Sci-fi and fantasy build mental resiliency in young readers

Although it often gets a bad reputation, sci-fi offers readers a way to rethink social dilemmas. Books like "Harry Potter" and "The Hunger Games" may be rooted in magical or completely dystopian worlds but at their core, there are "examples of young people grappling with serious social, economic, and political issues that are timely and relevant." In this piece for JSTOR Daily, Esther Jones — Associate Professor of English at Clark University — explains why this is a powerful tool for younglings, as it encourages them to think critically about the real world early in their own lives. This story was originally published in JSTOR Daily in May 2020.