Fantastical Andrew Fox

I’m about to embark upon a new type of project for me, a YA (Young Adult) science fiction novel aimed at readers in the sixth through ninth grades. This won’t be my first attempt. But I never finished the earlier effort I started back in 2005 (that got derailed by the death of my original agent, Dan Hooker, the lack of confidence his boss subsequently had in my ability to produce a viable YA book, and Hurricane Katrina, which redirected me to another huge project). I currently have one huge advantage I didn’t have back then, three huge advantages, actually: three sons who are all, in their own ways, very interested in books and stories. My oldest son, Levi, although in second grade, is on the cusp of plunging into middle grade fiction. He has been begging me for many months to write something that he can read. Thanks to him and his fascination with maps, I think I’ve stumbled upon a story I want to tell and that I think would be very appealing to a middle grade audience.

However, the YA field is one I’m mostly unfamiliar with. I haven’t read any YA fiction since my own boyhood, which was thirty-five years ago. A lot has changed in the world of YA science fiction and fantasy since the early 1970s. I’d like to become familiarized with some of the best of the contemporary books before starting my own, but I hardly know where to start.

I would love some recommendations, either from parents of middle school readers or from grown-up readers who just happen to love YA fiction (I know there are plenty of you out there). I’m particularly interested in YA science fiction and fantasy that projects a sense of optimism and hopefulness. Just glancing through the YA shelves at Barnes and Noble or the lost and lamented Borders, I saw an awful lot of downbeat fiction, books focusing on family breakdown, child abuse, bullying at school, inappropriate sexual relationships, and other social pathologies. I don’t begrudge YA writers the freedom to explore such issues, nor do I think young readers need to be shielded from such explorations. But it’s not the type of YA book I want to write, and, honestly, it’s not the type I would recommend with enthusiasm to Levi. And Levi is a voracious reader, so I’ll need an increasingly long list of books to steer him towards.

Any recommendations would be enormously appreciated. I know there are a number of classic, older works that would fall within the guidelines of what I’m looking for. But I’m particularly interested in hearing about YA science fiction and fantasy books written within the last decade that concentrate on sense of wonder and excitement about what the future may bring.

Thanks in advance!

Addendum: Right after posting this request for recommendations, I stumbled upon this article on the Locus Online site which recommends a good many science fiction and fantasy books for young readers, although most of the books are aimed at readers younger than middle school age. Are any of you familiar with any of the books on this list? Levi simply adores the Captain Underpants series (he’s read them so many times, I’ll soon have to buy him fresh copies, because he is loving them to pieces).