Sci-Fi Books For Pre-Teens?

o2binbuzios writes "I have two pre-teen boys who are avid readers, and I am going through my mental catalog for great sci-fi & fantasy books for them. What are some of the classics (and maybe new additions to the classics) that would be great for them to read? I am asking because some of the 'straight-up' classics I remember actually seem kind of dark & cynical for younger readers. Starship Troopers and some of the other Heinlein are definitely darker and more political than I remember... Foundation Trilogy and psycho-history maybe too dry. Road-trip reading season is upon us — what are the good reads for the kids in the back seat?"

Comments

Re:Dark and Cynical?

[XeresRazor]

Or as my wife like to succinctly put it "OMG WTF Jesus Lion"

Re:Dark and Cynical?

[fumblebruschi]

From McSweeneys:

3-Line Narnia

C.S. LEWIS: Hey, a Utopia ruled by children and populated by talking animals!

THE WITCH: Hello, I'm a sexually mature woman of power and confidence.

C.S. LEWIS: Aaaahhh! Kill it, lion Jesus!

Re:Try these

[Famanoran]

Wow, your taste doesn't match mine! What a thought!

Re:Try these

[DataPath]

Why not Douglas Adams' novels? I read those when I was 10 - pretty^H^H^H^H^H^H^H mostly harmless

There. Fixed it for you.

Re:Arthur C Clarke and Doctor Who

[CastrTroy]

throw a copy of Cryptonomicon at them

Just make sure you use the paperback version. Otherwise, you might:

a) hurt the kid.
b) hurt your arm.

Re:Try these

[itsdapead]

Definitely. The language is too complex for most. It's also highly Christian. As in, the protagonist is a Christian fighting the forces of Satan with the aid of angels.

Nothing wrong with reading CS Lewis provided you go on to read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials for balance (protagonist fighting the forces of God and the church with the aid of witches and fallen angels...)

PS: Beware - do not place His Dark Materials on the shelf next to Narnia or the Space trilogy - they will annihilate each other in a burst of dark matter.