Sci-Fi/Fantasy for the younger reader

Sc00t · Mar 22, 2008

Hi,

I have recently written several short pieces of fantasy aimed at the younger reader, and I had a few random questions...

- Do you know of any successful authors that write fantasy/sci-fi pieces aimed at younger readers
- How would you aim your writing? (i.e. would you aim for 1-5 year olds or 1-10 year olds) (Basically what I'm asking is how do you define a "young reader")
- Any reading recommendations for a.) writing for children b.) writing short fiction and/or c.) writing sci-fi/fantasy (including fiction from authors that would help my style and non-fiction "textbooks")
- Any other random advice for embarking upon writing some short stories/fantasy in general

Thanks,
Sc00t

Hapax Legomenon · Mar 22, 2008

Well, it depends on what kind of readers you're going for. There's picture books, independent reader books, middle grade, and young adult. For example, the The Cat in the Hat is a picture book, Junie B. Jones is independent readers, A Series of Unfortunate Events is middle grade, and Ender's Game is young adult. Really it depends on who you'd like to aim for when writing.

Sc00t · Mar 22, 2008

I was thinking people coming to the end of their Primary School education, so about 10-12, who read on their own, but I don't know if that is too niche?

Hapax Legomenon · Mar 22, 2008

Sc00t said:
I was thinking people coming to the end of their Primary School education, so about 10-12, who read on their own, but I don't know if that is too niche?

That'd probably be Middle Grade. About 9-14, I think. You can write for that age group, totally.

Sc00t · Mar 22, 2008

Thanks for the help on that one

-sc00t

Mr Flibble · Mar 22, 2008

My son is nine and he loooves sci fi / fantasy.

Lately he's been reading the Edge Chronicles, which he liked. Ofc there's the Hobbit which was written for the 9-12 ( ish) age range ( I think), as was the Narnia series, both of which he couldn't get enough of. And JK Rowling seemed to do ok out of it too....( though he's not a huge fan -- he prefers Tolkien, good lad)

Sadly there seems to be less sci fi written for his age, except the Dr Who series.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy for the younger reader

Sc00t

Hapax Legomenon

Sc00t

Hapax Legomenon

Sc00t

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble