10 Best Space Sci-Fi Books for Kids Ages 8–14 for the Artemis era

Hey space weirdos and fellow Mars dreamers!

You know that feeling when you watch four brave astronauts splash down after the craziest Moon flyby in fifty years and your brain immediately goes “Okay but what about MARS next?!” Yeah… no, you’re not alone. I just watched the Artemis II crew touch down today (April 10, 2026) and my heart did the exact same zoom.

So if your kid is bouncing off the walls yelling “When do we go to Mars?!” here’s my totally unofficial, super-honest list of the 10 best space sci-fi novels for ages 8–14 that will keep that rocket fuel burning. (And yes, one of them happens to be mine. I’m not even sorry.)

1.Rise of the Explorers by… me, Julie St-Louis

Marsus is a green-skinned disaster inventor who keeps blowing stuff up in his secret underground lab. When a human ship literally crashes in his backyard, he teams up with two Earth kids, his color-changing pet Blorp, and the world’s snarkiest NASA rover (Oppy). Real terraforming science, zero lectures, 100% giggles. Perfect for kids who loved The Lion of Mars but wanted more fart jokes and exploding helmets.

2.The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm

Cozy Mars colony vibes with actual danger. If your kid wants to feel what it’s like to grow potatoes (and friends) on the Red Planet, start here.

3.Space Case (Moon Base Alpha) by Stuart Gibbs

Murder mystery on the Moon. Funny, fast, and sneakily teaches you how a real space base would work.

4.Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

High-stakes escape from a dying planet. Think Artemis II but with way more explosions and zero adults saving the day.

5.Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Korean-inspired space opera with fox spirits, pirates, and family secrets. Gorgeous world-building that feels like a whole new galaxy.

6.A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

The classic. Tesseracts, evil forces, and the kind of wonder that makes kids stare at the stars for hours.

7.Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

A giant kid accidentally joins a space mission. Pure heart and British humor—kids reread this one for the giggles.

8.Randoms by David Liss

Alien academy politics with a super-nerdy Earth kid. Think Star Wars meets middle-school drama.

9.Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Pilot training, alien threats, and a girl who refuses to quit. Epic but totally accessible for 10+.

10.Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein

Classic hard sci-fi about turning a Jupiter moon into farmland. Old-school but still feels fresh after today’s Artemis news.

Which one are you grabbing first? If your kid can’t stop talking about Mars after Artemis II… well, Marsus and Blorp are waiting with exploding inventions and zero judgment.

Free first chapter right here → https://www.marsusuniverse.com/freechapter