That’s hard to believe…Or is it?

Science fiction is a genre that has been enjoyed by readers for centuries. Authors have fabricated tales of unbelievable scientific and technological innovations and events which for the most part seem too incredible to be true but at the same time, in a world full of speculation, seem almost imaginable.
Fantasy is similar to science fiction in its speculative nature but unlike science fiction, fantasy doesn’t try to clarify what causes these incredible things to happen by using science or technology. It uses magic and the supernatural in its plot development.
Teens are drawn to both science fiction and fantasy as a means to escape at least for a while their real life pressures and demands. There are so many books waiting to be read at the public library making the task of choosing my top three picks a difficult one. Some of my picks for teens:



How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. 2004. Grades 6-up


The winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2004, this is the story of a fifteen-year-old girl named Daisy who is sent to live with her cousins on a farm in England when her father can’t take care of her where she spends time getting to know her cousins while her Aunt Penn is stranded in Oslo. Daisy soon falls in love and has a sexual relationship with her cousin Edmond. But war is about to break out and when the enemy invades the farm, Daisy and Edmond are separated and Daisy flees with her younger cousin, Piper. The girls are forced to go on without knowing the fate of Edmond. This is a story of growing up and acting responsibly when faced with being on your own. It’s a story of love and survival during wartime.
I chose this book on the recommendation of the YA librarian. I feel that teens would enjoy this story for the character development and the survival of love even through separation. The story gives reassurance to teens of the power to survive in case another major war were to occur.


The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer. 2004. Grades 5-9.

This fantasy story is set in 793 A.D. and centers on an eleven-year-old Saxon boy named Jack who is kidnapped, along with his five-year-old sister, Lucy, by the crew of a Viking ship led by Olaf One-Brow. They are taken to the kingdom of Ivar the Boneless where Jack becomes an apprentice and learns to develop his magic. One of his new spells goes wrong and when he causes Ivar’s half troll queen Frith’s hair to fall out, he is forced to go on a quest across the Sea of Trolls to save his sister from being sacrificed to Frith’s favorite goddess, Freya. He faces many challenges and meets frightening creatures such as trolls, giant troll bears, a dragon, and giant spiders which only serves to force him to mature and become stronger.
I chose this book because of its cover depicting a massive ship against a backdrop of fog with the title written in bold red letters. It was an example of choosing a book by its cover and my choice turned out to be a good one. I think that fantasy lovers of all ages will enjoy this story of mythological adventure and humor.


The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman. 1999

After the popularity and critical acclaim of The Golden Compass (and of course, the movie!), many wondered if Pullman could keep up his momentum with the sequel. He proved that it was possible as he didn’t disappoint readers. Lyra Silvertongue is back and she has a match in a human twelve-year-old named Will Parry who has been a game player like Lyra since he was young. He has also developed the talent for becoming invisible, an art he used to distance himself from his unstable mother. This story takes up where the first ends and many of the old characters are back: the witch Serafina Pekkala, the manipulative Mrs. Coulter, Lee Scoresby and his hare dæmon, Hester. There are new characters as well: Oxford dark-matter researchers Mary Malone, the Latvian witch queen Ruta Skadi, Stanislaus Grumman, a shaman in search of a weapon crucial to the cause of Lord Asriel, Lyra's father and a serpentine old man who serves as a mystery. The story begins as Will's enemies are trying to gain information about his missing father, a soldier and Arctic explorer, and Will knowing that he must hide his mother and make his way toward Oxford, which may hold the key to John Parry's disappearance. The story moves between several worlds and the plot will keep readers on the edge of their seats. In true fantasy fashion the impossible becomes reality making for an exciting and moving adventure.
I chose this book because I had read The Colden Compass and a student had recommended that I read the sequel which in her words was even better than the first. Teen lovers of fantasy will enjoy a great story with a mix of characters who intertwine and make for many “hold your breath” moments.


The Eyre Affair by Jasper FForde. 2002. Grades 9-12.

This is a comical alternate history story about a literary detective named Thursday Next who has just married but when her husband is “time slipped” and exists only in her memories, and an unknown work by Shakespeare arises, she decides to get back on the job. Her first case is about a stolen Dickens manuscript. The evil presence in the story is Acheron Hades who plots to steal such manuscripts and alter them permanently. He does this easily since he has discovered a portal that can take people in and out of books. The humorous plot thickens as a Dickens character is murdered and then Jane Eyre is kidnapped in order for the plot of her story to be changed forever.
I chose this story on a recommendation of the YA librarian and once again am happy to say that she knows her stuff. Teens will enjoy this mix of adventure, mystery, romance, and absurd and amusing comedy as simply a fun book to read.