Science Fiction Favorites of the NPR Audience

This ceramic coaster
by Cie McCullough
represents the castles
of many of the magical
kingdoms on the  final list.

This summer, NPR asked for nominations for the top 100 science-fiction, fantasy books. It received 6000 nominations and settled on a list of finalists. This list was posted in the blog npr books on 8/2/11. Many of the nominees are suitable for youth. Many are classics of the genre. Many are rooted in magic. Some have been the basis of movies.

On the same day, npr books posted the list of 100 winners. For several of these, the series took the winning, with one book of the series posted.

I did not vote. I kick myself for that because of my top 20 favorite authors, only 4 made the final list. Of the 6000 nominees, only half of my favorite authors had a book or series nominated.

Of the winners, I would say most are suitable for youth. However, NPR plans another list for YA books, so did not include specifically YA books on the list. I suppose that is why the Harry Potter books were not included.

Check out both lists. Save a copy for future reference in your personal files. Do send me a list of the ones chosen in either list that you think are suitable for youth in the comments to this post. And add the books that you think should have been included. Comment away!

FB Report: Lots of Links on Speculative Fiction -- 6/15/11

Rahul Talakanti I Like science Fiction.i was An Alien in my past Life in Another Galaxy. my Age is 18,00years in my past Life.i Got my past Life Through a Dream in a midnight sleep. on That planet Aliens 'Life span' is 3,000years.(1 Day=100hrs, 1 year = 1000 Days). on That planet Aliens are Looking so Handsome.They haven't ill, Dandruff,Fungal infections,cancer,cold,.,.etc. ...Their Body Resistance power is so GOOD. on That planet motor cars,vehicles are used solar Energy,Not Like us petrol,Diesel,.,.etc. Their Film Actors are Looking Like Angels.
5 minutes ago · Like ·
[6/14/11]
Comments:
Reading For the Future Rahul, this sounds like the seeds of a book. Why not write one about your dreams as you experience that world? If the book is suitable for kids, let us know--especially since this page focuses on books for children as shared by speculative and science fiction fans.~Valerie C.
[6/14/11]


Reading For the Future
We who read science fiction read it because we love to experience this chain-reaction of ideas being set off in our minds by something we read, something with a new idea in it; hence the very best science fiction ultimately winds up being a collaboration between author and reader, in which both create--and enjoy doing it: joy is the essential and final ingredient of science fiction, the joy of discovery of newness.
[6/11/11]
Comments:
Reading For the Future ?~Philip K. Dick
[6/11/11]
Rahul Talakanti I Like science Fiction.i was An Alien in my past Life in Another Galaxy. my Age is 18,00years in my past Life.i Got my past Life Through a Dream in a midnight sleep. on That planet Aliens 'Life span' is 3,000years.(1 Day=100hrs, 1 year = 10...
See More
[6/14/11]

Reading For the Future from Cynthia Ward Announcing TR:SF, an all-science fiction special issue, coming this fall.
Technology Review Goes From Fact to (Science) Fiction - Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26819/
www.technologyreview.com
Many of the editors at Technology Review are long-time science fiction fans--like many scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, our interest in science and technology was sparked by a heavy diet of science fiction in our youth. For us, science fiction is another way to approach the same fundamental...
[6/9/11]

Reading For the Future thank you Christopher Barzak for another response to the WAJ article
Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/06/09/why-the-best-kids-books-are-written-in-blood/
blogs.wsj.com
Some cultural critics argue that kids books have become too violent, too dark, too adult. Sherman Alexie, author of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," argues that such books give young readers the tools they need to survive.
[6/9/11]
Comments
Ruth R. Davidson Thank you! That article moved me to tears. It's the best response yet to Gurdon.
[6/9/11]
Ruth R. Davidson I just read the book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian". I can see what people are complaining about it, but they missed a whole lot of good by focusing on the parts that made them uncomfortable.
[6/11/11]
Reading For the Future  I'm glad you liked it :)
One thing that is really bothering me about this entire argument is that 100 years ago "children's" books were Treasure Island and Peter Pan, and those are two of the most violent "children's" books I've ever read! Maybe not dark, per se, but they certainly aren't pure white bread.
~Cie
[6/11/11]

Reading For the Future
Check out the poll at the bottom -
Are darker themes in youth fiction helpful or harmful to teenagers?
82% (1213 votes) say helpful
18% (269 votes) say harmful
Should Young Adult Books Explore Difficult Issues?
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/06/05/should-book-covers-shield-young-adult-readers-from-the-world/
blogs.wsj.com
?"A great book is a perfect starting point for talking with kids about the real world around them. "
[6/9/11]
Comments:
StarDragon T. Canadian Forces Of Good now at 88.7% !
[6/11/11]

Reading For the Future More on how do we decide what books to recommend to kids.~Valerie C.
Is The Hunger Games corrupting kids? - The Week
http://theweek.com/article/index/216066/is-the-hunger-games-corrupting-kids
theweek.com
Has young-adult fiction become harmfully dark as a whole — or have teens always had to sift through subpar books to find enduring literature?
[6/8/11]

Reading For the Future Cie McCullough says, "Usually eschew lists; I find them nothing more than some else's opinion. However, this one is compiled to familiarize any high school student with the classics before they are required reading in college. Does it say something about the education system that I have read only 25%and still maintained a B+ average in both HS and college?"~Valerie C.
100 Books Every High School Student Should Read | Accredited Online Colleges.com
http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.com/blog/2009/100-books-every-high-school-student-should-read/
www.accreditedonlinecolleges.com
When preparing for college, one of the smartest moves a high schooler can make is to read, read, read. This is especially true of literary classics. Many of the books covered on this list also surface in university literature classes, so high school students can facilitate their college workloads
[6/8/11]
Comments
Reading For the Future Visit Cie's page or see it on mine for some interesting comments on the link!~ Valerie Coskrey
[6/8/11]

Reading For the Future School Library Journal Review of the first book by upcoming new author Mark Jeffrey. 'Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant' will attract fans of Percy Jackson!
Reviews
New review (came out today) from School Library Journal
By: The Max Quick Series
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150216607153560.338153.6259958559
http://www.facebook.com/maxquickseries
[6/7/11]
Comments:
Mark Jeffrey A very promising young lad, I must say! :)
[6/7/11]

Reading For the Future A teen reader responds to Ms Gurdon
Booking Through 365: There Are Whole Lives In These Bookshelves
http://bookingthrough365.blogspot.com/2011/06/there-are-whole-lives-in-these.html
bookingthrough365.blogspot.com
Dear Ms Gurdon, Your article about YA literature has become a huge topic of conversation with the YA community filled with bloggers, authors, librarians, teachers and publisher professionals alike.
[6/7/11]

Reading For the Future Thanks to Christopher Barzak for this link:
A response to WSJ's article about YA lit
"That 'adult' aspect of reading is scary for many of us. It's our job as parents to protect our kids, even as they slowly move out into the world and further away from our dictates. But there's something almost comical about raising them with tales of big bad wolves and poisoned apples"
Teenagers: Has young adult fiction become too dark?
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2011/06/06/WSJ_young_adult_literature_too_dark
www.salon.com
A scorching Wall Street Journal editorial rips apart the genre -- and lights up the Internet
[6/6/11]
Comments:
Bev Kodak The author of the WSJ article apparently missed the point, as so many adults do. YA lit is inherently about hope, and how the human spirit triumphs over adversity. I like Bazarak's piece a lot. See also Laurie Halse Anderson's, Kathleen Duey's and many others' well reasoned responses.
[6/6/11]
Ruth R. Davidson From a teen reader: http://bookingthrough365.blogspot.com/2011/06/there-are-whole-lives-in-these.html?
[6/6/11]
Reading For the Future Thanks Ruth! Just reposted it :)
[6/7/11]

Reading For the Future Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?
Darkness Too Visible
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html
online.wsj.com
Meghan Cox Gurdon on Jackie Morse Kessler's Rage, Cheryl Rainfield's Scars, Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games and other examples of contemporary young-adult fiction.
[6/6/11]

Reading For the Future
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150200478628080.326764.156183763079
photos of sci fi fans shared by V. Coskrey, although like Cie, I was not there and live east of the Rockies.~Valerie C.
Norwescon 34: Saturday
Saturday at Norwescon 34. NOTE: This album is still in progress. More photos yet to come!
By: Norwescon
Photos: 92
[6/6/11]

Reading For the Future Visit David Brin for a vote on favorites and for comments.~Valerie C.
Contrary Brin: My Top Choices in Science-Oriented WebComics
http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-top-choices-in-science-oriented.html
davidbrin.blogspot.com
[6/6/11]

Reading For the Future David Brin shared this link.~Valerie C.Andrea Kuszewski's link.
http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-top-choices-in-science-oriented.html
» Want Kids to Win the Future? Turn Them Into Makers — and Sci-Fi Fans
Nolan Bushnell once almost destroyed his family's garage. As a youngster in Utah, he went tooling around with a liquid-fuel rocket on a roller skate and
 Want Kids to Win the Future? Turn Them Into Makers — and Sci-Fi Fans
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/05/maker-faire-nolan-bushnell/
Wired.com
www.wired.com
Get in-depth coverage of current and future trends in technology, and how they are shaping business, entertainment, communications, science, politics, and culture at Wired.com.
[[6/6/11]
Comments:
Reading For the Future link to the article sans the facebook input: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/05/maker-faire-nolan-bushnell/
[6/14/11]

Reading For the Future More on the great exhibition on Science Fiction happening until September 25th in London.
"Explore a range of imaginings that have provoked hopes and dreams, exhilaration and fear - and see how science fiction has influenced scientific discovery."
Out of this World: Science Fiction but not as you know it
http://www.bl.uk/sciencefiction
www.bl.uk
Our new exhibition which will explore the Science Fiction genre and show how there is more to this diverse canon than meets the eye
[6/5/11]
Comments
Laura Swift Lind very cool.
[6/5/11]

To Share or Not to Share; How does one Decide what Books to Recommend to Youth? Part 2

The Birth of Human Intelligence, an image by ©AlienCat - Fotolia.com.

This image may only be used with permission of Fotolia.com. It is used here by Valerie Coskrey, who purchased a license for its use.

Some RFFers' Thoughts on Favorite Books

Have you read Part 1?

Mary, a teacher, wrote,

"I found that as a kid -- 4th grade and up -- I was generally drawn to "classic" authors with minimal gore and/or sexual content. I tend to recommend books like that to kids as well."

To which Alberto responded,

My 11-year-old is very interested in History and Greek Mythology; I can't think of any science fiction that has _more_ gore and sexual content than History and Greek Mythology.

Again, Mary responded, "Point well taken! (Of course, our school doesn't teach Greek and Roman Mythology either.)"

Librarian Sandy Moltz added these criteria,

"I think you have to take a number of factors into consideration when recommending an adult science fiction book. Difficulty of the language, length of the book can be reasons I wouldn't recommend an adult book. For example, I love Neal Stephenson but think that Cryptonomican is too long for a lot of kids.

"Also, many kids who read above their age level aren't ready emotionally for all adult books. I'm lucky enough to be in a small library where I usually get to talk to the kids and have a sense of what works for them. For example, a very smart 5th grader may not be ready for a book that has a violent rape scene (I don't have a specific title in mind, this is just a hypothetical example).

"I often recommend Brightness Reef, Blood Music, and The Man in the High Castle. For some, I'll suggest Snow Crash, William Gibson, China Mieville, and Orson Scott Card's Pastwatch.

Dave chimed in with books he asked Sandy to consider.

"What about David Gerrald's The Man Who Folded Himself or Bruce Coville's Skull of Truth or Orson Scott Card's Enderverse?

"Dave Farland aka Dave Wolferton wrote On My Way To Paradise (c) 1987 Bridge Publications, Inc He expanded it into a novel. I have given copies through RFF Utah. Dave does not see it as YA.

"The Man Who Folded Himself is very adult in subject matter. RFFUtah sent it to a Junior High School teacher in Davis CA for the club library.

"School of Truth is that when the skull from Hamlet is in the room you can only tell the truth. The younger brother tells the family he is gay. The family says so, we have known that for years.

"Scott aka Noam D. PLUME, Byron WALLEY, Dinah KIRKHAM wrote plays and edited/wrote LDS magazines. He invented the game when he was 17. Ben Bova, Analog editor, said he would never buy a it-is-a-computer-game story. Changed his mind. Ender's Game was nominated for a Hugo and lost. Scott had a book contract to write Speaker for the Dead but expanded Ender to a book. Both books won Hugos and Nebullas. The Ender books according to Scott are grades 7, 8 and 9. The Bean cycle (Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon and Shadow Puppets) I used the original Ender at 2001 MilPhil and after 9/11 in an alternate high school. The students wrote about the ethics of training young children to kill. This Rustycon a woman said she would never recommend the Enderverse to kids. TOR sends boxes of Ender to inner city schools."

Tentative Conclusions

In our search for criteria to use in recommending an adult to a YA audience, we have conflicting values to reconcile. Some, including me, see no problem with youth reading about controversial subjects, alternative life styles, a bit of violence, and limited sexual content. I notice that so far there has been no mention of profanity. So many science fiction authors use little to none profanity in their books that some might consider this a non-issue.

So far we have these 5 questions to ask about a book.

• Does the young adult have the reading skills for the reading level and length of the book?
  
• Is the book one with enough action to interest a young reader?
  
• Is the violence, sexual content and profanity handled in such a way that one would not mind one's grandmother reading the book? (RE: Part 1)
  
• Is the young reader emotionally mature enough to handle the subject matter?
  
• Do I know this young reader well enough to push the limits?
  

Although many science fiction books are written for an adult autdience, there are some that are highly instrutive, just plain fun, or both that young adults, grades middle school through high school, would enjoy. After all, the bottom line for promoting literacy is to foster the enjoyment of reading.

There is more to come. Look for Part 3 at a later date.

~Valerie

Reflections Collections -- 2/15/11

What a busy few weeks! Some activities listed below will be discussed in this blog post, some in other blog posts. Watch for the links. (Check back in few days for some items that are not yet posted. I will edit this page by adding links when these are posted.)

Alien ©julien tromeur - Fotolia.com
Licensed for use only by Valerie Coskrey

• A committee is working on setting up the newly incorporated RFF, Inc. Mission, goals, bylaws, projects, officers--all must be finalized. Look for an official report on all this activity soon when the Board of Directors authorizes a press release.
• Dave Anderson took part in a couple of book give-aways to young readers. In one, he gave 40 books to a kindergarten class, commenting that it was hard to find this many quality books of speculative fiction for this age group. All in all, he has recently donated 119 books to 3 kindergarten classes. He claimed to have learned that a ratio of just slightly more than 2:1 books per child seems to work best.
• Links to lessons using science fiction are in the first post of the new series "Teaching with Science Fiction." To introduce the series, Andy Love sent links to his educational essays;  Michael Kingsley sent a link to a short paper on Steppenwolf, the Rogue Planet; and Dave Anderson instructs us in what not to ask during a lesson.
• Several conversations at the rff Yahoo! Group, called Talking RFF, produced additional information of interest, including a booklist, opinions on what to call science fiction, how to decide what to recommend to youth, and personal opinions on numerous books. Read about them in the linked individual blog posts.
• A friend sent in a book review on The Grandmother's' Hive, a book suitable for youth written by new member Donna Barr.
• A new series of blog posts called "To Share or Not to Share" continues the search for a rubric began last month.
• David Brin sent an excerpt from his new non-fiction book in a topic called "Skeptical Environmentalist".
• Facebook links were highly informative, as always. Read the FB Reports for 2/3/11 and 2/18/11.
• Review the stats for this blog and the RFF Facebook page.
• Finally, there are additional snippets of historical information contributed by Dave Anderson and by Andy Love and others.

Snippets of History

Dave Describes the Past and Present of RFF

Reading for the Future enters our sixteenth year. RFF, Inc is meeting on line working on bylaws and nonprofit status. RFF, Inc is made up of the old guard and the young turks.

In 1995, Dave Brin, Greg Bear and Gregory Benford were the Killer Bs or young turks who wanted kids to read science fiction. I joined RFF in 1997 when Dave was CONduit's writer guest of honor who asked us what were we doing to get science fiction to the kids. CONduit is Utah's spring sf convention.

RFF will always be a grassroots organization with a common mission. I am giving a Kindergarten 40 pass-it-along books Monday..Friday I gave two Earthsea books to a sixth grader. Not all books are sf. The first word in RFF is reading. So if a kid reads Ender's Game that I passed it along to him -- success. Will he read more sf? Chances are good.

David-Glenn Anderson

Andy Asks for another Hugo Award Category

Andy Love sent a copy of a letter sent to WorldCon a while back. He provided Talking RFF with a copy of the letter during a recent discussion.

Andy Love

Who was Hal Clement, Really?

Some of our members of Talking RFF attended sci fi conventions with Hal Clement, author of numerous SF books suitable for youth; some worked with him on convention projects; some know him personally. Some of these RFFers provided us with this information.

Hal [Clement] used a different name for his teaching life, his writing life and his art life.

Hal was once LGoH, FGoH, & AGoH at the same con using his different names. :-)

Hal's real name was Harry Stubbs.

George Richard was his name as an artist.

One of the organizations with which RFF works closely is the Golden Duck Awards committee of the organization Duckon. Along with the Golden Duck Awards presented annually by Duckon is the annual Hal Clement Award for YA science fiction.

In a message to the RFF member who is also active in Duckon, Dave Anderson offered this snippet of history:

"I presented the Golden Ducks at Conucopia, the 1999 NASFiC on Friday,Aug 27. [http://www.99.nasfic.org] The two real Golden Ducks advocates were at Aussicon Three, Mebourne Australia. Attendance at the presentation included Hal Clement."

Thanks to Dave, Jim, and others.

Stats

Reflections Collections Stats for 2/10/11

Pageviews for last month, January 1011: 160
Pageviews since creation, October, 2010: 889.
Most Popular Post: Wake, Far-Seer and their author Robert J. Sawyer (December 2010)
Second Most Popular Post: Reflections Collections -- 11/7/10 (November 2010)
Third Most Popular Post: Krysia Anderson, A YA herself, Writer and Poet... (November 2010)

Reading For the Future page on Facebook Stats for 2/11/11

214 monthly active users; 20 since last week
325 people like this; 7 since last week
20 wall posts or comments this week; 20 since last week
90 visits this week; 40 since last week

'Til next time~Valerie C.