Science fiction stories for Young Adults/Children?

[Stofsk]

I'm doing two classes on children's literature this semester for uni, and I thought about whether science fiction that's written for young adults (teenagers) or younger isn't exactly common.

I also read this article, which noted how there seems to be a drop off in quality with regards to science fiction for the YA market. Remembering my own experiences as teenager, I read a lot of the classic names like Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein, the latter seemed to be the only one who deliberately wrote for YAs with his so-called 'juveniles'. I also remember Asimov's robot stories being pretty decent reads too as I was growing up.

Is there something to this? The article I linked to makes the point how the classic juvenile stories had a more optimistic view of the future, which is lacking in what passes for YA sf these days.

EDIT- Oh yeah, forgot to ask, if you know of any good YA sf books or writers don't hesitate to mention them.

[Mayabird]

Just off the top of my head, A Wrinkle in Time and the rest of the series by Madeleine L'Engle. The His Dark Materials series was marketed as young adult. The Tripods trilogy by John Christopher. I am going to say The Phantom Tollbooth if only to plug it; the borders of science fiction and fantasy are rather blurry and I've always been a lax "good enough for me!" kind of person. Gimme a few minutes and I could think of some others.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

There's this great science fiction book for young adults called "Ender's Game"...

Just kidding. However, you might try the Retief series by Keith Laumer (which is very funny) or some of Larry Niven's work, which is essentially written at about a high school level. The Starbridge series by A. C. Crispin is a good series for young adults, especially girls. Harry Turtledove has some YA books under the Crosstime Traffic title, although most of his other works would be readable for a teen if you don't mind the gratuitous sex scenes.

If you want some fantasy in the mix, the Percy Jackson series is quite good.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Most of the obvious choices have already been mentioned.

The Phantom Tollbooth was and Is a personal favorite of mine as is the Tripods In fact the BBC did an Excellant 70's live action tv series of it if you can find it on video.
Anne Mccaffrey "Pern" books are wonderful for young teens if you start with the "Menolly" series of books that revolve around a young girl.
Another good book that is hard to find is "Quozal" I think its out of print and google doesn't turn up anything, but its a cute story about a race of Space farring "Space Bunnies" that land on Earth and try and live secretly. Cute short and good for kids.

[The Yosemite Bear]

burroghs and verne, ok, wells, and others. sure they are old, but they are cheap, and wells, and burroughs, and Howard don't bother letting suspension of disbelief get in the way of a good story.

[Plekhanov]

Chocky & The Chrysalids by the fantastic John Wyndham are both superb & should be enjoyable for a reasonably smart 'young adults'.

The Bromeliad trilogy & Nation by Pratchett should do nicely.

The Artemis Fowl books are alright & very easy to read.

[General Mung Beans]

Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five. Lovecraftian dark fantasy.

CS Lewis' Narnia.

Plus a lot of the science fiction novels marketed for adults (ie Star Wars novels) can easily be read by kids with good reading levels.

[Stofsk]

You think Star Wars novels are marketed towards adults?

[Freefall]

How young are we talking? When I was 10-12 or so, one book I remember absolutely loving was Interstellar Pig, by William Sleator. I'm not sure how the quality holds up now (or compared to a lot of the names mentioned), but being published in the 80's (I think) makes it a lot more recent than some of the things mentioned.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five. Lovecraftian dark fantasy.

CS Lewis' Narnia.

Plus a lot of the science fiction novels marketed for adults (ie Star Wars novels) can easily be read by kids with good reading levels.

You just recommended:
"Lovecraftian" novels, and the religious dreck of Lewis, to young teens?

Sure oyu don't want to rethink those options?

[The Yosemite Bear]

hey I was reading Lovecraft and Poe when I was in my pre-teens....

Then again I started reading detective fiction and classic Sci-fi when I was 7....

[Norade]

I remember enjoying a series about a society based around time traveling kids when I was about 11, but I can't recall the name of it. If you wanted something that will last forever and don't mind the stupid in it there was also the Animorphs series though that may not be the kind of sci-fi you were looking for.

[open_sketchbook]

Most kids interested in reading sci-fi books are probably intelligent enough to read above what we consider normal books for their age group. Honestly, so long as it doesn't have any material their parents are wary of exposing them to pretty much anything will do.

[dworkin]

Douglas Hill wrote a lot of teen SF. Has anyone mentioned Tom Swift yet. And Hienlen wrote a lot of teen sf when not in dirty old man mode.

[Lonestar]

I can't believe no one has recommended The Giver, Invitation to the Game or the My Teacher is an Alien series yet.

[dworkin]

Alan Dean Foster as well. The Humanx Comonwealth and Spellsinger books. Also the first few of the Miles books by LM Bujold given that they feature a hyperactive teen. And also Magician. I identified with Tomas quite a bit in my impressionable years.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Douglas Hill wrote a lot of teen SF. Has anyone mentioned Tom Swift yet. And Hienlen wrote a lot of teen sf when not in dirty old man mode.

I am fond of Philp Jose Farmer and Hienlien's young adult stuff, It's the fact that their dirty old man, and way out there shit easy to find while looking for the other stuff.

[Plekhanov]

I seem to recall enjoying the Demon Headmaster when I was a kid, never read any of the otehr books in the series though.

Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five. Lovecraftian dark fantasy.

CS Lewis' Narnia.

Issues of suitability for children & being theistic propaganda aside how are Lovecraft or Lewis Science Fiction?

There's obviously loads of fantasy aimed at kids/young adults and some of it is even worht reading, Stofsk specifically asked about science fiction though.

You think Star Wars novels are marketed towards adults?

I tried reading a few and the reading level seemed low, easily within reach of a reasonably bright 'young adult', they were crap churned out by hacks though.

Do any of the Star Wars books stand up as literature in their own right which would interest someone not already very into Star wars? I certainly wouldn't recommend such cash in hack written stuff to someone I expect if a kid likes star wars enough they'll find those books by themselves anyway.

[Plekhanov]

Most kids interested in reading sci-fi books are probably intelligent enough to read above what we consider normal books for their age group. Honestly, so long as it doesn't have any material their parents are wary of exposing them to pretty much anything will do.

I don't think that assumption is in the least bit justified, plenty of people into scifi are complete morons and utterly incapable at reading at their age level never mind significantly above it.

[Ilya Muromets]

I would suggest the Animorphs series, which knocked out the popular Goosebumps as the top-selling Scholastic serial for young adults during its day. I hear it's even getting a re-release with new covers. It was pretty dark, especially over the latter books, and had surprisingly mature themes, but also had some good humor. However, the wording was simple and easy to read--it was a Scholastic series after all--and there was a generally optimistic view of human nature (or well, sapient nature since even the aliens' morality was quite complex and explored rather well) underlying the whole thing.

[Stofsk]

Do any of the Star Wars books stand up as literature in their own right which would interest someone not already very into Star wars? I certainly wouldn't recommend such cash in hack written stuff to someone I expect if a kid likes star wars enough they'll find those books by themselves anyway.

Maybe the Thrawn trilogy, I'd rate it as the best the EU has to offer.

[Sinewmire]

Anne Mccaffrey "Pern" books are wonderful for young teens if you start with the "Menolly" series of books that revolve around a young girl.

Gave me some messed up ideas about romance and women, though. I practically lived on PERN these when I discovered these books on my parents' bookshelves in secondary school. Admittedly, the books aren't to blame, more my poor socialization, sheltered primary schooling and general teenage wierdness, but they didn't help any either.

I ended up with some vague rose-tinted notion that couples that are supposed to couples just happened, which led to a LOT of Knight-In-Shining-Armour NiceGuy crap. And ohhhhhh the angst.

That said, Masterharper Robinton is awesome.

[General Mung Beans]

You think Star Wars novels are marketed towards adults?

They certainly aren't sold or placed in the kids' or teens' sections.

[General Mung Beans]

You just recommended:
"Lovecraftian" novels, and the religious dreck of Lewis, to young teens?

Sure oyu don't want to rethink those options?

I'm thirteen myself and have read both of those abovementioned series. Plus those books are explicitly marketed at teens.

[Plekhanov]

I'm thirteen myself and have read both of those abovementioned series. Plus those books are explicitly marketed at teens.

If you really are 13 I suppose that might explain your habit of proudly regurgitating republican talking points 9 as if that amounted to a coherent argument.

Your age of course doesn't explain how you figure Lewis or Lovecraft to be science fiction but I suppose your being a creationist might.