build background knowledge on the novel’s themes by exploring content like:

• An interactive video that explains what it means to have “power.”
• An article exploring how members of a Thai coup group embraced the “Hunger Games” three-finger salute as an act of defiance against the government.
• An interactive video that looks at the qualities of a hero.

[14. “I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov](id-robot)

“I, Robot” is a short story collection that discusses the ethics of creating humanlike robots and integrating them into society. Students can explore how the fictional robots compare to the ones we have in real life with resources like:

• An interactive video that explores how some older science fiction stories have now become science facts.
• An article that explores the job of designing robots for a living.
• An article that explores how students can be susceptible to peer pressure, even when the peer isn’t human.

[15. “Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler](id-kindred)

In “Kindred,” a Black woman named Dana living in the 1970s has to travel back to the South before the Civil War to protect her ancestors and ensure her family line continues. Help students better understand the story by exploring resources like:

• A video biography about author Octavia E. Butler.
• An interactive video that gives reasons why you should read Butler’s fiction.
• An article that looks at the concept of Afrofuturism and how it’s presented in the media.

[16. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins](id-mockingjay)

In the second story in the “Hunger Games” series, Katniss reluctantly becomes the leader of the fight against the oppressive Capitol government. Students can dive deeper into the world of Panem and build skills using articles on topics like:

• An article that explains what conflicts are in literature.
• The influence of writer Joseph Campbell’s theories on storytelling and filmmaking.
• The growing trend of fake Instagram accounts, or Finstas, for posting private, silly, or unfiltered content.

[17. “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells](id-time)

In “The Time Machine,” a scientist builds a time machine to travel into a futuristic dystopian society where he meets two new classes of humans: the Eloi and the Morlocks. Take a deeper look into the possibility of time travel with resources like:

• A video that explains situational irony.
• A video that explains verbal irony.
• An article that explores the theoretical possibility of time travel outside of science fiction.

[18. “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown](id-wild)

In Brown’s novel, Roz the robot becomes shipwrecked on a deserted island and must build relationships with the animals there and adapt to the new environment. Students can learn more about robot interactions in the real world by reading articles on topics like:

• The different types of robots that exist.
• A robot tour guide named Persephone that leads visitors through Greek caves.
• How birds like penguins react to robots designed to look like one of them.

Turn the page on dull lessons with Newsela ELA

Tapping into student interest topics that align with your curriculum and state mandates is one of the best ways to keep them engaged and excited to learn while meeting your educator goals. 

‍Newsela ELA’s Novel and Book Studies collection can help your students build background knowledge, practice in-context literacy skills, and explore diverse perspectives when you’re reading a whole-class novel or when they’re exploring books for fun.

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