YA science fiction

[Alex Scarrow]

I'm sort of doing a bit of research. It strikes me that there's a lot of YA fantasy out there....lots of damned dragons, and wizards, but not much in the way of science fiction. Does anyone know of any good YA Scifi? Does anyone have any ideas why there isn't much YA scifi out there?

I would have thought that young hungry readers would by now have begun to tire a bit of spells and potions and be looking further a field for their thrills.

 

[Alia]

There is a lot of fantasy out there and very few Scifi for YA. I can name only one right off hand that is a Scifi adventure for YA... A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I will do some research and see what other names I can come up with.
Others here on the forum might know as well...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Andre Norton wrote dozens (literally) of YA science fiction novels. And unlike Heinlein's books for teenagers they don't come across as horribly dated (a particular problem when you are writing about the future).

In my experience, young readers don't easily grow tired of anything they like, and by the time they finally do they're reading books written for adults.

However, it does seem like the kids today are not as enamored of the future as they were in my day.

Or maybe it's the publishers. As with Heinlein, SF can get dated pretty fast, and most YA publishers are interested in books that they can keep on reissuing as new readers come along.

 

[Alia]

However, it does seem like the kids today are not as enamored of the future as they were in my day.

We grew up with Star Trek on TV and then came Star Wars to the big screens, encouraging us to read and seek a new adventure. It was new and exciting back then. Today, it's changing back to Fantasy... with Harry Potter.

Also, there are Star Wars books made just for Children, but I'm not sure who wrote them. I will check into it and post.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I forgot about those Star Wars novelizations. Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta co-wrote a couple of YA series about young Jedi knights.

Haven't read them, though, so can't say if they're any good or not.

 

[Alia]

I ran across another author to add to the Scifi list...
Lois Lowry who wrote 'The Giver'. Never read it, but I hear wonderful things about it.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Douglas Hill wrote some amazing YA sci-fi & fantasy.
sci-fi probably "Colsec" Trilogy was best, although the "Huntsman" & "Young Legionary" series were both good.
He was one of my 'idols' when growing up

 

[star_song]

I am not sure why there is not as much science fiction for YA as there is fantasy... i personally started reading science fiction books before i switched over to fantasy when i was younger.

what about hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy? although im not sure it is stricltly for young adults.