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Top Ten Dystopian Books For Children

The future is a scary thing - who knows what it will bring? Writing about dystopian societies has been a feature of adult novels for a long, long time, but there's some fantastic stuff about for the younger ones. Post-apocalytpic fiction will thrill them, but it will also engage them in positive ideas about shaping the future. It's a win-win situation. Why not tell us about your favourites?


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Review of

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

5star.jpg Teens

A powerful, shocking, and intelligent novel about a future which practises retroactive abortion on troublesome teenagers, then uses their body parts for transplant. It's wonderful, wonderful stuff - but sensitive readers may be troubled by a shocking description of the process. Full Review

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Review of

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

4.5star.jpg Teens

A compelling, original and pacy future dystopian book with great originality and a dollop of wonderfully observed humour. Bookbag doesn't approve of the cliffhanger ending, which is the only thing keeping it from a five star rating. Full Review

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Review of

Bad Faith by Gillian Philip

4.5star.jpg Teens

A blend of love story, political thriller and murder mystery in this dystopian future book about religious fundamentalism. It presses all the buttons, has great tension, and is a rattlingly good read. Gillian Philip was kind enough to be interviewed by Bookbag. She has some really fascinating things to say! Full Review

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Review of

The Rule of Claw by John Brindley

4star.jpg Confident Readers

This is a timely, pacy and exciting future catastrophe novel suitable for tens and up. There's a little bit too much going on at times, but it's beautifully observed and its central characters are wonderfully charismatic. Full Review

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Review of

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

5star.jpg Teens

A tense and dramatic novel speculating on life in a future where drugs have banished old age and death. Mostly for teens, but the quality of writing is such that thoughtful younger children could approach it too. Full Review

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Review of

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

4.5star.jpg Teens

Exciting future catastrophe novel focusing on gladatorial style combat games. It's pacy and incredibly absorbing with a dynamic and attractive central character. Great stuff, if a little on the long side for perfect Bookbag comfort. Full Review

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Review of

Double Cross (Noughts & Crosses) by Malorie Blackman

5star.jpg Teens

Tense, immediate, colloquial, heart-breaking - Blackman's Noughts & Crosses sequence continues to raise the bar with this latest instalment. Don't miss them. Full Review

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Review of

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

4.5star.jpg Fantasy

Beautifully imagined and realised, this novel of future regression is rich with strong characters, big issues and a compelling plot. It is a barnstorming piece of serious fantasy that doesn't put a foot wrong. Full Review

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Review of

Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbol

5star.jpg Teens

A stunningly well-told thriller-fantasy with role reversal, a strong female lead character and some interesting questions about the nature of power. Highly recommended for the early teens. Full Review

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Review of

The Witness by James Jauncey

4.5star.jpg Teens

Wonderful, challenging novel encouraging political participation and moral questions about life and land, while providing a really tense and well-paced adventure story. The very end is perhaps a little too tidy for the most sophisticated readers but other than that, this is classy, admirable stuff. Full Review

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