The National Year of Reading’s monthly theme for November is Write the Future. Use the opportunity to explore the diversity of reading and writing on this theme. Here is a selection available from the school Library.
Man on the Moon: a day in the life of Bob by Simon Bartram in Visual Treats
This picture book is about life out in space. Bob’s work is to look after the Moon, entertaining visitors and selling them souvenirs. He has to check that the visitors have left at four-thirty each day and tidy up after them. Little does he realise that there are Aliens! This is an amusing introduction to the world of science fiction and a ‘must’ for reading aloud, with wonderful illustrations.
George's Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawking at JUN FIC HAW
Take a rollercoaster ride through the vastness of space and, in the midst of an exciting adventure, discover the mysteries of physics, science and the universe with George, his new friends next door - the scientist Eric and his daughter, Annie - and a super-intelligent computer called Cosmos, which can take them to the edge of a black hole and back again. Or can it? And who else would like to get their hands on Cosmos? This title is a funny and hugely informative romp through space, time and the universe. It can be read aloud to younger children who love to imagine other worlds and what the future brings, but can also be enjoyed by older readers.
Exodus by Julie Bertagna at MOV FIC BER
It is 2099 - and the world is gradually drowning, as mighty Arctic ice floes melt, the seas rise, and land disappears forever beneath storm-tossed waves. For 15-year-old Mara, her family and community, huddled on the fast-disappearing island of Wing, the new century brings flight. Packed into tiny boats, a terrifying journey begins to a bizarre city that rises into the sky, built on the drowned remains of the ancient city of Glasgow. But even here there is no safety and, shut out of the city, Mara realizes they are asylum-seekers in a world torn between high-tech wizardry and the most primitive injustice. To save her people, Mara must not only find a way into the city but also search for a new land and a new home.
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer at JUN FIC COL
Set in Satellite City, in the not-too-distant future. Thirteen-year-old Cosmo Hill is unfortunate enough to come into the world unwanted by his parents. And so, as are all orphaned boys his age, Cosmo is dipped in a vaccine vat and sent - freight class - to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. His attempt to escape goes badly wrong and he is only saved through the help of some ragamuffins. This is a pacy page-turner which is full of futuristic gizmos and high-tech gadgets. It takes a cleverly disguised sideswipe at multinationals and man’s effect on nature.
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve at JUN FIC REE
Tom and Hester have been thrown out of a city on wheels (while it hares off after its prey) and left in the middle of a post-nuclear landscape. Hester is desperate for revenge, and Tom is only desperate to get back on board his beloved London. This is a stunning literary debut from Philip Reeve. A novel that defies easy categorisation, it is a gripping adventure story set in an inspired fantasy world, where moving cities trawl the globe. Peopled with convincing and utterly likeable characters, this story is a magical and unique read and a worthy winner of the Smarties Book Prize 9-11 Category 2002 and Smarties Book Prize Gold Award 2002. Sequels are Predator’s Gold, Infernal Devices and A Darkling Plain.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells at JUN FIC WEL
In the late 1900s, a Victorian scientist shows his disbelieving dinner guests a device he claims is a Time Machine. Respectable London scarcely has the imagination to cope with him. A week later they reconvene to find him ragged, exhausted and garrulous. The tale he tells is of the year 802,701 after he has visited the future of the human race.
Other titles include: The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man.
3001: the Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke at SEN FIC CLA
Arthur C. Clarke is arguably one of the greatest and most prophetic science fiction writers. Having written 2001: a space odyssey when landing on the moon was still a dream, it was made into one of the most influential films of the 20th century. The story tackles the enduring theme of man's place in the universe. After drifting to an icy death in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the body of astronaut Frank Poole is recovered in the outer reaches of the Solar System. Preserved at near absolute zero, it is a simple task for medical science a millennium hence to restore Poole to life, and the first half is devoted to Poole's integration into the society of the future. If anything he adjusts with far too little grief or culture shock: apart from mourning his dog, and learning how the new technology works, he faces no major difficulties. Still, the world of the future is drawn with broad, imaginative strokes and apart from a persistent continuity error which makes Poole 6 years old in 2001. The plot kicks into gear with the revelation that the famous black monoliths may ultimately not have humanity's interests at heart, leading to a perfunctorily presented struggle for survival. 3001: the Final Odyssey does provide the satisfaction of closure to Clarke's epic Odyssey Quartet.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld at MOV FIC WES
Tally lives in a world where your sixteenth birthday brings an operation which transforms you from an 'Ugly' into a 'Pretty'. As well as guaranteeing supermodel looks, life as a Pretty seems to revolve around having a good time. But then she meets Shay, who is also fifteen - but with a very different outlook on life. Shay plans to escape to a community in the forest - the Rusty Ruins - where Uglies go to escape ' turning'. Tally is not prepared to sacrifice everything she's ever wanted for a lot of uncertainty but finds herself sent to the Ruins anyway on an undercover mission; if she refuses to go she will forfeit her birthday operation. What she discovers in the Ruins reveals that there is nothing 'pretty' about the transformations.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley at SEN FIC HUX
Far in the future, the World Controllers have created the ideal society. Through clever use of genetic engineering, brainwashing and recreational sex and drugs, all its members are happy consumers. Bernard Marx seems alone harbouring an ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining Savage Reservations where the old, imperfect life still continues may be the cure for his distress... Huxley has created a novel which decades after its first edition (1932) is still essential reading and current; it tackles issues of genetic modification, cloning and totalitarianism, while managing to avoid the pitfall of being too scientific or political. A classic, and frighteningly prophetic, look at what the future may bring.
1984 by George Orwell at SEN FIC ORW
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with fellow worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
Hello H20 by John Agard at 821 AGA
Full of wonder and excitement at the discoveries of science, this is another highly original collection of poems from one of Britain's leading poets, uniquely complemented by witty and entertaining illustrations. Certain to be enjoyed by all who have an interest in science and the natural world, this collection is poetry of the highest order. Providing numerous links between literacy and science, subjects range from water vapour to the wind, from robots to outer space, from physics to chemistry and biology. Always entertaining, often thought-provoking and sometimes deeply moving, this is a collection to treasure and return to time and again.
The Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons at 500.22 PAR
This book covers everything from how Daleks climb stairs to regenerating like the Time Lord. You can discover: why time travel isn't ruled out by the laws of physics; the real K-9 - the robot assistant for space travellers built by NASA; how Dalek-like designer lifeforms are being bred by genetic engineering; why before long we could all be regenerating like a Time Lord; and the medical truth about the Doctor's two hearts, and the real creature with five. A must for all Doctor Who fans of any age.
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming by Al Gore at 333.7 GOR
The truth about the climate crisis means we are going to have to change the way we live our lives - and this affects young people above all. Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, writes about the urgent need to solve the problems of climate change, presenting facts and information on all aspects of global warming in a direct, thoughtful and compelling way, using explanatory diagrams and dramatic photos to clarify and highlight key issues. For this young adult edition, the text has been edited down from 320 to 192 pages, with younger readership in mind, so sections aimed specifically at adults (e.g. insurance implications, investing in energy and political material) have been omitted in favour of clear text, appropriate photographs and easily understandable graphs. The overall aim is to gear the content to the people who will in fact be dealing with global warming for the rest of their lives.
