Sci-fi for an 11 year old

[PepeLePew]

I got such good recommendations from this board when I asked for funny books for dd that I am going to try again - 11 year old has just discovered sci-fi and his grandfather wants some recommendations for things to buy for him (he does a “new book a month” for his grandchildren which is rather sweet).

He loved Ready Player One and I, Robot and was scared half to death by the first book in The Tripods. He’s a very competent reader so adult books are fine from a language point of view (and I’d like to encourage him to push himself a bit) but he’s nervous and also quite innocent.

Series are obviously good as it helps my dad but also very open to one offs. I know dystopian fiction is huge in the YA sphere and we will give that a go but DS feels strongly that books like that aren’t sci-fi. I think it probably needs robots, space ships or damn good tech to qualify!

All of Isaac Asimov’s books on robots!

Also very interested in the replies to this as my 9yo (almost 10) who mostly reads non-fiction has expressed an interest in this. I had a Google, but mostly found dystopian YA, when your last line describes exactly what he wants:

I think it probably needs robots, space ships or damn good tech to qualify!

What about the Star Wars extended universe books? There are absolutely loads and they tend to be made up of a series of 3-6 books that cover one particular story arc or character. The Thrawn trilogy is brilliant.

I’ll check out the Thrawn books - he does love Star Wars. And more Isaac Asimov is a good idea too - Grandpa will approve of that as “proper” writing. I’m going to suggest The Martian too. Minor swearing aside I think he might enjoy that.

He’s reading Enders Game at the moment and enjoying it. No idea of its suitability for that age group but the man in the bookshop said it was good!

Pepe you might look at Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines it's the first in a series of steampunk/SF, written for young adults, but a lot of adults like it too. I think the first title won a children's book award.

I subscribe to an online mags that recently published a list that's specifically SF for young adults - still a lot of dystopia but some of the titles look possible. I bookmarked it for pressie ideas.
I don't know how to do that elegant one-word-link thing
bookriot.com/2018/03/01/young-adult-science-fiction-books/

I loved John Wyndham at that age - day of the triffids, the chrysalids etc. He'd also be old enough for Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker series if he fancies some silly Sci-Fi.

Ray Bradbury. Especially The Illustrated Man (Grandpa may also approve as “proper” writing.) Loved it myself at that age and have just read to my 10 year old, who also loved it.

Thanks for this thread - I’ll be looking for ideas too.

Ray Bradbury is a good idea.
What about HG Wells? Worried it might drag a bit for a small boy.

Robert Heinlein wrote many YA (young adult) novels. Have a look at The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress as well these.

www.amazon.com/Teen-Young-Adult-Robert-Heinlein-Books/s?rh=n%3A28%2Cp_lbr_one_browse-bin%3ARobert%20Heinlein&page=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

I was going to suggest the tripods books which dS2 is currently gobbling up but see they were a bit much.

The boy in the tower is excellent (a bit like the day of the triffids)
Chocky? (although mine found it a bit old fashioned)
Mortal engines - predator cities (there are about 6 in the series) will be very popular with the movie about to come out

I'd be careful with the YA stuff since a lot of them have sex in which might be a bit much at 11.

With the heinlein you are safe with anything less than 2cm thick...avoid the bigger books they have a lot of inappropriate sex going on (incest)...never bothered me at that age but just re read them and am a bit wtf!!!

If he’d consider fantasy too try the belgariad (david eddings). In the Enders game universe look at the Enders shadow series - the Enders game sequels are a bit hard for an 11 yo

The Dr Who books are quite enjoyable.

Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series is epically amazing and brilliant.

would time travel count as sufficiently sci-fi? DS2 is also enjoying the time riders series

As a kid, the first sci-fi book I read was Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time , which I absolutely loved, and that got me into sci-fi for life (well, that and the original Star Trek series). It has space travel and a bit of physics, but not really any space hardware. They don't use a space ship to travel. It is such a good story though.

There are now sequels as well, which i think weren't actually written when I was a child (I am old!), so I was unaware of them and only discovered them recently.

Mine loved the Binti series (space ships and aliens) a few years ago, I think he was maybe 14 when he read it, there's a bit of violence at the beginning: www.goodreads.com/book/show/25667918-binti and Murderbot isn't YA specific but it's great and funny (damn good tech, robots) but again some violence: www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red

Throw in hitchhikers guide to the galaxy as well, still proper sci fi (aliens, space ships etc) but very very funny as well. Good summer reading.

I made DS1 wait until 13 to properly appreciate Hitchhikers.

Not sure if it would be called sci fi or fantasy but my 11 year old is into the Skulduggery Pleasant books. I sometimes read them to him and there's a bit of fighting etc but nothing too over the top.

Terry Pratchett "Only you can save mankind"

maybe a little retro but still very funny

Robert A Heinlin - Have Spacesuit, will Travel and Starbeast. Suggestions from DH.

DD is also 11, she reads a fair amount of fantasy/SF. I'd recommend David Eddings Belgariad and Mallorean series, Anne McCaffrey (and other authors - S M Stirling and Jody Lynn Nye both wrote at least one in the same universe on their own) Ships series inc The City Who Fought, plus some of her Pern books, Orson Scott Card stuff, Terry Pratchett especially only you can save mankind, Johnny and the bomb etc, and the Garth Nix keys to the kingdom series.

I’d second The Martian, Hitchhiker. Also Starship Troopers (Heinlein), Who Goes Here by Bob Shaw (lesser known but was a huge hit with DS), The War Of the Worlds, and any Doctor Who spin off novel whose plot synopsis takes his fancy (they’re normally age appropriate in content, most libraries have a pile of them and you can pick up bundles on the cheap from The Book People). There are also a bunch of Star Wars spin off novelisations if that’s his thing.

From the Tween shelves (less grim than YA but still a chewy read) I’d suggest Itch by Simon Mayo, the Artemis Fowl books and the Infinity Drake series. No spaceships but definitely a SF slant (Artemis Fowl has magic but it’s science fiction flavoured magic) and not dystopian.