The year is 2070 and the New You Foundation has become successful giving humans the option of becoming a replica of themselves (A Pleeka), in a body that doesn’t eat, drink, sleep, injure itself or fall ill, allowing endless productivity and work hours, and no ageing.

Another huge plus that helps sell this to the public is that there is much less draw on Earth’s resources if you choose to become a Pleeka.

But the New You Foundation isn’t telling the whole story.

Plot summary of New You For Ever (No Spoilers)

Anders Jones and his dad have a popular good news program that is shown on several news shows across the UK. Called And Finally… it is a popular feature at the end of news that is usually bad. Leaving school at 14, (as most do in 2070) Anders began helping his dad Daniel with ideas and filming these good news slots.

They have seen how popular the Pleekas have become and are soon learning more about them as they work with the New You Foundation in showing all the positives of having your memories, and all brain activity copied into a body that can never age or die.

Anders becomes concerned about how often they are doing this, as his hero Tera Helstrom has been quite vocal about the negatives of the Pleekas for the individual and the planet.

When Anders sees some famous people who have become Pleekas malfunction, and then Tera begin to talk positively about the Pleekas, he becomes suspicious.

As Anders and his father become more involved with filming at the New You Foundation, they experience more and more behind the scenes problems with Pleekas. Not to mention the foundation are marketing becoming a Pleeka to younger and younger people.

Something isn’t right at the New You Foundation, and when Anders meets his hero Tera, the full truth is revealed.

Review

Wow! What a concept. This novel has a clever premise which begins with:

This story takes place in the year 2070. But it could happen sooner than you think.

Deemed Dystopian-Cli-Fi fiction, the above statement rings true as you read it. With technology racing ahead every moment, could the reality of new synthetic bodies be possible? The exciting part of this novel is the truth and lies of the foundation making and marketing them, but the topic of the novel is a thought-provoking one.

Longer than many Dyslexic novels from Barrington Stoke at 123 pages, this is also full of intrigue, action and parallels to our own lives – making it even more engaging.

Gripping!

Book Style

Produced particularly for Dyslexic Readers / Begins with main character talking directly to the reader about what happened to him, finishing the chapter with:

Read on. I’ll fill you in. 

136 Pages

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

Reading Age 8+ / Interest Age 11+

Where & When is it set?

Set in a large city in the UK / The year is 2070

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

First person / Present tense

Is there Violence?

Yes

What genre is New You For Ever?

Middle Grade Dystopian-Cli-Fi / Thriller

Themes

Dystopian / Future / Climate Fiction / Action / Truth

Is it part of a series?

No

Find a link for a Reading Sample of New You For Ever here

Find more books set in the Future here

Find more Dyslexic / Reluctant Reads here

Author

Steve Cole

Illustrator

Chris King

Publisher

Barrington Stoke/ Harper Collins

(2026, Harper Collins, Barrington Stoke, Dyslexic Read, Dyslexia, Reluctant Read, Future, 2070, Dystopian, Action, Truth and Lies, Big Corporation, UK, Cover-up, New bodies, News stories, Secret)

The post New You For Ever Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A 12 year old boy named Eddie is concerned about a missing boy from his school. When he goes looking for him, it seems to kick off a series of events around him, and then frightening physical changes to his body. He feels increasingly strange inside and out and isn’t sure who to tell.

Surrounded by AI tech, it’s a secret that is hard to keep to himself. His parents have minimised the technology in their family home, but it’s 2045, and it is used in every aspect of human life. Finding a balance is an ongoing problem. Keeping his secret but continuing his search, Eddie tries to fight his body’s alarming changes. Soon the local authorities get more involved, which sparks a dangerous mission.

Plot summary of The Wild Unknown (No Spoilers)

Eddie isn’t looking forward to going back to school. His brother Jude is not only a good student but seems to excel at everything he does, which leaves Eddie feeling like he is always trying to catch up. When a boy named Theo from his school is reported missing, Eddie can’t let it go. He wants to help find Theo. Eddie and his best friend Kit begin to investigate near a river where Theo was seen last.

It is 2045, and Eddie’s parents try to limit the ever-increasing technology in their home. They are also very safety conscious with their sons. Eddie knows he’s not allowed near the river, so when he and Kit find something strange, they’re not sure who to tell. When the item goes missing, Eddie is more confused and worried about Theo. Soon after their river clue-finding expedition, Eddie begins to feel strange. Was something in the water?

When his body begins changing physically, he’s terrified someone will find out. It is far from normal and he can’t find answers. He’s relieved when he learns he’s not the only one. With his big brother and his friends, they dig deeper into the mystery of the missing boy, and Eddie’s changing body, whilst avoiding robot dogs, spy drones and strange deliveries.

Review

The Wild Unknown is something different and being set less than 20 years in our future, the featured technology is quite believable.

This novel for 10+ explores the ever increasing role of AI in our daily lives. Although much of it is helpful, The Wild Unknown highlights that it is a balance we must constantly keep track of and also always remember (no matter how much AI bots seem to be almost human) AI is a machine.

I enjoyed this look into our perfectly possibly future of AI, Science, family and friendships and the possible fallout caused by technology’s power.

Book Style

328 pages / 42 Chapters with Chapter headings in a futuristic font

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

10+

Where & When is it set?

Australia / 2045 – 2046

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Third person / Past tense

Is there Violence?

Minor bullying at school, and threat of violence from robots

What genre is The Wild Unknown?

Middle Grade Dystopian

Themes

Future / Technology / AI / Artificial Intelligence / Mystery

Is it part of a series?

No

Author

Emily Gale

Publisher

Text Publishing Australia

(2026, Text Publishing Aust, Intermediate (NZ), Australia, Future, Dystopian, Friendship, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Missing Boy, Investigate, Clues, Politics, Computers, Robots, Technology, Bots, Science, Secret)

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Siblings Dayna and Pax are trying to survive in a dystopian world on their own after their father falls ill. The biggest threat to them is the fungal spores that have decimated the human population, and turned animals rabid. There is no electricity, technology, or society left. They have been raised by their father in this world, and they have honed survival skills.

The threat they haven’t learnt enough about is other people. This is a lesson hard-won after much danger, courage and love for each other.

Plot summary of Day of Now (No Spoilers)

Dayna and Pax are worried about their dad when he is bitten by an animal affected by Echidna. Echidna isn’t the Australian animal we know of, but the name given by scientists to a disease that races through the human body if the fungal spores are breathed in, or if they are bitten by something carrying the disease. Echidna has wiped out society as we know it, taking electricity, technology and any semblance of order.

When they hear of a place that might be able to help their father, they seek it out, putting themselves in even more danger. In their desperation to find help, they meet other people. Hiding away with their father their entire lives, they have never met anyone else. Despite their dad’s warnings in their endless survival training, they put too much trust in what the strangers are saying.

Using their survival skills, they escape, only to fall into more traps as they navigate the world alone. Increasingly wary of other people, they fall back on relying on each other, and a few that have proven themselves to be trustworthy to them. The sibling’s end goal is to find and save their father from the people that took him from them.

But shocking surprises wait for them in their quest, along with a need for their skills, courage, and desire to do the right thing, just as they were raised.

My thoughts

I love post apocalypse or dystopian fiction for any age, and Day of Now is a thrilling, engaging YA novel with both characters I loved and villains I deplored.

Being the viewpoint character, Dayna in particular is a fleshed out pre-teen character struggling with real day-today or sometimes minute-to-minute horrors. Her growth through the novel is great to watch, but at the same time, her trust in people and the dangers she faces personally are troubling to read. This is a time of survival and she is forced to grow up quickly, become a leader and feel the weight of responsibility for her group.

Day of Now is well written, surprising, tense, and even heart warming in moments. Looking forward to the sequel, which may be entitled Silence Beneath Fire. No matter what it’s called, I’ll be snapping it up.

Characters

Dayna was born just before the world fell apart. She lives with her father and little brother Pax in a house with a blue door in an abandoned small town. Pax and Father are the only people she’s ever known, heard, or seen in her life. They are very close, growing up in a world surrounded by continuing threats to their lives.

She is a skilled lock-picker, and survivalist, and will do anything for her family. Dayna is sensible, resilient, determined, brave and always thinking ahead, and as her travels with her brother advance, she becomes a leader of not only the two of them, but others they meet and trust along the way.

She must do a lot of growing up on their quest to save her father, facing things no pre-teen must face, and making life-saving choices that affect her group.

Pax looks to his big sister for guidance on everything, as their father has taught him. He trusts her judgements implicitly and will fight for her life if put to the test. He too must face terrible dangers, violence and fears as he follows Dayna’s path.

Pax falls back on his father’s teachings about good people and bad people, and is insistent about being the hero like in their treasured storybooks. This trust in believing the hero always prevails is slowly worn away as they encounter one dangerous person or group after another. When a teenage boy named Jason joins them, Pax begins to look to him for advice and praise, but ultimately it’s Dayna he follows.

Jason is discovered by Dayna, bound and gagged in a cage. The first thing he does is warn them about the dangerous situation they are all in. He is the first person to join the sibling’s small group, and is very welcome, especially by Pax. He knows much more about the world than they do, and is a constant help on their journey.

He and Pax clash often in their thinking, and is proven to be untrustworthy in some of they information he is providing. But, no matter how stubborn or single-minded Dayna is, Jason too, soon sees her as their leader and dubs her ‘Sarge’, as he begins to trust her judgement more and more.

Jason is helpful and more understanding of a little girl named Evie that joins their group, looking out for her when the others don’t.

Evie – a six year girl who was part of a group that took the children in to feed, bathe and allow them shelter. She is special in their world, and has been raised as such, making her spoilt, demanding and prone to outbursts in dangerous situations.

Writing Style

Told in four parts – from where the siblings, and then their small group find themselves.

Dayna is the main point of view character in the novel, in present tense. Readers see and hear what she does, along with seeing her thoughts and worries in their incredibly dangerous journey. Raised away from others and believing everything she has been taught by her father, she struggles with many things she must now face, and the decisions she must make for their group.

FAQs

What age is it for?

13+

Where & When is it set?

Future / Dystopian England

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

3rd person / Present tense

Is there Violence?

Yes

What genre is Day of Now?

Post Apocalypse-Dystopian / Young Adult

Is there any sex in the novel?

No

Themes

Post Apocalypse, Dystopian, Family, Friendship, Courage, Trust, Survival

Is it part of a series?

Yes – a Duology

The sequel is not yet published (2026)

Author

Miranda Reason

Publisher

Bloomsbury UK

Read an interview of Day of Now’s author

Find it here

Want to read more Dystopian novels?

Find them here

(2026, Bloomsbury UK, Survival, Post Apocalypse, Dystopian England, Fungal Spores, Cults, Gangs, Danger, Horrors, Undead, Choices, Trust, Friendship, Courage, Risk, Future, Family, Science)

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It’s 200 years into our future, and at least where our characters live, it’s pretty grim. The small seaside village of Seawaren is almost surrounded by land that is either poisoned and unable to bear anything edible, or it’s land they call Burnt Land, because the only thing left after the poisoning is grey ash. If you breathe in this ash, touch any water within these death fields or try to eat anything that struggles to grow, you will probably die.

Seawaren is a village in trouble with ever encroaching poisoned fields and smaller and smaller catches by their fishing boats every day. Sometimes they bring in nothing at all. They blame the Monsters for their fates, believing that they are the problem. After all, the Monsters take all the fish or attack their boats. The Monsters can grow incredibly big, making it impossible to fight back.

One girl in Seawaren isn’t scared of the Monsters. Even after they are blamed for sinking her father’s fishing boat and killing him and many of crew. Her name is Sunny, and she’s always been fascinated by them, wanting to see one up close. They blame her lack of alarm about the Monster that attacked the boat that day.

Now, out with her friends early one morning, they discover a small Monster in a trap. There is no way she can leave it in pain, frightened and alone. Her friends warn her to leave it be, but she has other ideas.

Breaking the rules once again, she gets to know this so called Monster. This threatens her friendships, and her very place in the community. She is too different for many, but it is her differences that might just save their village.

What begins as a creature / human friendship tale, (Think E.T, How to Train your Dragon, The One and Only Ivan, or The Never Ending Story), The Monsters at the End of the World is essentially a tale of Misconceptions, Prejudice, Friendship, Understanding and even Environmental Warning.

One girl imagines more than she has been raised to believe. She sees past the mantras of her life – “Monsters are dangerous.” “Monsters are evil.” “Monsters are to blame for everything.” Sunny’s nature is like her name, believing in a more positive outcome between humans and the strange creatures they share the sea with.

As in real life there are stubborn attitudes to overcome, some who bellow louder to drown out any other point of view, and some who will even use force. Monsters at the End of the World is ultimately a hopeful story of listening, co-operating and planning a possible new future.

Author – Rebecca Orwin

Age – 10+

(2026, Penguin Random House UK, Action, Animals, Conflict, Courage, Environment, Family, Future, Friendship, Prejudice, Secret, Misconceptions, Understanding, Patience, Trust, Hope, Poisoned Lands, Resource Competition, Food Scarcity, Fishing Village)

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Hunter‘s family practically owns Mars, at least his family were the first ones to settle and claim their large chunk, two generations before. Ruthless and ambitious, his family toss anyone aside who doesn’t fit their expansion plans for domination. A twin, Hunter was unfortunately one of those left behind, leaving him to find his own way in life.

When they both find themselves on a base that is fatally malfunctioning, and with no seat in the emergency evacuations, they must work together to live. Especially when they realise the malfunction is a lie, and a small group of mercenaries have plans for the future of the UN Base.

Cleo hates Hunter on sight. He is part of the Graves family that rules Earth and much of Mars and is responsible for so much hurt in her past. She also hates the fact that he is gorgeous, respectful and saves her life. Swinging from wanting to use him as a bargaining chip with the invaders, or wanting to kiss him, Cleo uses all the tech skills her father taught her, and everything she has learnt as a stowaway to Mars and then on base, to keep them both alive.

Hunter is unaware that she is a Hitcher – a person who doesn’t belong there. A person who is part of the crowd that killed his father. He believes she is an Engineering student, which explains how she knows so much about the base. A growing respect soon builds for her however, along with an attraction that includes her complete disregard for his family name.

Time is running out as they learn what the mercenaries want. Working together, they do all they can to survive – all the while feeling more and more between them. Both viciously hurt before by loved ones, they fight the attraction by doing what they have always done – looking out for number one.

An effortlessly written, fast paced action thriller, woven through with an enemies to lovers premise and a twisty plot to keep readers hooked.

Whatever can go wrong does, with some shocking revelations along the way. The Scifi base setting isn’t over-explained (which can slow down a story for me), the characters are sassy and smart, banter funny, and tension winding tighter and tighter as eight hours count down to the character’s doom.

I’d love to see Red Star Rebels as a movie too, as it has everything that it would need. The Mars setting is intriguing, because who knows where human kind is going with that idea? There is just enough background threaded into the 1st person dual viewpoints to tug at our hearts, not to mention rising heart beats as the characters face one threat after another.

I loved the tech too. A brilliant way to kick off 2026!

Author – Amie Kaufman

Age – 13+

Find more Amie Kaufman book reviews here

Publisher – Allen & Unwin

Set in – 2067 / Mars / United Nations Base

Viewpoints – 1st person – Main characters Hunter & Cleo

Orphan? – Lost Fathers

Violence – Threat of with guns present

Real Life – Possible in our future?

Fantasy – No

Sex – No (Attraction only)

Blend – YA Thriller / Sci-Fi

(2026, Allen & Unwin, Sci Fi, Humour, Funny, Ambition, Loss, Twins, Multiple Viewpoints, Ticking Bomb, Countdown, Tension, Romance, Thrilling, Twists, Future, Mars, Planet, Power, United Nations, Banter, Quick Witted, Loners, Coding, Technology, Science, Fast Paced Action, Betrayal, Family, Sibling Rivalry, Murder, Crime, Attraction)

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“The NSDE initiative was formed to save humanity from the chaos and dangers of Outside. Pollution, over farming and introduction of untested bio-engineered elements resulted in deadly droughts, pollen storms and mutated swarms. NSDE was humanity’s last chance.”

Children are trained to become soldiers of this regime, to police the inhabitants, and to prevent creatures called Spiravits from attacking them. Training includes lessons on how dangerous the Spiravits can be. They may look human, but their eyes are milky white and they can be vicious and calculating. They also have a strange power that can produce explosions, killing any living thing around them.

No matter how hard Naya trains, even with the help of her best friend and top cadet Kaven, she can never be ruthless enough, strong enough or single-minded enough to achieve the standards her mother insists upon. When she is given another way to graduate along with her class and Kaven, she accepts.

The General gives her a dangerous mission: Infiltrate the Spiravit’s lair and return with intel in order to eradicate them.

It’s risky from one moment to the next, and Naya discovers truths even more shocking than her mother’s mission request. Torn between both worlds, she uses a strange gift she has had since small – communicating with the city walls with her mind.

Split into two timeframes (during soldier training and then on a mission), main character Naya tells this dystopian story.

The soldier training shows the reader all the hard work, effort and pain (both physical and mental), Naya has gone through to try and impress her mother who is the leader of their entire city. Naya can’t seem to ever achieve the results she aims for but continues to struggle regardless.

This determination and grit aids her in a perilous mission outside the safety of the city walls, and allows her to see the truth that is hidden from city residents. This is shown cleverly on the cover of the novel. The city is clean, and ordered and if you tip the cover over, you see broken structures surrounded by trees and nature. The telling component is the way the human within those landscapes is composed. The city holds a running figure. The Outside, a calm, awed human being.

This theme of misconception between people is a common one, and one our world continuously finds itself in – INSIDE shows a dystopian view of it with an imaginative Sci-Fi twist.

A gripping read.

Author – S A Gales

Age – 11+

Read more Dystopian Novels here

Publisher – Allen & Unwin

Set in – Unknown Future / Inside & Outside a semi-sentient city

Viewpoint – 1st person

Orphan – No father present

Violence – Yes

Real Life – No

Fantasy – No

Blend – Dystopian / Sci-Fi

(2025, Allen & Unwin, Dystopian, Secret, Grief, Action, Betrayal, Future, Sci Fi, Cadet Training, Soldiers, Loyalty, Truth, Lies, Outsiders, Prejudice, Misconceptions, Control, Energy)

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Jacoby, Jasmine and all of their classmates are all learning skills like knot tying, sailing, and sword fighting, so they can join their family dynasties that now roam the world’s seas and oceans. They all belong to the Pirate Federation, that now rules their watery world.

At age eleven, they have been with their classmates for years and have become a very tight-knit group of friends. They are treated well, train hard, and life is good with an exciting future ahead of them.

Jacoby is shocked to have his best friend suddenly taken out of school, with no sensible explanation. In his place comes a stranger who keeps to himself, not sharing his past. Blaming him for the loss of his friend, Jacoby is far from welcoming.

Jasmine also wonders where this stranger came from, but has her own worries. Her parents and their entire ship has vanished. Nobody knows where they are after they didn’t finish a sailing race.

Suspicion and confusion aren’t the only thing the New Kid on Deck brought with him though. He has a deadly secret, and it bursts open inside the school, bringing clashing swords and cannon balls!

The first book in a new exciting series, Pirate Academy (1) New Kid on Deck is fast paced, with short chapters, and perfect for reluctant readers. 

With likeable characters, tons of action and a mystery very early in the story, this middle-grade novel captures the reader quickly, and holds on through the adventure on land and sea.

Black and white illustrations by Teo Skaffa appear throughout the story, sharing the action, settings and villains of the tale.

Climb aboard Pirate Academy for a trip into a sword swishing series. 

Author – Justin Somper

Illustrator – Teo Skaffa

Age – 8+

(2025, Allen & Unwin, Third person, Pirates, Future, Control, Rebels, School, New Kid, Friendship, Teamwork, Sword play, Fighting, Kidnap, Sailing ships, Action, Adventure, Series, Courage, Secret, Mystery, Sailing, Ocean, Sea, Short Chapters)

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He doesn’t like the thought of a new school, but his expulsion is final. Sparkleton High School is offered as another option, and a young teacher has come to talk to him about it. Felix is wary, but can’t believe his ears when she believes he can see the future. She knows of others, and she has come to rescue him from the state school system.

Felix is soon in a top secret organisation with people who are encouraged to daydream with incredible results. There are spirits wherever they travel in this hidden London underground, but not everyone can see them like he can. There are celestial beings that can be pocket sized or the size of a bus in moments, and magic swirls everywhere he goes. His ability to see the future is finally appreciated and applauded, not scoffed and scolded at.

But there is training, and school and lessons, just like any other school. To his dismay, there are still school bullies, and distrust in his new world, and he does everything to try and prove himself. Especially after showing the leaders the scariest premonition he’s ever had.

It shows a dark, powerful force attacking their magical world, and the world above them where his grandmother lives.

When blame falls upon his shoulders again, Felix will do anything to prove to his new teachers and friends that the evil he’s foretold has not been summoned by him.

It’s hard not to compare Felix and the Future Agency to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with its school setting, new friends, school bullies and magic. There is much more to this (1st book in a new middle-grade series) however, with dreams, astrology and premonitions being the base the story is built upon.

Main character Felix is easy to like, and far from perfect, with easily stoked anger he must learn to control. A temper has much higher implications in his new world. The world-building is fascinating and the setting a place I’d like to visit myself, especially to taste the magical teas!

A twist or two in the story is satisfying, making me want to know what happens next, when the story finishes unresolved. There are a sprinkle of illustrations throughout the novel, and intriguing pics at every new chapter heading.

An interesting Afterword strengthens the basis of the premise, prompting possible further research into an actual Premonition Agency in real life.

This unique world is going to be one to watch out for when the next book in the series hits the shelves.

Author – Rachel Morrisroe

Illustrator – Paddy Donnelly

Age – 9+

Publisher – Simon & Schuster UK

(2025, Simon & Schuster UK, Third Person, Future, Action, Magic, Series, Friendship, Secret, Ghost, Mystery, Loss, Accident, See the Future, School, Enchantments, Dream Weavers, Astrology, Dyslexic, Premonitions, Spirits, Constellations, Daydreams, London, Tube, Railway)

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Before long, she encounters a sky without the covers that she’s lived under her whole life. The covers that were said to protect them from the sun’s brutal rays. What she experiences is nothing of the sort – just a beautiful blue, clear sky and ocean before her.

There is much more to learn about life away from Littleton, and to her horror, she learns the truth about her island and it’s people. She wishes she’d listened to those who’d begun asking questions. But she never imagined the true purpose of her home.

Living under the covers has given her and Estelle a pale, almost glowing skin, so they stand out among others. Named Darklanders, Merel wonders how they will ever escape the deck of the ship. But others have left the island too, and soon know she is coming.

Finding friendly faces is only temporary though, and Merel discovers an even bigger betrayal. A plan now burns in her – Return to Littleton and share the truth.

An exciting 2nd episode to The Edge of Light Trilogy. With a shocking reveal regarding the purpose of Littleton, and a betrayal that cuts deep, The Miracle is an emotive read.

The novel’s technology is intriguing and unnerving in equal measure, as we see the results of Capitalism in a possible future. 

Main character Merel is easy to cheer for, as her inner courage and determination stays strong – until a devastating loss stops her in her tracks. But this girl isn’t down for long, and the ending brings a promise of return and redemption in the final book – Fire.

Author – A M Dixon

Age – 12+

Find a review for the 1st book in the series here

(2025, OneTree House, NZ, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Dystopian, Betrayal, Series, Future, Survival, Ship, Trek, Hiding, Truth, Lies, Technology, Genetics, Clones, Science, Cli-Fi, Post Apocalypse, Trilogy, Future Capitalism)

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After being left on a partially explored planet, contestants must use their skills in squads of five, sharing ideas, answers and collaborating to unravel clues to get them to their pick up point in three days time. They have met as they prepared for the travel to the competition, but don’t know who their squad members will be.

It is said, the heir to the Dynasties who own and runs their world is a contestant, but a disguise is sure to be in play. Speculation is rife before the competition, and the rules are the same as the previous decades of races. Work together, get as many of your squad to the finish line and stay alive.

But all the hopeful candidates know there is much more to it than that. Every move and every word is being watched and weighed and analysed. The more you impress the viewers, the more backing you get, which then increases your chances more.  The stakes are high, but no higher than for Amethyst Antares.

Ammy is from a planet fully controlled by the ruling Dynasty. Her planet and its occupants are the most mistrusted humans in their galaxy. After all, it was them who started an age old war, many years before. It’s believed by all that their control is the only way to keep the remaining planets safe.

Mistrusted by all, but determined as all of them put together, Ammy knows everything there is to know about The Surface Trials, and she will use all her skills and knowledge to get a place in the Starquest Academy.

She didn’t expect plants that want to eat you, wasps the size of small cars and a betrayal that seems too big to overcome. Hearing and seeing things that her squad doesn’t, isn’t helping either….

Think Hunger Games but without kids killing off kids to survive. In The Surface Trials, you must work together. This is harder than you think as a squad of five only has limited supplies, including food and first aid. The less in your team, the more food, but the more in your team that reach the finish line before sunset on the third day of survival on a strange planet, the more kudos comes your way.

It is a fine balance, all whilst being watched and listed to the entire time. This is good in some ways, but can go horribly wrong when underestimating the planet you are trying to survive on.

I found The Surface Trials instantly gripping, quickly feeling empathy for main character Ammy, and all the while wondering which of her team mates was the heir to their entire world.

The alien setting was intriguing and well written right up to the last page. The countdown ups the tension as they wonder whether they will make it after all that happens along the way!

Excellent middle grade Sci Fi fiction with Mystery, Friendship, and pulse-pounding pages. 

Author – HM Waugh

Age – 10+

(2025, Allen & Unwin, Action, Adventure, Courage, Sci Fi, Dystopian, Future, Horror, Prejudice, Secret, Planet, Giant Wasps, Squads, Mission, Countdown, Loyalty, Quick thinking, Puzzles, Cooperation, Judged, Fear, Hunger Games, Unknown, Betrayal, Belief, Abandoned, Alien Flora and Fauna, Race, 100 Contestants, Survival)

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This ability to breathe has come from technology by the Zephyr Corporation, but at a price. Zephyr’s growth and powerful reach is everywhere in Sparrow’s life, and they seem to be getting richer every day.

Paying for air to breathe for herself, her little sister and grandfather, takes a large chunk of Sparrow’s earnings. She can’t see a way out of their poverty, after having to leave school early to work. She constantly urges her little sister to study hard and not find herself in the same situation.

When not working, Sparrow likes to visit a friend named Miriam who was once a rocket scientist. She is constantly tinkering with equipment, including Sparrow’s hover skates and i-pad that aids her work.

On a visit one day, she finds Miriam’s warehouse on fire, with her friend inside. From that moment, Sparrow’s life is in danger, as Miriam was working on a new project. Little does Sparrow know, she is the key to changing their polluted world – forever!

This Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction), novel for Dyslexic or Reluctant Readers is intriguing from the very first page. Young teenager Sparrow lives in a futuristic Earth, covered by pollution so bad, it is impossible to breathe in it. The special equipment is costly, driving an even bigger divide between rich and poor.

But just like in the movie ROBOTS (2005), someone is working on new ideas and equipment, in this case to help those who struggle to pay the fees just to breathe.

A savvy battle between rich and poor has an incredibly satisfying and thrilling ending.

Perfect for anyone, but particularly dyslexic readers as Barrington Stoke are experts in this genre.

Author – Alastair Chisholm

Illustrator – George Caltsoudas

Age – 9+

Dyslexic Read

(Reading Age 8 – Interest Age 9+)

Find more Alastair Chisholm titles here

Read a sample chapter here

(2024, Barrington Stoke, Action, Family, Conflict, Courage, Crime, Dystopian, Future, Greed, Poverty, Dyslexic Read, Dyslexia, Reluctant Readers, Cli-Fi, Clifi, Edinburgh, Scotland, City, Hover Skates, Breathing Masks, Courier)

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Zane is the son of a wealthy politician. But wealth does not mean happiness. On Zane’s planet, arranged marriages are the norm. He’s not sure about his upcoming nuptials, as he doesn’t want his bride’s family to know any more about his own. There is too much to hide.

Raya lives on The Moons. These are the planets mined for their minerals and riches, with none of the wealth going to the miners. In fact, it has proven itself again and again since Raya was eight years old and alone, that miners are to be worked to death, with little if any pay and no rights whatsoever. Raya is tough, street smart and loves her dog Zircon. If she could win The Pinnacle, her and Zircon could leave The Moons, buy a house and never have to fight or steal food again.

They are only three of ten contestants for the competition – all looking each other over as they buckle themselves into the shuttle that will take them to the venue. Will it be a desert, a jungle or an icy mountain? What will the challenges be, and should they find allies early?

All these concerns are soon forgotten when one of them dies. Then another. And another. Someone knows what they have all done at home. Someone wants justice.

Set 400 years in our future, this YA novel is a little Hunger Games, a little Lord of the Flies and a lot riveting! Ten teens, are all desperate to win a huge cash prize after eliminating their competition. But as the bodies pile up, the realisation that they might not be accidents, ups the tension ten-fold.

The stress is high as they try to figure out who the killer is, who to trust and how much to admit of their past lives. Three of the characters tell the tale, with the other seven as collateral damage in the plot.

A page-turning plot and contrasting characters make this a compelling read. 

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of this exciting novel.

Author – Wendy Cross

Age – 12+

(2024, Penguin Books, Action, Dystopian, Sci Fi, Guilt, Aventure, Game, Competition, Murder, Crime, Secrets, Family, Island, Friendship, Future, Mystery, One by one, Revenge)

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“Part Race Car Driver. Part Fighter Pilot. All Superstar. The Hover Car Racer.”

Brothers Jason & Bug Chaser are a young, talented, hover car racing team. With Jason’s driving skills and Bug’s exceptional navigation prowess, they hope one day to be in the Pro Racing Circuit. Already in the regional championships, they know they have what it takes. But racing isn’t always smooth, and a chance slips away.

Fortunately, someone was watching their final race in the championship, and confirm to the brothers and their parents that they are skilled enough to attend the International Race School. They can hardly believe it.

Things are exciting and new, but far from smooth with fierce rivalries from every direction. But they do make firm friends with the only female driver, Ariel Piper and their very own mech chief, Sally McDuff. Sally’s skills lie in the use of the tech available for pit stops in every race and soon proves to be a valuable part of their team of three.

Race by race, the brothers and Sally inch towards hover racer stardom, but it seems the better they do the more dangerous it gets on the track. The rivalry has intensified, with more than race points to fight for. Now, money, status and futures are on the line and even their lives.

You don’t have to be a race fan or a car nut to enjoy this thrilling, action stuffed graphic novel! I felt like I was in the hover car with the Chaser brothers as they battled in every race against older drivers and newer cars.

Their team of three, driver, navigator and pit stop whizz, had everything stacked against them from the start, but their courage and mantra of Never Give Up drives them through every obstacle and dastardly dealings along the way.

Family support, good friendships and loyalty are an underlying theme of the story, and the good guys achieving their goals despite all the pitfalls of international sport also makes Hover Car Racer an engaging read. But it’s far from easy and each trial just builds the stakes more and more, pinning me to the page as they raced.

 John Hanna’s illustration style captures the incredible pace of the racing, and also the emotions of the characters as they meet famous racers, make new friendships and loyalties and face each hurdle thrown at them.

Riveting read indeed!

Author – Matthew Reilly

Illustrator – John Hanna

Age – 10+

Graphic Novel

(2024, Pan Macmillan, Action, Betrayal, Bullies, Conflict, Courage, Family, Future, Science, Cars, Hover Cars, Mechanics, Technology, Magnets, Skulduggery, Cheating, Trust, Siblings, Brothers, Friendships, Racing, Exciting, Gripping Races, Speed, Guts, Loyalty, Team)

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Settling in at the wānanga isn’t quite as smooth as hoped, as she has blithely already offended others. But she is ready to work hard as an intuitive trainee – working on her mind skills to see seconds into the future.

Soon after arriving, Farah is paired with a combative trainee. Combatant’s build their fighting skills, and together with their intuitive partner, they work together to fight other pairs of trainees. Training is long and hard, but satisfying.

Farah meets other trainees and makes close bonds, all the while learning about herself, her biases and the spiritual side of the wānanga. Her intuitive skills are increasing, even if her history classes are boring and her creative weaponry marks are sorely lacking. When her mother is suddenly applying pressure from afar, Farah wonders if she will ever escape her influence.

But soon, all that she has learnt or been worrying about is inconsequential. Her skills suddenly have a mind of their own, and the world around her begins to fall apart. Can she mend the bridges she has all but torched, believe in her intuition and become much more than anyone ever expected of her – especially herself?

Set in a military style boarding school, thousands of years in the future, Migration has a definite grounding in te ao Māori. The school is named a wānanga, their bags kete, and karakia are sung in special moments. There are many more references within the story that make kiwi readers feel at home, all whilst visiting this dystopian world with strange creatures and temples, paramount.

It begins with a prologue of a portal being used to help a large group of people escape their captors, and this all becomes relevant as we get to know Farah, her people’s customs and gods, and how she fits into it all. With only escape from her domineering mother in mind in the beginning, Farah goes through life changing events, losing and finding faith in herself and her abilities, and that the one she deemed an enemy is actually the opposite. Not quite an enemies to lovers trope, but an interesting bond to watch develop.

Farah has faced much more than she could ever have imagined in her short time at the wānanga, when an explosion rocks underfoot. An action-packed and increasingly tense conclusion had me turning pages even faster.

Migration is masterfully written, and gripping, with excellent world-building. The settings are easily imagined without tons of description, and main character Farah’s personal and supernatural development, fascinating. Will there be more from Farah’s world? 

Author – Steph Matuku

Age – 12+

Find more books by Steph Matuku here

(2024, Huia Publishers, Dystopian, Future, Action, Friendship, Spiritualism, Temples, Colonisation, Three Thousands Years Later, Invasion, Courage, Fighting, Grief, Escape)

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Not far away are small pockets of land above the water that were once a zoo. Buildings long since left to drown poke through the water. A top of an arch here, points of a wrought iron fence there.

Exotic animals left to survive on their own are pleased to see a battered, yellow, towering robot with nöa marked on its outstretched arm, and hands full of food. This robot was once a dam builder along with others but has seen a need. Pandas on a rock, tigers on a small stretch of dirt and elephants in the soggy zoo entrance.

When a storm races in and yet more ground is lost, nöa takes further action, collecting the terrified animals and placing them out of the rising waters. A skilled worker, he builds a vessel to help them escape for good. And still the waters rise. And still storms rage. He too is now at risk.

He is not alone after all, as soon there is another robot and another means of escape. Is there anywhere left that is safe for them all?

A powerful silent picture book showing a world with no human life, just what they’ve built, lost and left behind. Also left behind are a collection of animals facing rising waters. Zoos are a human invention, but what about the robots that come to the animal’s aid? Aren’t they a human invention too?

Climate change and the huge effects on the environment are well known and a future we all may face is within the pictures of this book. There are no humans within these pages, but human characteristics are present. Care, thoughtfulness, empathy and planning are strong in the AI of the robot characters as they strive to save deserted zoo animals.

As in all of Aaron Becker’s books, The Last Zookeeper is one to pore over to fully experience the story that begins as soon as you open the cover. The robots themselves are fascinating, fueled by different types of green energy sources, but showing human emotions and actions.

For me, humankind redeems itself a little through these robots, no matter the blame that lies at its feet. Lets hope this new nöa is not needed.

Beautifully illustrated, thought provoking and leaving me with the desire to ‘read’ it again and again to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.

Author – Illustrator – Aaron Becker

Picture Book

All Ages

See The Last Zookeeper come to life here

(2024, Walker Books UK, Future, Environment, Climate Change, Flooded world, Flooding, Storms, Rising Waters, Zoo, Exotic Animals, Escape, Rescue, Empathy, Care, Silent Book, Wordless Picture Book, Thought Provoking, Robots, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Noah’s Ark Retelling)

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Lodyma has other things collected from the past and a world Basti never experienced. Basti was born into this new harsher world, with less people, and the ongoing threat of illnesses sweeping through populations at random.

“Far as I can tell, the big collapse was when the climate got hotter, the cities washed into the sea and the pollution and diseases took out most of the people.”

Now it is most dangerous for men and older boys to live in the towns, as they are more susceptible to the virus’. Most have left their families and live in the hills away from people, surviving on what they can catch and kill.

Farm stock are non-existent due to the illnesses that spread from them to humans. Chickens are also under suspicion by most and rare for the same reason.

Basti, Lodyma and their town, barter, exchange and look out for one another. But Basti believes Lodyma only took her in because she was missing her son who she’d sent into the hills alone, to protect him from the sickness.

Basti reveres her home in Lodyma’s caravan and when another child arrives, she worries she will lose her position as Lodyma’s apprentice. She knows she has always worked hard for Lodyma, but can this young, clever, and spirited newcomer take her place?

Based in an all too possible future, Bren MacDibble takes readers into a different way of life. Less people, and more care within communities, but within a subsistence, bartering world with simple pleasures and no electricity.

I found the backdrop of main character Basti’s world fascinating as this is the only world she knows. Her guardian remembers how the world used to be and has survived the changes when many haven’t.

Basti herself is a caring, hard-working, and thoughtful soul, and has a knack for capturing the beautiful moments in life around her.

Regardless of the backdrop or the time it is set, the theme of a mother’s love is eternal wherever and whenever, and this is a key theme in The Apprentice Witnesser. Unsure where Basti fits within a family suddenly morphing before her, it is heart-wrenching to watch her uncertainty at her future.

Loved the ending.

Author – Bren MacDibble

Age – 9+

(2024, Allen & Unwin, Future, Dystopian, Blended Family, Animals, Growing up, Love, Women, Girls, Storytelling, Collecting stories, Miracles, Viruses, Illness, Population decimated, Climate changed world, Melted icecaps, Flooded coastlines, Subsistence living, Foraging)

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Begin Again is a continuation of Jeffers study of the human condition. Who we are as human beings, and how we can be the best we can – to others and our planet. The first book that began to explore this was Here We Are – written for his first child, his son, Harland. As a first time parent, the world suddenly seemed a different place. Here We Are is introducing humankind and the world to his child who is in effect a blank slate.

Another step in the understanding of the world around us is Meanwhile, Back on Earth – putting our squabbles, and perceptions of own space into perspective.

Begin Again sweeps all of that up, taking us back in human history. Way, waaaaay back. To the discovery of fire. No wait. Even further back to when we emerged from the oceans. We discovered and used fire, found the energy to make tools, build shelter, find food. This becomes ideas, creativity, progress through the ages – all stemming from the simple things in life. Warmth, shelter, food and each other. The creativity became art and story, bringing us together and then being passed on.

Somehow these basic things have become overshadowed. The little things seem to have been superseded with bigger, better, more and how to get even more. Time seems to have sped up. Community, connection and kindness have increasingly become wealth, individuality, and growth at any cost.

Borders are now well established, between towns, counties and countries and ‘us and them‘ exist like never before. But it’s not until a group of astronauts shared what they learnt when looking back at our planet as an object sitting in space, that we could understand something. From space, countries, borders and fences don’t exist. There is land or water. There are no them and theirs. There is only our home – for all of us.

“With distance comes perspective.”

The illustration style we know and love shares these thoughts and questions for our future in a positive, hopeful way. Humans are the masters of adaptation, and we can adapt for our new future – to ensure our future, not only for ourselves or our children, but for their children’s, children’s children’s children and beyond.

This book’s message and reason is clear to all who read it, without any preaching, doom or negativity – in fact, I found it to celebrate humankind in its adaptability and creativity to find solutions. This is further explored in a personal essay by Oliver Jeffers in the rear of the book.

“This book is the culmination of that observation and optimism.”

Let this multi award winning author and artist take you on a journey, and shoot you into any number of possible futures we can all dream up – together.

Author / Illustrator – Oliver Jeffers

All ages

(2023, Harper Collins, Earth, Humankind, Our future, The simple things in life, Essay, Hope, Creativity, Warmth, Shelter, Food, Community, Story, Stories, Sharing, Connection, Us not them, People)

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But it’s just as hot there too. In fact, a nearby lake has drastically shrunk in the heatwave revealing the remains of a village once called Syndercombe. Aunt Jessie explains that there are even more buildings under the water that is left, and the area was flooded on purpose.

Sick of the heat, and lured by the cool remaining water in the reservoir, Polly goes swimming – and wakes up in 1952 – as someone else, in Syndercombe.

This someone is Nellie, taken in by an older couple when her mum passed away. Nellie is kept company by Lena who is recuperating in the country after tuberculosis. Nellie and Lena have become the very best of friends.

‘What’s the story, morning glory?’

‘What’s your tale, nightingale?’

Nellie is an excellent swimmer in her area, and with Lena at her side Nellie tries out for an amazing opportunity. A wealthy man is keen to sponsor and train a child to be the very first child to swim the Channel between England and France. Nellie is devastated when a boy she’s never met before is chosen over her, and the disappointment just won’t leave her. Again, with Lena by her side, another opportunity arises.

Polly returns home to 2032 in awe. She visits Syndercombe again at exactly the same time as the first – just in case it’s important to the portal she had found. She was right. 2am is very important to Nellie, as this is the time that the local water board say her village must be empty before they flood the area. A dam is being built and everyone must move. Nellie hates to think about leaving her farm and her favourite Clydesdale horses. But she has a distraction. She is going to train to swim the Channel anyway, and the colder the water the better.

Polly can understand Nellie’s worries, but she has some of her own in 2032. Her own best friend has ignored her for weeks after an argument, and her big brother Joel is acting strangely. Surprising news comes from home and Joel finally tells her what’s wrong. The heat makes everything harder and Polly is always keen to return under the water to 1952’s Nellie. At least they’re not her own problems.

But news of bad weather is coming, and Dad is coming to get them. Polly is torn. She has to know what’s going to happen to Nellie and Lena.

This is a time-slip novel with a difference. The portal is underwater and at a key time in the demise of an entire village. Progress after the 2nd World War demands more fresh water for towns and the best place for a reservoir means drowning this village. Also woven into the story is swimming of the English Channel, surprise family announcements in both timelines, along with friendship dilemmas too.

Key themes are whether decisions made in the pursuit of progress are the best in the long run. There are fracturing friendships and miscommunications, parental expectations vs being yourself, and of course the result of ‘progress’ being global warming.

The ending is very neat and tidy and one moment I was hoping it wouldn’t be, then had a tear in my eye because it was wonderful.

Author – Emma Carroll

Age – 9+

Read more book reviews of Emma Carrol’s titles (Click on a Cover)

(2023, Faber & Faber, Allen & Unwin, Time Travel, Historical, 1950’s, Friendship, Swimming the Channel, The Cost of Progress, Flooding a town, Bullying, True self, Dreams, Expectations, Friendships, Portal, Time Slip)

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A particularly bad area of Jonah’s city has been named the D Zone – short for demolition. Either by the quakes themselves or the authorities. Nobody is supposed to be living there. It’s been marked for destruction. But years after the first quakes, D Zone has it’s own population of families. Many have no official papers which are required for assistance of any kind. If you are found without the required documentation, you and your family vanish from D Zone never to be seen again. Your neighbours know where you’ve gone though. Into a prison far from home with no hope of release.

But D Zoners are tough, resilient and loyal, and have built a new life from the rubble. Law is also a fractured thing, and different for each gang that rules the separate parts of D Zone. The thriving market place is neutral however, and where Jonah and his friends work and meet.

Some people have developed a special skill. Jonah is one of them. He can feel when a quake is about to hit. This skill is called a Glimpse, and this internal warning system although taxing on the Glimpser, can save lives. This skill can also make you rich and famous and is sought after by many.

When Jonah sees signs of a group called PANN in the market, he is instantly wary and angry. Years before this group had come to D Zone, and left nothing but broken dreams and heartbreak behind. Jonah was one of the biggest losers. He tries to warn his fellow D Zoners and is surprised his best friend Bas is being sucked in by PANN, but nothing Jonah says seems to have any effect.

This time PANN is not on its own, and the battle to move them on almost impossible. It’s been seven years since the very first quakes. Seven years of struggle. PANN is promising a way out and too many people are listening.

Can Jonah save his friend, his family and his community before it is too late?

From the award winning author of the powerful The Bridge, Glimpse is penned from her own experiences in the Christchurch (NZ) earthquakes. Just like The Bridge, I was taken into a dystopian world, and gripped early by this story and the powerful writing that delivers it.

Several times I would stop and reread a brilliant sentence that captured the essence of the character’s lives. Glimpse is a scenario in a perfectly possible future of corporate greed and organisations willing to prey on the vulnerable, all with a fantastical element of seeing events just before they happen.

Fast moving, beautifully written and authentic. I could almost feel the ground shaking, the roar of wrenched steel and concrete, and the dust filling the air. Glimpse has been written in tribute to the many rebuilding the city of Christchurch.

Author – Jane Higgins

Age – 13+

See Jane Higgins website here for her other books.

(2023, Text Publishing, Future, Poverty, Dystopian, Earthquakes, Rubble, Religion, Cult, Corporate Greed, Betrayal, Loss, Friendship, Loyalty, Courage, Persuasion, Tech, Family, Award winning author, Action)

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That’s not the only problem Bob is dealing with. He is a time traveller, but with no control over it. At first it was only ten minutes into the future but then it’s decades! Meeting with his older self is freaky at first, but each time he is thrown forward in time, he learns a little more about the world’s future.

As expected, technology is much advanced, but also has taken a terrible turn. Leaving the house is nearly impossible as groups of zombies lurk everywhere. These zombies wear a strange hat that dangles a phone screen in front of their faces. Their goal in life is to take selfies – all the time. If they can get you in it, even better.

Bob learns more and more each time he is hurled forward into his future, but each time he returns to his 11 year old self, his plans to prevent the selfie zombies fail again and again. When he jumps again, the world is even worse! Can he change the fate of the world or is it already sealed in zombie horror?

This funny zombie horror time-travel story has everything. Laughs, friendship, a guilty secret, smiling zombies who bite and a school talent show that must be won at any cost.

The time travel aspect is fun as main character Bob does the unusual in time travel – meets up and works with his future self. But the concept of going back in time to prevent problems in the future is far from smooth, in fact causing even more problems. Young Bob learns from old Bob each time he jumps, even though he’s not impressed with his future career or girlfriend.

Themes of tech turning us into zombies is clear as is the advice of not losing a sense of fun as you age. Bob even learns where his time-travel skills come from in a touching reunion.

Fun read with even funnier illustrations.

Author – Andy Jones

Illustrator – Robin Boyden

Age – 7+

(2023, Piccadilly Books, Allen & Unwin, Action, Friendship, Family, Love, Future, Secret, Time travel, Humour, Growing up, Zombies, Funny, Band, Talent Show, Rival)

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