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Model Forum / General / Rockets / August 2010sci-fi books for kids
I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science fiction. What would you recomend to get kids started in the genre? I've got nieces and nephews from 9 to 19, plus kids of friends. What's appropriate for each age group? Are some books of more interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you start reading and when? > I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming > that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you > start reading and when? Heinlen is great for that age group, different books depending on the age. They've help up reasonably well over time. Books like "Starship Troopers" are more 'boy-oriented', girls MIGHT like something like "Glory Road" or "The Puppetmasters". I like Larry Niven's (non-fantasy) books, and most of his books with Pournelle are pretty good. For girls, try "The Mote in God's Eye", or "Lucifer's Hammer". They have some stronger female roles than most. Frank Herbert's books are a tough read (at first), but if you can get them through "Dune", they'll be hooked. Not suitable for the younger ages (not due to content, just need to be older to get started in them). Not strictly science fiction for the girls, but close, are the Anne Rice 'witch' books -- strictly for the older groups due to content. Not considered 'science fiction' but more as 'normal fiction', despite almost always requiring science fiction as part of the books, are anything by Michael Crichton (have them read "Congo" -- good book but a fast read), or by the duo of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs (their individual books are worth reading, but together they're much better). If you're going to read their books, either read them in order, or read the 'unconnected' books first (several of their books follow an ensemble of characters). My son liked Orson Scott Card in his mid-teens, but I haven't read his books myself. Just a few final thoughts before my newsgroup feed is cut... <G> David Erbas-White > I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming > that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you > start reading and when? Isaac Asimov has a lot of 'juvenile' fiction that would work well to get someone started. Heinlein and Clarke too. When I was VERY young (like 5 or so) my parents had a set of books that came with an encyclopedia set, and I remember reading a space story in that. Many years later I was reading a book that had the same story...Asimov had written it. Remarkable that it had remained with me for so many years, but he was a great writer.  SignatureMike NO Junk Email, please! Real email to: amphoto [at] blarg [dot] net. <WANTED: Experienced Kamikaze Pilot> > I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming > that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you > start reading and when? People have already mentioned Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein (note -- make sure it's one of the Heinleins that are appropriate for children, in the cases of the younger ones). Edgar Rice Burroughs was only "Science" fiction in a very loose sense, but his Moon and Mars series were fun. There was a series about a young inventor named Danny Dunn that I enjoyed. And, speaking of young inventors, of course some of the incarnations of Tom Swift! Really, I just sort of wandered in to the science fiction section of the library one day about 40-45 years ago, and never really found my way back out.... SignatureAs we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously. (Benjamin Franklin) > I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming > that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you > start reading and when? Heinlein's "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" is a classic for all ages. Cheers, Dave Ambrose >> I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming >> that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >Cheers, >Dave Ambrose I'll second that, and will point out that the early Heinlein works are often referred to as "juveniles" because of the intended audience. Others are Red Planet, Farmer in the Sky, Starman Jones, Rocket Ship Galileo, Space Cadet, Between Planets, The Star Beast, Tunnel in the Sky, Time for the Stars, Citizen of the Galaxy, The Rolling Stones. Many of these are dated to some degree but are still fun reading. -- Terry >>Heinlein's "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" is a classic for all ages. >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Galileo, Space Cadet, Between Planets, The Star Beast, Tunnel in the >Sky, Time for the Stars, Citizen of the Galaxy, The Rolling Stones. Also worth considering are all the books by Andre Norton. Jonathan ----- Jonathan Sivier jsivier AT illinois.edu NAR #56437 | Tripoli #1906 CIA Web Site: http://www.CIARocketry.org/ Home Page: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/jsivier/www/ Got a friend with a son who is going to turn 9 or 10 this weekend. What I ended up buying him (limited by what I could find - and I'm NOT giving him one of MY books!) was Heinlein - "Starship Troopers", "Tunnel in the Sky", and "The Rolling Stones"*. *MY* first intro to sci-fi was Heinlein also - "Glory Road", and "Citizen of the Galaxy" were the first. I then went on to read everything he put out in paperback (including "Take Back Your Government", and Grumbles From the Grave"). I have to read paperbacks because of poor eyesight - probably caused from reading so many paperback books (grin). I had a friend who kept trying to collect everything Asimov put out. I don't know if he ever caught up, or just gave out. Andre Norton is another prolific writer. I had several shelves of her books. Gave it all to younger sister's kids, along with Anne McAfree's "Dragonriders" stuff. The "Dragonriders" series is coming back into print and I'm starting to buy it again, but slowly. When reading "Stones" several years ago I noticed (I guess for the first time) that they were doing calculations with a slide rule. I learned to use a slide rule about (..static..) years ago. One thing I specifically remember was the limitation on the number of significant digits you had. They're trying to calculate a transfer orbit across millions of miles with a slide rule that only does 2 or 3 significant digits. *sigh* I guess Heinlein didn't know any better... Not yet mentioned by any of the others is the wonderful but little-known tome "The Flying Sorcerers" by David Gerrold and Larry Niven (1971) It is at once very funny and 'berry punny'; appropriate for readers of all ages. It is hard to find a copy of it, at least of the dead-squashed-tree type, however... A quick scan of Usenet reveals that there just happens to be a copy in the groups a.b.books, a.b.e-books and a.b.sci-fi SignatureRegards, Steve -------------------------------------------------------------------- Within the laws of Nature, there is nothing too wonderful to be true. -- Michael Faraday -------------------------------------------------------------------- > I'd be willing to bet that almost every one on this group (assuming > that the spammers and I aren't the only ones left...) reads science [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > interest to girls more than boys - boys more than girls? What did you > start reading and when? |
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