By Helen Fox

How would you like it if robots were able to do all of your menial tasks, take care of you little sibling, talk to you, and even become your best friend? For Fleur and Gavin, that’s normal. They talk to the house, discuss philosophy with a computer, and rely heavily on their robot butler, Grumps. So when he begins to run down and must be replaced, they’re less than pleased. The replacement: the experimental robot EGR3.

Know as Eager, EGR3 can learn from his experiences and even feel emotions. Quite strange for the human children, who avoid him at first. But as Eager seeks out more knowledge and strange humanlike robots begin to act suspiciously, Fleur and Gavin might need to rely on their robot friend more than they would like. As their adventure unfolds, Eager must answer one vital question: What does it mean to be alive?

Why should you read this book?

This is one of the only sci-fi books I’ve read where the robots aren’t just servants or evil creatures trying to take over the world – they’ve been developed to feel emotions and respond like humans. Maybe I haven’t read enough science fiction (I definitely haven’t) but I really liked the way the robots were depicted in this book. The characters were also relatable (even with them being futuristic) and very enjoyable. If you like robots and technology and humor, this is the book for you.

Who should read this book?

One of the main plot points of this book is the strange humanlike BDC4 robots and how suspiciously they are acting. At times, the story gets creepy, or even down right scary. But overall, the book is not a scary book, it more explores concepts and ideas that could be slightly disturbing. I would say that 5th graders are old enough to read this book.

Series:

There are two more books after this one, Eager’s Nephew and Eager and the Mermaid. I have only read Eager’s Nephew, and though I liked it, it was not as good as the first one. I have not read Eager and the Mermaid, but I assume that it will be along the same content lines.

General Stats:

• Genre: Sci-fi
• Book 1 of 3
• Age: 5th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★★

By Madeleine L’Engle

It was a dark and stormy night. Aside from that, life wasn’t anything special , or at least until a mysterious stranger appeared on Meg’s doorstep and changed her life forever. Meg’s father is trapped somewhere far away in space, and he can’t return to them. This stranger offers a way for Meg, along with her brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O’Keefe, to save him. The three travel across space and time by way of a tesseract and must face the dark powers that threaten the universe.

Why should you read this book?

If you’re not a big science fiction fan, either because you haven’t found something that you’ve liked or you just haven’t read a ton in this genre, A Wrinkle in Time is a great place to start. It was one of the first sci-fi books I read and the first that really piqued my interest. It’s not just a book about science or technology or space, it’s a book about family, friendship, and unconditional love. It’s a book about children who just want to save their father and put their family back together. Even if science isn’t your thing, there is a great chance that you will still love this book.

Who should read this book?

The only content warning I have for this book is that it can be a little scary at times. Not really in a way that should lead to nightmares, but it can be very suspenseful at times, and that’s not for everything. Aside from that, it’s very tame. I would say that 5th graders and even adventurous 4th graders should read this book (to be completely honest, I might have been as young as 7 or 8 when I read this – but I still love the books!). As for the rest of the series, books 2 and 3 are along the same lines, but I would wait a little longer for books 4 and 5 as they deal with older characters and mature concepts.

Series Info:

This is a 5 book series contain the books A Wind at the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Though all of them are centered around the Murry family, they are all very different. I would describe them as having different focuses (from history/mythology to biblical stories) but all being told from the lens of science fiction. A Swiftly Tilting Planet was one of my favorite books when I was younger, and Many Waters remains one of my most reread books – it’s so good!

General Stats:

• Genre: Sci-fi
• Book 1 of 5
• Age: 5th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★☆