Where is SF for kids?
By JP |
Thursday, May 13th, 2004 at
1:22 pm
Matthew at The Mumsimus is wondering where the science fiction aimed at kids went to. He notes some attempts to create YA SF, but is too lazy to research. He would like a list of YA SF that is available today.
Off the top of my head, the only kind that fits the bill would be the Heinlein juvenile series of books. As John and I both found out, the supposedly YA-themed SF books that have come out recently aren’t really appropriate for the pre-teen crowd and may be questionable for kids under 16. So, is tthere any SF books/series around today that is good and aimed at kids?
Related posts:
Filed under: Meta
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Inappropriate in what way? I was reading E.E. Smith when I was ten. And Campbell.
The first Heinlein book I ever read (I was about 11, I think) was Glory Road. Now that was inappropriate!
Ah, I was talking specifically about the new YA novels that John and I read, the David Gerrold Bouncing off the Moon seris and John Varley’s Red Thunder. Both are supposedly targeted at younger readers, but both have surprisingly quantities of sexual situations and/or drug use scenes. I wouldn’t let my kids read theses books. If they could read at that level.
I just ran across this 1994 article, When the Children Read Fantasy, written by Terry Pratchett. In it, he talks about his experiences with sf/f when he was a kid, and also why we shouldn’t be worried that kids still read this stuff. A fun read.