dragons in the flower bed Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Does any one have any recommendations for something in this genre I could read to my kids, or hand over to the eight-year-old? The college age kid and his wife are into steampunk right now, and you know how little kids are about things introduced to them by the biggest brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I have no ideas for an 8 year old read-alone, sorry. Essentially, any science fiction taking place in the Victorian Era will do (especially if there is an airship involved). The Time Machine, Jules Verne, etc are good places to start. Really, I have quite a few books in that genre, but I see nothing that would would be terribly interesting for an 8 year old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm not sure what the heck this is, but "Victorian era" and "steamship" made me think of The Twenty-One Balloons by William Penn du Bois. My ten year old loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I just read Larklight on my dd's recommendation, and it was a blast. There are two sequels as well, Starcross and Mothstorm. They would make good read-alouds; the characters have distinctive voices and there are a lot of little historical and pop culture tidbits in there that adults will find amusing. (At least I did! :D) Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanda Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 According to Wiki The Series of Unfortunate Events falls in this genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Really, I have quite a few books in that genre, but I see nothing that would would be terribly interesting for an 8 year old! This particular eight-year-old spent the afternoon putting together a radio, and then ran to his room crying when it turned out to only have one vacuum tube triode. He likes science, but he sure doesn't mind emotion. If it doesn't have sex and gore, he'll try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm not sure what the heck this is, but "Victorian era" and "steamship" made me think of The Twenty-One Balloons by William Penn du Bois. My ten year old loved it. My 8yo loved it too. :) From Aether Emporium, Steampunk simply embodies a time and a place. The time... the late 19th century. The place... a steam powered world, where air travel by fantastical dirigibles is as common as traveling by train or boat (or submarine). A place where national interests are vastly different than our own version of history. A place where the elegant and refined are as likely to get pulled into a grand adventure, as the workers, ruffians, and lower classes. A place where the idea of space travel is not so far fetched. A place where lost civilizations are found and lost again. A place where anything is possible, and science can be twisted to meet ones own ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I just read Larklight on my dd's recommendation, and it was a blast. There are two sequels as well, Starcross and Mothstorm. They would make good read-alouds; the characters have distinctive voices and there are a lot of little historical and pop culture tidbits in there that adults will find amusing. (At least I did! :D) Enjoy! :D Anne just recommended Larklight to me via Twitter. Knowing that they'll make good read-alouds, though, changes my plans regarding them. We'll read the first one aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 According to Wiki The Series of Unfortunate Events falls in this genre. That's what Verdi is reading now, thus the request for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 If I'm understanding it correctly (or nearly correctly!) there's a series we adore that might nearly fit.... The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones. She's a young, turn-of-the-century aviatrix and he's an adventurous "unbreakable" boy (and now test pilot... LOL). The first one is The Strictest School in the World and there are two sequels. Very cute, no sex, only the vaguest bits of romance, and only cartoonish violence and villainry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 My 8yo loved it too. :) From Aether Emporium, Steampunk simply embodies a time and a place. The time... the late 19th century. The place... a steam powered world, where air travel by fantastical dirigibles is as common as traveling by train or boat (or submarine). A place where national interests are vastly different than our own version of history. A place where the elegant and refined are as likely to get pulled into a grand adventure, as the workers, ruffians, and lower classes. A place where the idea of space travel is not so far fetched. A place where lost civilizations are found and lost again. A place where anything is possible, and science can be twisted to meet ones own ends. Wondering if Kenneth Oppel's Airborne might be a good fit. It was certainly a hit with my 9 yo and seems to fit your description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I would think Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials would be one (well three). http://www.darkmaterials.com/ Here are a few other ideas.. Larklight by Phillip Reeve An old-fashioned British Victorian family lives a normal old fashioned British Victorian life — except they live in a suburb of the Moon. Death Collector by Justin Richards A curator from the British Museum tries to stop a madman determined to reanimate the dead, both human and dinosaur. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pierson A prequel to the story of Peter Pan, this book is about Peter and a group of orphans sailing to a foreign country where they will become slaves. Their destiny changes when Peter discovers that their ship is carrying the most magical treasure on earth. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers Theodosia must reverse the black magic that only she can see in the ancient artifacts that her archaeologist parents bring back from Egypt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Wondering if Kenneth Oppel's Airborne might be a good fit. It was certainly a hit with my 9 yo and seems to fit your description. I'll check it out. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Thanks, Jenny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 We liked Larklight also. Here is a page of books tagged "steampunk" on LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/tag/steampunk Always helpful. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 We liked Larklight also. Here is a page of books tagged "steampunk" on LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/tag/steampunk Always helpful. :) That was quite fruitful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Here's what I've come up with thus far. This should keep us busy for a while. For me to read before I hand them over -- Flora Segunda Wilce, Ysabeau Foundling Cornish, D. M. Crystal rain Buckell, Tobias S That Verdi wants to get started on ASAP -- The Cabinet of Wonders Rutkoski, Marie Howl’s Moving Castle Diana Wynne Jones Larklight Phillip Reeve His Dark Materials Phillip Pullman Airborn Oppel, Kenneth Un Lun Dun Mieville, China Invention of Hugo Cabret Selznick, Brian The death collector Richards, Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saille Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Oh, I hope V loves His Dark Materials. We're 2/3 through The Subtle Knife right now, and my kids loved The Golden Compass last year. The chapter in which Iorek Byrnison reclaims his kingship is one of my favorite read-aloud passages anywhere. I went from sotto voce to a full out shout. It's a movie, but Castle in the Sky sure seems like what you're talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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