Around the world, kids are being homeschooled to finish out their school years in hopes of advancing to the next grade level. Those who are already done with the academic year, or perhaps need more activities to keep them occupied, have plenty of options. One that combines elements of education and entertainment is reading, and for young adults, there are hobbits, wizard, archers, royalty, aliens, and more to fill their lives with imagination and wonder.

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia is a seven-book fantasy series by C.S. Lewis that casts children and teenagers in a number of heroic roles. Since its publication in 1950-1956, the series has sold over 100 million copies.

The series is set in the fictional world of Narnia and tells the world’s entire history from creation to its end. Kids are regularly pulled from our world into Narnia at times when they are needed to help overthrow evil or save the virtuous. They are joined by talking animals and mythical creatures to witness creation, stop would-be tyrants, save royalty, and explore the edges of the known world.

The Chronicles of Narnia is most directly aimed at elementary and middle school ages, but with its battles and hints at romance, can be enjoyed by preteens and teens.

The titles, in publication order, are The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, and The Last Battle. Because two later books fall earlier in Narnian history, some fans suggest reading The Magicians Nephew first and The Horse and His Boy before Prince Caspian.

The Lord of The Rings

The Lord of the Rings trilogy continued the story that J.R.R. Tolkien began with The Hobbit. Published in 1954-1955, what began as one sequel turned into a three-book epic that has sold over 150 million copies.

A group of rings were forged with the strength and will to help different races govern their people, but the evil Sauron forged a separate Ring of Power to enslave all of Middle-earth. Once he was defeated, the creature Gollum possessed the ring, before the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins took it, then it ended up in the hands of his nephew, Frodo. With the guidance of the Wizard Gandalf, Frodo and the Fellowship set out on a quest to destroy the ring – but Sauron is still searching for it. The small party adds the Men Aragorn and Boromir, the Dwarf Gimli, and the Elf Legolas to fight the dark power of Sauron by destroying the Ring.

Filled with epic battles and complex mythology, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a high fantasy epic that still endears fans more than six decades after its publication. With its deep, layered story it’s one that’ll appeal most to high schoolers.

Titles: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King

Harry Potter

It would be quite difficult to find someone who hasn’t heard the name Harry Potter. The book series by J.K. Rowling, which was published in 1997-2007, is one of the most popular in literary history having sold over 500 million copies worldwide.

The seven-book series follows young Harry Potter, who is introduced as an 11-year-old that learns he is a wizard and will attend a school for magic. But as he learns magic, and makes lifelong friends in Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry also dodges being killed on a regular basis at the hands of the dark wizard Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters.

A coming of age story, wrapped in a hero’s journey, wrapped in a magical fantasy, the Harry Potter series appeals to audiences of all ages. Its exploration of magic through the eyes of children gives it a sense of whimsy, while the warning against abuse of magical power adds a morality element. Like Harry himself, the books become more mature with each new volume, making it a great read for kids from elementary age to high schoolers.

Titles: The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince, and The Deathly Hallows.

The Hunger Games

Stepping away from the fantasy genre, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian future that juxtaposes the wealthy and the poor. Published annually from 2008 to 2010, the trilogy has sold over 65 million copies.

Each year, children from the 12 districts of Panem, what was once North America, must fight to the death in the Hunger Games for the amusement of the Capitol. When Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games, she inspires resistance. Her continued rebellion turns Katniss into a reluctant symbol of freedom as the districts revolt against the Capitol that lives in affluence while the districts suffer the imbalance.

With its violence (unflinching though, not gratuitous), and its themes (like the drastic look at wealth distribution and our obsession with celebrity) this is accurately considered a young adult title geared toward preteens and teens.

Titles: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. The prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will be out on May 19, 2020.

Lorien Legacies

The Lorien Legacies, the lesser known title on this list, is an entertaining sci-fi series by Pittacus Lore (the pseudonym of James Frey and Jobie Hughes). Told across seven books, the series was published in 2010-2016.

The series begins with I Am Number Four, introducing the Loric, a nearly extinct race of aliens that are being ceaselessly hunted by the Mogadorians. Nine teenage Loric with special powers are sent to Earth and are pursued by their enemies who must kill them in chronological order. It starts with Number Four trying to stay alive, then expands as more of the Loric kids come together to fight back against the Mogadorians.

The sci-fi elements that make the characters feel misunderstood, their desire for companionship and belonging, their journey to understand their own abilities, and their quest to defeat their own demons makes this a good series for preteens and teens.

Titles: I Am Number Four, The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine, The Fall of Five, The Revenge of Seven, The Fate of Ten, and United as One. There are also several companion books known as The Lost Files, Lorien Legacies Reborn, and The Legacy Chronicles.

These are just a few suggestions to make staying at home a little easier. Check out previous entries on Scoop for suggestions on Five Tabletop Games, Five Animated Series, Five Funny Movies, and Five Video Games to help pass the time.