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Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
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TheGreenRanger
10/20/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
ray bradbury did the halloween tree, loved that movie as a kid, sadly, never got a hold of the actual book. #youngadultsciencefiction
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seitzk002
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
This list is really heavy on the white, straight, male authors and heroes, and thus propounds a skewed world-view for any prospective sci-fi-loving YA.

I would start adding some names like Ursula K. Le Guin, Mary Shelley and Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, STAT, before said YA mentally assigns sci-fi to irrelevance, or worse, actually believes that the genre almost entirely privileges a certain group's world view over everyone else's.

Some resources are here, and there are certainly others to be found via Professor Google.

[feministsf.org]
[www.mamohanraj.com]
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Sarah Hope Williams
10/20/09

@seitzk002: I agree with all the authors you've listed and would also add that Octavia Butler is great for breaking away from the straight-white-male sci-fi mindset, although perhaps better for slighter older kids, maybe 16 and up. #youngadultsciencefiction
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ulanej
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
There's more than Clarke/Heinlein/Bradbury/Asimov out there. I just started my son on reading the Tripod Trilogy and I'm a big fan of John Christopher's YA books such as The Lotus Caves and The Guardians. Other books that had a big influence were Ben Bova's Exiles's Trilogy and The Dueling Machine; Harry Harrison's Make Room, Make Room, Stainless Steel Rat and Deathworld series, Brian Aldiss's Non-Stop (or Starship, which totally gives it away), Robert Silverberg's The City Inside, and Michael Moorcock's Breakfast In The Ruins and Behold The Man (this might p'o some parents given the subject matter) plus his Jerry Cornelius or Elric books if you're looking for some exciting, challenging stuff for teens.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
10/19/09

@ulanej: The Silverberg book is titled "The World Inside", but otherwise I agree. Except for the Moorcock, I don't care for him so I don't have enough info for an opinion.

The Stainless Steel Rat books are great for teenagers, I think. #youngadultsciencefiction
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it must be bunnies
10/19/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: Stainless Steel Rat! Haven't thought of them for years. They were a lot of fun. #youngadultsciencefiction
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firstanointed
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
Brave New World is both fantastic and prophetic, but it has some fairly graphic content. 17+ at least.

I recently read The Martian Chronicles after avoiding it for the longest (why? I don't know! Biggest mistake I ever made.) Best take(s) on the Martian phenomenon I have ever read. Ray Bradbury is and will always be my favorite science fiction author. #youngadultsciencefiction
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inabook
10/19/09

@firstanointed: I read Brave New World as a... 12 year old, maybe? Definitely not too young for it. #youngadultsciencefiction
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bookling
10/19/09

@inabook: There's "orgy-porgy" and all, but no actual graphic depictions of sex, as far as I can recall. I remember it being pretty PG-13, with allusions to more graphic and insidious things happening. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
10/19/09

@bookling: It was required in a class I took at 16, many years ago. I don't think it's out of line for bright 12 year olds. There's no graphic sex, no swearing, not much violence. #youngadultsciencefiction
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jp182
10/19/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: that was about the time that I read that, 1984 and Fahrenheit for school; totally changed the way I looked at the world. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Migg
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
"House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer. In a dystopian future, a nation between the US and Mexican borders is run by a drug lord who keeps clones of himself for replacement parts. One clone figures out that he's next, and makes a run for his life. Also North Americans trying to cross the the drug lords country to get into a more prosperous Mexico get turned into mindless slaves to work the fields.

Winner of the Newbery and the National Book Award. #youngadultsciencefiction
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bookling
10/19/09

@Migg: House of the Scorpion is not a Newbery winner, it is a Newbery Honor book. That's like the Newbery runner-up/consolation prize. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Supernatural_Canary
10/20/09

@Migg: I can't second this recommendation strongly enough. HOUSE OF THE SCORPION is brilliant, and outshines the Hunger Games books in countless ways (and I like the Hunger Games books). Another great futurist novel from her set in Africa is THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE ARM. Fantastic! #youngadultsciencefiction
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mselorin
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I'm surprised to see only one mention of Heinlein, as I picked up the Rolling Stones in 4th grade and devoured voraciously from then on. My parents kept me age appropriate on Heinlein as long as they could. Most especially, I intend to hand my daughter Podkayne when she's a little older.

I'm also surprised to see Enders Game on the same list. While the characters are young, the themes are a bit more mature than I think my little one could handle until high school. Though I could be misjudging, as I don't recall how old I was when I first read Ender.

Maybe you feel Pern is fantasy, but what about Decision at Doona? McCaffrey was as active in my early SF reading as Heinlein, and far more palatable when I was a child than Asimov.

And Pip and Flinx, which I am redevouring as an adult, would appeal to many children, no?

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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
10/19/09

@mselorin: Kids ought to LOVE Pip and Flinx. A young hero and his awesome pet roaming the galaxy. Plus, Flinx is a very moral kid.

"Citizen of the Galaxy" is excellent for tweens/teens, I think. Nothing unsuitable, but plenty of mental stimulation with the different cultures.
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Edited by Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. at 10/19/09 3:44 PM

disatess
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I`ve watched so many teens try and read hitchiker`s guide and say " I don`t get it " .

My child read "war of the worlds "
was quite impressed by it .

Then tried reading Starship troopers , and replied it jump all over the place .

I loved it , But I understood the point . #youngadultsciencefiction
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bookwench
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I'd say...

add in Lois McMaster Bujold's "The Warrior's Apprentice" for softer sci-fi with amazing humanitarian insights,

Asimov's "Lucky Starr" series for fun (if you can find them),

"The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin for some harsh scientific reality that teens in a bullsheet-infested world will appreciate (even though it's just a short story)

and some Sheri S. Tepper (Grass, Raising the Stones, Sideshow) for the sheer beauty of her writing. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Peppermint_m
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I was started early on Verne by my father, I watched plenty of SF films with him too (10 years old and watching The Fifth Element and Twleve Monkeys? It was awesome) which led me further into SF within books, my greatest love. I moved along to Asimov and Bradbury thanks to my grandfather and then started to strike out on my own amongst the school librarie's SF section which led to McCaffery and Heinleinn. My mother suggested HG2G and I jumped into fantasy when I was in the phase which makes Skeletons on motorcycles awesome (Soul Music).
I am well prepared to assisst my siblings into SF reading. #youngadultsciencefiction
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birdtongue
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
i'd also go with the Wrinkle in Time series. as for McCaffrey's stuff, she has plenty of series that are more overtly scifi than Dragonriders: Pegasus/Talent, The Tower & Hive, Brain & Brawn Ship, Planet Pirates -- all of which i read as a child or teen. James Schmitz' "Telzey Amberdon" books and Harry Harrison's "Stainless Steel Rat" series are a bit pulpy, but have worthy themes, as well. stories featuring protagonists with telepathic companion animals often ended up in my hands, to include the aforementioned Telzey, Mercedes Lackey's ShipsCat short stories and the "Pip & Flinx" novels by Alan Dean Foster. an excellent first-contact book from an alien perspective is Foster's Nor Crystal Tears. and while i loved Ender's Game and will recommend it, i'd pair it with Speaker for the Dead.

TL;DR
series --
L'Engle: Time Quartet
McCaffrey: Talent; The Tower & Hive; Brain & Brawn Ship; Planet Pirates
Schmitz: Telzey
Harrison: Stainless Steel Rat
Lackey: ShipsCat
Foster: Pip & Flinx

specific books --
Foster: Nor Crystal Tears
Card: Ender's Game/Speaker for the Dead #youngadultsciencefiction
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Roklimber
10/19/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
Ahh.... I have very fond memories of reading the adventures of Miguel Ardan, Captain Nichols and Mr. Barbicane, in Vernes' "From the Earth to the Moon." As a teenager, I read all of Vernes' novels (my family had a collection of all his works), and had great fun doing it, though some of the novels have insufferable sections of descriptive narrative.

I'm a bit surprised that your list didn't include Asimov's "I, Robot" and Clarke's "2001", "2010", "Rendezvous with Rama", and some other novels of his.

Even Asimov's Foundation series might be fine for a young adult to read, no? I read the first two volumes also as a teen and I think I turned out ok. :) #youngadultsciencefiction
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gorehound
10/19/09

@Roklimber: foundation is great reading for a young teen.i devoured asimov,heinlein,clarke,bradbury,lotr,and more before i was 13.i read a lot and still do read a lot............
all physical paper books too as i refuse to buy DIGITAL books. #youngadultsciencefiction
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bookwench
10/19/09

@Roklimber: There was Heinlein in my library and I turned out OK too, but I'm not sure many kids today have the same background we have. I'd say let them read it but I'd want to discuss it with them after so they'd have a critical understanding of the flaws. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Lassus
10/19/09

@Roklimber: Rama is actually pretty adult as it moves on. Clarke got on my bad side FOREVER by taking the daughter of the family trapped on Rama who liked to masturbate and couldn't wait to meet other people so she could meet boys boys turn out to be the one who betrays the family. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Roklimber
10/19/09

@Lassus: I don't recall the masturbation part, but you may have noticed that I only mentioned the first book on the Rama series, because the second and later volumes deal with aspects that might be a bit too early for teens, such as the ins and outs of a society made primarily of criminals. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Lassus
10/18/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
The thing about this list is that to me it's pretty fuzzy and across the board. Whereas you don't want to hand "Flow my Tears, the Policeman Said" or "Imajica" (hello, hot descriptions of anal sex [incredibly well-written, too]) to a 12-year-old, it seems to try and make a list like this is a little odd because so much great science fiction for adults is easily read by kids and vice-versa that in a lot of ways a list seems moot. There is still an innocence there, at least in the classics, like Foundation and even the recently articled Demolished Man; and if as an adult you're avoiding Bradbury or L'Engle that's just a shame.

If we're going make the cutoff being adult situations and such for this list, that seems pretty fair, but I'm not sure "Ender's" fits that well at all in that case.

As far as me, I'll put Silverberg's "Lord Valentine's Castle" here, and I think the first three "Wrinkle in Time" books are far superior to the ones mentioned.

I'd also like to say that P.L. Travers Mary Poppins series has so much alternate-reality awesomeness, it stil falls under this heading as opposed to fantasy. The 14 Wizard of Oz books as well.
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Edited by Lassus at 10/18/09 7:32 PM Lassus was starred Lassus was unstarred

bookwench
10/19/09

@Lassus: I found the Wrinkle in Time series boring as a kid, once you got past the first book; then she started sneaking in some serious religious themes (warped beyond a traditionalist's recognition, but still there). So those are things you want to consider, depending on your parenting style and religious affiliations or lack thereof. #youngadultsciencefiction
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UstinBon Jovi
10/19/09

@bookwench: On the one hand, religious connotations. On the other hand, I was the only one in fifth grade who knew what a mitochondria was.
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bookwench
10/20/09

@UstinBon Jovi: Or a happy medium... the puns were my favorite bits. #youngadultsciencefiction
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franklinshepard
10/18/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I went through a Daniel Pinkwater phase HARD when I was younger - I read Lizard Music and then devoured his other books.

Dear io9, can you do an article on YA horror books? I know it's a little outside your scope, but I have been trying to recall this YA horror writer who scared the bejeezus out of me when I was young. All I know is that the author was prolific, and the paperbacks have Edward Gorey-esque drawings on the cover. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Sunshineyness
10/18/09

@franklinshepard: Are you thinking of the Scary Story series by Schwartz?

[www.amazon.com] #youngadultsciencefiction
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franklinshepard
10/19/09

@Sunshineyness: No, although I do remember those for sure. The books I'm thinking of were actually YA novels, and pretty long books for kids, too. Although not nearly as long as the Harry Potter books now. #youngadultsciencefiction
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franklinshepard
10/19/09

@Sunshineyness: And, by looking at the "related items," I found them!! Thank you so much! The author is John Bellairs, and it turns out that Gorey actually did illustrate a number of his books. The first one to pop up was The House With a Clock In Its Walls - [www.amazon.com] #youngadultsciencefiction
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Dirk Anger
10/19/09

@franklinshepard: YA horror books? you mean gross and gorey, right? because that's what they like the most. I know I loved me some lovecraft and King when I was about that age, and I think I was the most refined of my friends when it came to horror #youngadultsciencefiction
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Thieu
10/19/09

@franklinshepard: Some of my fondest memories of scifi when I was younger came from a two volume collection of Ray Bradbury's short stories. Many of his stories could be classified as horror and I remember that most of the SF stories were full of horror elements. #youngadultsciencefiction
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franklinshepard
10/19/09

@Dirk Anger: Well, looking back on my youth, the books that scared me the most were the ones that slowly built up suspense and terror, rather than the ones that had tons of gore in them. And that's what I think Bellairs did so well in his YA books - I don't recall any of them featuring a lot of gore, but they were terrifying nonetheless.

My parents certainly wouldn't let me read King when I was young (I probably read the Bellairs books when I was about 10), and I don't think I would've understood Lovecraft if I had read him. #youngadultsciencefiction
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Dirk Anger
10/19/09

@franklinshepard: Hmmm, I see I got carried away and didn't say what I meant to. I meant that kids from ages 12 or so can read any horror book, if it's too psychological for them to understand it, they will get bored and pick another, and there isn't such a thing as too gross for them. I remember I got some Lovecraft adaptation in comic book, then looking for the real books and loving them, and I think I must have been less than 12. Even if you don't really understand much of it, you get that there are monsters and they can come out of corners and should be scared shitless, which is sort of the point (of course some parents will scandalize over this, but I don't know of anyone getting traumatized by a book)
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MonkeyT
10/18/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
I would also introduce them to Asimov via the easily digested Caves of Steel before throwing them into the more conceptual Foundation series. Though I loved I Robot, I found the full robot novel more engrossing than the collected short stories.
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Ydnam
10/18/09

In reply to Where To Start With Young Adult Science Fiction
Aren't the Pern books just as much scifi as the Pit Dragon books? Set on another planet, in the future, with dragons holds true for both, doesn't it? #youngadultsciencefiction
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