Jean Karl (1927–2000)

I loved the stories in The Turning Place and wanted more juvenile SF. ?�This is a bit of SF, but mostly a story of how a girl is so afraid of foster care that she goes through some pretty risky adventures to avoid it. ?áFortunately she's smarter than many kids in 'issues' books, more on the ball, and a better role model for young readers:

At first she thought maybe she wouldn't do any of her homework. ?áIf she had nothing to hand in tomorrow, it might please Rosella. ?áBut on the other hand, that would be giving in. ?áAnd she was angry, in spite of being scared.... Why should Rosella or anyone else decide for her what she would or would not do."

(note that at least two of the bullies are girls - yay for gender equality, I guess)

And here's good advice about the value of the subconscious, articulated better than I've ever seen before:

"Get your thoughts away from the situation. ?áMaybe then your mind will show you new tings, things your fear now hides from you.""… (mer)

Originally published in 1976, this collection of connected stories looks back at future Earth history long after a nervous galactic neighbor wipes out most of Earth-based life, bacterial and otherwise. Over many generations the few human survivors develop some interesting traits, and although overpopulation is never a problem again, they do eventually venture off-planet and farther. Each story is told untold generations after the last. All are told from the viewpoint of young young-adults, mostly girls. The neatest part is the "sources" section at the end, in which the future writer gives the basis for the ideas and tales in each story, some from folklore and oral history, some from more reliable historical sources.

I'd recommend the book to perhaps 6th-8th graders. There isn't much depth to the characters and there's no sex, violence, or language issues, so younger readers, rather than, say, mid-teenagers, will find the book rewarding. If a kid is already into lengthy series such as Harry Potter or the Lorien Legacies ("I Am Number Four", etc.) it might be a nice break for them. I certainly enjoyed it as a light read, and so should other adults with a bent towards post-apocalyptic and science fiction.… (mer)

My favorite part is the conceit that it’s “Stories of a Future Past.” These stories are meant to be historical fiction, written from the point of view of a far-future galactic utopia. There are “Notes on Sources” at the end, little write-ups of what is known about each time period, given the surviving records or lack thereof. Nothing says “hope” like the idea that happy, fulfilled humans are telling the story of an apocalypse from far in the future. “It’s going to be rough for a while, guys, but it all gets better. We promise.” (Full review at http://www.parenthetical.net/2010/04/25/the-turning-place-by-jean-e-karl-1976/)… (mer)