TMPLee.DODCSC@MIT-MULTICS@sri-unix.UUCP (09/16/83)
Can anyone point me (us, the list) to a list of good first-time SF books for kids just starting to read SF? What brought the question to mind is that I happened to pick up a book we had bought for our 12 1/2 year old (7th grade) on the recommendation of a summer-school science-fiction and fantasy course (we have a very progressive school district here). The book is SILVER ON THE TREE by Susan Cooper; one of the DARK IS RISING series -- we bought some of the others, this just happens to be the one at hand. Neither he nor I has read it, so don't know whether its worth it or not. I can vaguely remember the first SF books I read -- Asimov's FOUNDATION set, Arthur Clarke, and I can even remember that when I read the Tolkien books when they became a collegiate craze that sometime, perhaps even in grade school, I had read the HOBBITT before -- the riddles in the dark had obviously impressed my mind at a very young age because I couldn't remember when exactly I read them but it was clear to me I had run across them before and with sufficient impression that it brought back fuzzy memories of the children's room at the library. BUT, I can't say that I read enough SF at an early enough age, or remember doing so, that I could come up with a "recommended reading list" for kids just starting out. (I do have to mention that he has gone through a couple of the Asimov Robot books, 2001 "a bit confusing", and WarGames (laughed at frequent intervals throughout, perhaps in part because we had just put the modem on our Apple and because my profession is computer security)). Ted Lee
jdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf) (09/16/83)
they were a good introduction to basic physics, relativity, and RAH
philosophical gibberish.
Kids could do worse.
Jeff {decvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubixhakanson@orstcs.UUCP (09/17/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-503800:orstcs:11600014:000:389
orstcs!hakanson Sep 14 12:20:00 1983
I would recommend most of the works of Anne McCaffrey (the Pern series,
for example), and also of Andre Norton. Those are the ones that come
to mind off the top of my head. Oh yes, probably Poul Anderson's
Flandry books, Polesotechnic League stories, & others.
Any more, anyone?
Marion Hakanson {hp-pcd,teklabs}!orstcs!hakanson (USENET)
hakanson.oregon-state@rand-relay (CSNET)craig@cfib.UUCP (09/21/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-503800:cfib:9800002:000:353 cfib!craig Sep 20 09:29:00 1983 These are more fantasy than sci-fi but how about Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain (5 vols)? I first read them when I was about 11. Also Ursula K. LeGuin's Wizard of Earthsea trilogy? Also try Patricia McKillip's Riddlemaster of Hed trilogy. I'd also second the recommendation of Arthur C. Clarke's works. Craig Partridge ...ima!cfib!craig
Ward@USC-ISIF@sri-unix.UUCP (09/21/83)
From: Craig E. Ward <Ward at USC-ISIF> The book that got me interested in SF (and reading in general) as a kid was "Expedition to Earth" by none other than Arthur C. Clarke.
mcewan@uiucdcs.UUCP (mcewan ) (09/28/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-503800:uiucdcs:12500042:000:160 uiucdcs!mcewan Sep 27 19:23:00 1983 I'm amazed that no one else has nominated Heinlein's juveniles. They're what started me on SF, and I know a lot of other people who also started with Heinlein.
pking@denelcor.UUCP (09/30/83)
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