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Helena Ramirez-Watson ���and ���

Sonia Robles

Chapter  8    

Science  Fiction    

The  Evolu*on  of  Science  Fic*on    

•  First  work  of  science  fic*on:  Mary  Wollstonecra<  Shelley's  Frankenstein  (1811)  

•  Used  medical  science  as  the  point  of  departure  from  reality  

 

•  Jules Verne: Inspired by rapidly advancing technology •  Some stories anticipated later inventions

•  Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869) the submarine •  From the Earth to the Moon (1865) rocket travel

• First book about an invasion from outer space: War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells • Halloween 1938: Orson Welles's broadcast of War of the Worlds • Genre was so new to listeners that many believed the earth was under attack from aliens

• Term "science fiction": Hugo Gernback, creater of the magazine Amazing Stories (1926)

• Later published Science Wonder Stories • Many early science fiction writers got their start in the magazines

• Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein

• John W. Campbell: editor of Amazing stories later started Astounding Sceince Fiction

• Credited with launching the careers of many science fiction writers

• Robert Heinlein: credited with transforming the way science fiction stories are told

• He researched scientific discoveries and used them in his novels • Rocket Ship Galileo (1947) and twelve junior novels are considered to be the first children's science fiction published in the US

• Isaac Asimov: coined the term robotics

• Formally outlined the Three Laws of Robotics that have guided the way robots have been portrayed since

• Women have had to overcome gender bias as writers of science fiction

• Andre Norton: pseudonym of Alice Mary Norton • Used a pseudonym due to the belief that masculine names would give her work credibility with male readers • Started her career in 1930's • Convinced publishers, who believed that girls would not read science fiction and boys would not read about female protagonists, to publish her work • First published at the age of 20 • Was awarded the Nebula Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement in science fiction

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•  The launch of Sputnik in 1957 spurred a competition among children’s book authors to provide imaginative stories set in outer space.

•  Monica Hughes author of Invitation to the Game •  The futuristic society in which educated and talented young people fight for

survival •  She asks the readers to question if today’s society wastes the talents of young

people •  Nancy Farmer author of The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm

•  Creates a society living under the garbage heaps of a city •  The reader can visualize a landfill creating characters like the vlei people

•  Lois Lowery author of The Giver •  A regimented society where only one person holds the memories •  The reader questions what is important in order to remain human

Categories of Science Fiction  

Utopian and Dystopian Societies •  Societies different from the one we live in have been explored in adult literature for

thousands of years •  Plato’s Republic •  Dante’s Inferno

•  John Christopher’s Tripod trilogy

•  The Earth has been conquered by alien Tripods who control and enslave humans. Three children; Henry, Beanpole, and Will; embark on a journey to free humanity and rescue the planet from destruction.

•  Rodman Philbrick’s The Last Book in the Universe

•  Has both utopian and dystopian societies •  Gangs run a futuristic society after Earth has

been ruined by “The Big Shake” •  People inject themselves with probes that

allow them to imagine a better world while in a secret place, Eden, humans who have been genetically chosen are allowed to live happily

•  The main character, Spaz, ventures into the dangerous territory and is joined by an old man, Ryter, who has the last book in the universe

Surviving Environmental Catastrophes •  Surviving  in  the  future  a<er  environmental  catastrophe  – Holocaust  – Pollu*on  – Overcrowding  – Earth’s  environmental  destruc*on  

Book Level 3.7

Book Level 4.0

Science Fantasies AKA Space Fantasy •  Based  on  imagina*on  and  includes  extrapola*ons  (opinions)  of  scien*fic  understandings  

•  Space  travel  •  Interplanetary  explora*on  •  Alien  visitors  Book Level 5.6

Book Level 5.1

Book Level 4.8

Book Level 4.3

Book Level 2.8

Book Level 2.6

Book Level 4.9

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How Science Fiction Works –  Remote  planet  (sePng)  –  Author  creates  suspense  before  making  genre  clear  (4th  dimension,  fantasy,  science  fic*on)  

–  Create  believeable  characters  –  Premise  plausible  –  Clues  are  planted  for  reader  to  predict    –  Have  some  points  of  reality  –  Projects  real  experiences  to  other  worldly  ones  

Book Level 5.5

Book Level 4.7

Evaluating Science Fiction

•  Follows  literary  standards  (ch  2)    •  It  is  made  clear  how  the  characters  feels  about  world/dilemmas.  

•  In  the  inven*ve  world,  are  plots  threaded.  •  Guideposts    that  serve  as  a  jumping-­‐off  from  reality  to  imagina*on  are  present.      

•  The  author  has  created  a  sense  of  delight  that    engages  the  reader  to  con*nue  reading.  

AWARDS  

•  Newbery  Medal  •  Hugo  Award  (Hugo  Gersback-­‐  termed  Sci-­‐Fi)  •  Science-­‐Fic*on  Achievement  Award  (Adult/Children)  

•  Nebula  Award    (given  to  several  categories  including  juvenile  fic*on)  

Major Writers

Peter Dickinson

Madeline  L’Engle  

Newberry Medal 1963

Newberry Honor Book 1981

“You can’t write science fiction out of your own experiences,

so you have to search for something deeper”

She states that her books are about the clash of good and

evil on a cosmic level.

U.S. nominee for the 1964 Hans Christian Anderson Award

Received the 1984 Catholic Library Association’s Regina Award

William Sleator

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Science Fiction Series

Captain UnderpantsDav  Pilkey  

 Book  Level:  2.5-­‐5.5  

Franny K. Stein  Jim  Benton  

 Book  Level:  4.5-­‐5.3  

First Graders from MarsShana  Corey  

 Book  Level:  3.1-­‐3.8  

Comander ToadJane  Yolen  

 Book  Level:  2.2-­‐2.6  

Science Fiction���

The Little PrinceAntoince  de  Saint-­‐Exupery    Book  Level:  5.0  

Space GuysMartha  Weston    Book  Level:  0.7    

The Rudest Alien on EarthJane  L.  Conley    Book  Level:  4.3  

Babar Visits Another PlanetLaurent  De  Brunho    Book  Level:  4.1  

If You Decide to Go to the MoonFaith  McNulty    Book  Level:  4.1  

Cam Jansen: The Mystery of the UFODavid  Adler    Book  Level:  3.4  

The Iron GiantTed  Hughes    Book  Level:  4.7  

My Teacher is an AlienBruce  Coville    Book  Level:  5.3  

Attack of the Fluffly BunniesAndrea  Beaty    Book  Level:  5.1    

Hush, Little AlienDaniel  Kirk  

Book Level 3.5

Book Level 3.5