The LITA Committee Recognizing Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction has released the 2020 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists.
The lists are composed of notable children’s and young adult science fiction published between November 2018 and October 2019 and organized into three age-appropriate categories. The annotated lists will be posted on the website at www.sfnotables.org.
The Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List is selected from books intended for pre-school children and very early readers, up to 6 years old. Recognition is given to the author and the illustrator:
- Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare. Margaret Ferguson Books
- Hello by Aiko Ikegami. Creston Books
- How to be on the Moon by Viviane Schwarz. Candlewick Press
- Out There by Tom Sullivan. Balzer + Bray
- The Babysitter From Another Planet by Stephen Savage. Neal Porter Books
- The Space Walk by Brian Biggs. Dial Books for Young Readers
- Ultrabot’s First Playdate by Josh Schneider. Clarion Books
- Good Boy by Sergio Ruzzier. Atheneum Books
- Llama Destroys the World, written by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox. Henry Holt & Co
The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List titles are chapter books or short novels that may be illustrated. They are written for ages 7 – 11. This list is named for Eleanor Cameron, author of the Mushroom Planet series.
- Awesome Dog 5000 by Justin Dean. Random House Books for Young Readers
- Cog by Greg van Eekhout. HarperCollins
- Field Trip (Sanity and Tallulah #2) by Molly Brooks. Disney-Hyperion
- Friendroid by M. M. Vaughan. Margaret K. McElderry Books
- Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano & Emily Chenoweth. Penguin Workshop
- Maximillian Fly by Angie Sage. Katherine Tegen Books
- The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald L. Smith. Clarion Books
- The Greystone Secrets #1: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Katherine Tegen Books
- We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey. Crown Books for Young Readers
- The Unspeakable Unknown by Eliot Sappingfield. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
- Seventh Grade vs the Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy. Carolrhoda Books
The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List contains science fiction books written for ages 12 – 18 with a young adult protagonist. This list is named for Hal Clement, a well-known science fiction writer and high school science teacher who promoted children’s science fiction.
- Alien: Echo by Mira Grant. Imprint
- Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. Knopf Books for Young Readers
- Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young. Simon Pulse
- The Hive by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden. Kids Can Press
- The Pioneer by Bridget Tyler. HarperTeen
- How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
- The Waning Age by S.E. Grove. Viking Books for Young Readers
- The Fever King by Victoria Lee. Skyscape
- War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi. Razorbill
- I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Rishi. HarperTeen
- Honor Bound by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre. Katherine Tegen Books
[Based on a press release.]
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I don’t think I’ve seen any of the YA books reviewed in Locus, which usually has at least one YAish book a week; does anyone have any positive comments about any of the Clement honorees?
I liked Aurora Rising. I liked their their previous trilogy (Illuminae Files) better. Suspenseful space opera. I liked Illuminae, the first book in the trilogy, enough to nominate it for a Hugo.
I liked SE Grove’s Mapmaker trilogy (great world-building) but haven’t read her latest.