In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Reviewed by:
  • Oh! What a Surprise!, and: Diverse Energies
  • Alaine Martaus
Bloom, Suzanne. Oh! What a Surprise!; written and illus. by Suzanne Bloom. Boyds Mills, 2012. 34p. ISBN 978-1-59078-892-9 $16.95 R 3–6 yrs.
Buckell, Tobias S., ed. Diverse Energies; ed. by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti. Tu/Lee & Low, 2012. [320p]. ISBN 978-1-60060-887-2 $17.95 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 9–12.

See this month’s Big Picture, p. 183, for review.

With this anthology of eleven short stories, eight of them original to this collection, Bucknell and Monti attempt to confront the limited multicultural presence in science fiction for young people. The result is a compelling mixture of stories with a [End Page 187] diverse cast of characters from a variety of family backgrounds, including African, Chinese, Indian, Native American, and mixed heritages. Some offerings speak directly to themes of race, diversity, and identity, including Ursula LeGuin’s tale of alien anthropology, Ken Liu’s account of human-based computation’s reliance on the exploitation of child workers in developing nations, and K. Tempest Bradford’s story of a girl born out of time whose shifts in parentage affect her understanding of her own racial identity. Settings range from near-future possibilities to far-off times, and the young heroes and heroines battle everything from robots and undead Norse soldiers to political dictators and corporate executives. Nearly all entries involve a young person striving to take control of their situation to save themselves, their families, their communities, or their worlds, but endings vary from the exceedingly bleak to the guardedly hopeful. The collection has broad reader appeal with works from well-known stars like Ursula K. LeGuin, recognizable young adult authors like Malinda Lo and Paolo Bacigalupi, and crossover adult writers such as Daniel H. Wilson, as well as a variety of established science fiction writers who are new to the young adult genre. Fans will enjoy reading their favorite writers in short form, while readers looking to expand their science fiction horizons will find intriguing new worlds to explore.

Alaine Martaus
Reviewer
...

pdf

Share