Recommendations for KS3 Dystopian Fiction

[lollybongbong]

We're moving back to the UK in the summer from overseas and my two boys will be going to a UK school for the first time. There is quite a lot of difference in schooling where we are and the UK so using the next few months to prepare them. My eldest 12 and I are working through the KS3 curriculum and I wondered if anyone can recommend some Dystopian fiction that we could do together as guided reading. I'm trying to cover different genres, which we're both enjoying but I'm not a huge dystopian fiction fan. Any ideas? Especially from any secondary teachers out there.

[CruCru]

I loved The Chrysalids (still reread it from time to time). Other dystopian fiction I’ve particularly enjoyed has been The Giver, Z for Zachariah and On the Beach. When I was about 14 I read the Handmaids Tale but perhaps 12 is a bit young.

[Liriope]

I'm not a teacher but DS really liked the Mortal Engines series by Philip Reeve.

There's also:

• The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay (Suzanne Collins)
• Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant (Veronica Roth)
• Legend, Prodigy and Champion (Marie Lu)

Hh

[Alpacathebag]

We read Brother in the Land when about 13 in English class.

[Liriope]

Phone slipped from my hands...

• The Maze Runner (James Dashner)

[BonnyConnie]

I second the crysalids
How we live now
The Declaration
The day of the Tryphids

[lollybongbong]

Brilliant-thanks for all the recommendations.

[JoJoSM2]

The Hunger Games are good for the age group. I like the language too.

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

Thinking of classic dystopian works - 1984, We, Brave New World or Farenheit 451. - I'm sure I read all of those at about that age.

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

And 'A Canticle for Leibowitz'

[sadeyedladyofthelowlands63]

There's a short story by Kurt Vonnegut called Harrison Bergeron that's brilliant.

[iwantavuvezela]

My daughter when doing this topic for year 7 read Animal Farm

Other books where the set of books by Scott Westerville’s, Pretty’s, Uglies, Specials - I loved them as well !

[Latenightmarker]

The Tripods series by John Christopher
Peter Dickinson's Changes series (what happens when adults turn against machines)
Another vote for The Giver

[Dancingdreamer]

1984
Brave New World
Divergent

And although it’s more sci-fi than dystopian fiction:

I am Number 4
And the Time Riders series

When older, The Handmaid’s Tale

My DCs loved all these in their early teens.

[DustOffYourHighestHopes]

Empty World
The Giver
Invitation to the Game

[wibdib]

Ds2 has just done a book called The Knife of Never Letting Go in y7.

Reading a printed excerpt was enough to make me think it was a really odd choice to use for y7 as further research suggested it was better aimed at 13-14 yr olds and reading more of it (found a free copy online very easily) did nothing to dissuade me that it it’s not suitable for anybody - was possibly one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read.

However it has won prizes and when I complained to the English teacher I was basically told that it’s a standard y7 text and that there’s nothing to worry about... However it glorifies violence, genocide, and a whole load of other nasties that I don’t think are suitable as a book to read as your first book in senior school when the teacher has no idea about their students.

Suspect it might be a marmite book that people love or hate... and I have to disagree with ds’s teacher about!