Stardust

Alison Mews is coordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

These are the first two books of three published in the Tales from the
Wonder Zone series, which features original science-fiction short
stories for preteen readers. The five stories in each book explore
possible outcomes—from a child’s perspective—of scientific
concepts taken to an extreme. Environmental themes surface, and in
several stories children accomplish what adults could not: successful
contact with aliens. While the series editor and illustrator are the
same for each book, the stories are contributed by a variety of writers
and the books are introduced by such sci-fi award-winners as David Brin
and C.J. Cherryh.

In Explorer, the theme of exploration covers both our discovery of
other worlds and other species’ discovery of Earth. There is also one
futuristic story where the exploration is personal and includes a
rediscovery of books. With characters ranging from microscopic aliens
that get caught in a snowstorm to a humanoid alien collecting
environmental samples for five millennia, these stories will entice
children to reexamine their own world and consider the possibilities.

In Stardust, the stories seem to involve some accidental discoveries
that have an unintended effect. For example, children playing games on
an alien world thaw a cool relationship with that planet’s
inhabitants; budding young scientists inadvertently discover a spaceship
during a laser light experiment; and an invention of a new reflective
glass is instrumental in catching a thief.

These two books and the companion book Orbiter are imaginative,
inventive anthologies that expand a child’s sense of wonder and
provide possible answers to some of those perpetual “what if?”
questions. The attractive covers will draw children who are interested
in science fiction, and the stories will keep them enthralled. The
publisher’s Web site contains sample curriculum correlations in
science and language arts for each story that will assist teachers using
them in a Grade 4 classroom. Highly recommended.