More YA Lit for Doctor Who Fans

Because I have now spent 20 years of my life doing Reader’s Advisory, when I read a book I have a tendency at the end to then think to myself, “Now who would like this book?”  And I have some go to pop culture references in part because they are the things that I love.  So of course one of them is Doctor Who.  I am a fan, in case you didn’t notice.  I mean, it might have escaped your attention. I keep it well hidden.  

Previously, I shared with you 10 YA books that I thought fans of Doctor who might like.  So here are 10 more.  If you are a Doctor Who fan, you should give them a try.

Human.4 by Mike A. Lancaster

In the episode The Bells of St. John, we are introduced once again to Clara, The Impossible Girl, who is about to be uploaded and upgraded online.  Human.4 is a unique tale that has a very sinister The Twilight Zone feel to, so it is right in the Doctor Who wheelhouse.  In a small town, they are gathering together for a community talent show.  A boy steps on stage and hypnotizes his friends and when they wake up – the world is different.  The question is, how and why?  This is a question for The Doctor, and fans of the show will love the answer.  Be sure to check out the companion novel The Future We Left Behind as well.  This book is totally appropriate for Middle Grade Doctor Who fans as well.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

In several episodes, The Doctor visits a parallel world.  Parallel worlds are cool.  Or are they?  In 3:59, Josie finds herself losing time twice a day – at 3:59.  Soon she learns that there is a parallel world with a different version of her.  But once she steps into this different life, changing places with a parallel her, can she ever come back?  And does she want to?  For more parallel world fun in YA lit, also check out Through to You by Emily Hainsworth.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

This book will blow your mind with its vision of the future and its discussion of what is real and what is not.  Basically, a boy drowns and wakes up to find himself . . . somewhere.  Heaven? Hell? Or somewhere in between?  The answers are an interesting look at the future.  I can’t describe this book very well because it is indescribable and SPOILERS, Sweetie. Very Matrix-like(ish).

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Lilac and Tarver are on a starship (think Titanic in space, like the Doctor Who episode Voyage of the Damned) that plummets to an unfamiliar planet below.  They try to journey to the site of the wreckage in hopes of rescue against a barren, unfamiliar landscape – but are they truly alone?  Reminiscent of Waters of Mars and very good.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
 

How many times did The Doctor save the world from an alien invasion? Too many to count.  Four waves of alien attack have already occurred, and only a few unlucky humans remain, scattered and on the run.  The 5th Wave is coming.  Will Cassie survive the 5th wave?  For more alien invasions, check out Icons by Margaret Stohl.

Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac

In the Doctor Who episode Gridlock, Martha Jones is kidnapped by people who need an extra person to get their vehicle into the fast lane.  This is a desperate act by desperate people in a desperate world with vast poverty and environmental ruin.  In Killer of Enemies, Apache hunter Lozen lives in a future where the Earth has been decimated, poverty is rampant, and deadly genetically modified creatures roam the land.  Her family has been taken hostage in an effort to make her serve the 4.  Her task is simple: she is the killer of enemies.  I love the incorporation of Apache knowledge and tradition into this bleak futuristic world full of creatures that could appear in an episode of Doctor Who.

Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst

Sometimes, magic appears in Doctor Who (sure usually it turn out to be aliens, but you get my drift).  This is an amazing story – a sort of retelling of Pinocchio – that puts an interesting serial killer spin on magic.  It reminds me of episodes like Fear Her or Night Terrors.  Eve can’t remember who she is or where she comes from, but they need her to remember because she may be the only witness in a series of magical murders.  And she must remember, because someone is coming for her.

The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton

River Song once indicated that The Doctor and her had an event that occurred on Asgard, which is also home to the one and only Thor and Loki.  The Lost Sun takes place in an alternate world, The United State of Asgard.  Soren worries that he will fall into battle lust, like his father.  Astrid dreams of him, has prophecies.  Soon the two are journeying to find Baldur, the son of Odin, and to escape the legacy of their parents.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

The dead rest on shelves like books in a library.  They must not be disturbed, but someone is trying to change their histories.  There is a thin line between past and present, as Doctor Who fans know all too well, and this profound book explores them in truly unique ways.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

There is a patch of darkness that must be crossed, and in that darkness live monsters that feast of flesh.  No, I am not talking about the Vashta Nerada from Silence in the Library, I am talking about the impenetrable darkness from Shadow and Bone.  Alina is a lonely orphan who discovers she has immense power, if she could just figure out how to unlock and control it.  For more fantasy that will remind you of elements of Doctor Who, check out The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas.

Please, please, please – share in the comments other titles that you recommend for Doctor Who fans.  I may find something new to read.

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Doctor Who Week is a joint venture between  Maria’s Melange and Teen Librarian Toolbox. We have a full week of fun posts to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.

Filed under: Collection Development, Doctor Who, Reader's Advisory, Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave