The Experiment

By Author / Illustrator

Rebecca Stead

Genre

Science Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Andersen Press

ISBN

9781839137815

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

01-01-2026

Synopsis

From the winner of the Newbery Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize comes a fast-paced coming-of-age novel - with aliens.

Nathan never understood what was 'fun' about secrets, probably because he's always had to keep a very big one. Although he appears to be a typical boy, Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet. Now, their time on Earth may be coming to an end.

Nathan and some others are part of an experiment that suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of them are disappearing without a word. After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he's been taught to believe about who he is and why he's on Earth.

'[A] twisty, thoughtful tale' Publishers Weekly. 'Compulsively readable' Booklist. Cover illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz

Download Extract

Reviews

Emma

The Experiment is a thought-provoking dystopian novel, perfect for ages 10+, that mixes science fiction with very real emotional questions. Rebecca Stead tells a story that slowly reveals its secrets, encouraging readers to think carefully about what they're being told - and what's being left out.

The book follows two children living in a near-future city shaped by a mysterious scientific "experiment". As the story continues, readers discover how this experiment affects everyday life, and how decisions made by adults can have huge consequences for young people.

The themes and subtext are challenging in a good way, but the story is still very accessible. One of the novel's real strengths is that it doesn't give easy answers. Adults believe they are acting for the greater good, while children are left to live with the results.

Big themes such as choice, trust, fairness, control and responsibility are explored gently, making the book ideal for discussions in whole class reading. The ending is deliberately open, encouraging readers to think and debate rather than wrapping everything up neatly. I think this would lend itself well to POV writing in classrooms.

288 pages / Reviewed by Emma Urbonas, teacher