|
       |
|
Young Adult Science Fiction
|
|
| • Definition • Typical Subject Matter • Key Works and Figures • Sources • | |
| Definition | |
Young adult fiction in general is considered to be fiction written for and marketed to a young adult audience, roughly readers age 12-18. Obviously lines between children's literature, young adult fiction, and fiction written for adults are pretty blurry.
|
|
 |
|
| Typical Subject Matter | |
| In general young adult fiction features a teen-aged protagonist who is wrestling with questions of identity or the difficulty of coming of age. Young adult science fiction deals with these same issues against a science fiction background. | |
|
|
| Key Works and Figures | |
Most young adult literature of the fantastic is more fantasy than science fiction. See Young Adult Fantasy for more detail. Probably the best science fiction that falls into this genre is Robert Heinlein's early book-length fiction which was was originally marketed to children; the best of these are probably Time for the Stars (1956) and Citizen of the Galaxy (1957). Madeline L'Engle won the Newberry Medal for A Wrinkle in Time (1962), the first novel in a trilogy featuring the adventures of Meg Murray and her siblings. |
|
For more titles, see
|
|
|
|
| Sources | |
| Nicholls, Peter. "Children's SF." The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. ed. John Clute and Peter Nicholls. New York: St. Martins Griffin, 1993. | |
 |
|
| • Science Fiction Subgenres • Science Fiction Topics • Fantasy Subgenres • Fantasy Topics • | |
| • Home • Overview • Subject Matter • Author Profiles • Fiction Guides • Media Guides • • Resources • |
|