I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

While I genuinely liked several of the stories included within this anthology, for some reason it simply could not hold my attention the way the previous volume that I read did. I do not know if it was just not reading it at the right time, or what, but it took me months to get through it and I could never get excited enough to push through.

Still, I applaud the editors for continuing to collect these science fiction stories for young readers, and I will continue to seek them out.

As a parent and teacher (and lover of science fiction), I love these stories! Students will love them, but they are great stories for adults, too! Very imaginative...transports one to so many different worlds and times and lives!

A great collection of science fiction short stories! ^^
This anthology includes no less than 24 stories, all well written and each with a different tone.
My preference is the cute but sad story of "Special Effects" and "Mad Dad", which was very funny.

In short, a nice discovery, which could discover all the possibilities of science fiction to young people!

I felt this was a great introduction to sci-fi for younger readers, and though this is designed as an anthology, so you might expect one or two duds, that wasn't the case. There were stories that didn't resonate as well with me, but there were none that I didn't enjoy in some way.
A great, eclectic, broad scifi collection well worth the time!

This will be posted on QuillAndBooks.com on Friday Dec

As you know, I teach 6th grade English. I have searched for science fiction stories that can be offered in the classroom for our science fiction unit. There are tons of short stories out there, but often they either contain language inappropriate for the classroom or tend to be too technical and has vocabulary to high for 11-12 year old students. BUT I have found a good one now!! Although, I was given an ebook copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review, I plan to buy a paper copy for my classroom library so my students can be exposed to high quality, fun science fiction short stories. Actually, I’ll be recommending this to our school librarian too. That is how excited I am about these stories!

Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide

Publisher: Dreaming Robot Press
Edited by Sean and Corie Weaver

Tin Can in the Sky
by Nancy Kress

Nia and her family are moving from the moon to an Earth Orbital space station. She is not happy to be leaving all her friends, so she smuggles a mouse named George in her bag even though no pets are allowed. This decision could have catastrophic consequences.

Special Effects
by Holly Schofield

It is Marg Hossain’s birthday and she wants to see what present her gram left her in Gram’s box in the archives. This would be Gram’s last gift since she died last week. Marg can’t go down to the archives until her dad, captain of the ship, takes her. He and pretty much everyone on the ship is working on a propulsion problem.

This is my favorite story. This story, in particular, has heart. It’s not just about spaceships and technical problems. It is about a smart girl who is grieving for her grandmother. Maybe it resonated with me because I recently lost my mother in law.

Girl Meets Robot
by L.H. Davis

Amber meets a robot dog, helps him avoid some trouble, and devises a plan to run away with him to become a space pirate. Plans don’t always go as planned though, do they?

That’s just the first 3 stories. This anthology is full of delightfully surprising and creative stories. The writing of each story is impeccable. Each one grabbed me quick as the Millennium Falcon on the Kessel Run.

These stories don’t typically focus on interesting technology, that is the set dressing. These stories are about young people growing up and experiencing adventures.

Who will like this book?

Science fiction lovers will like this. These stories are engaging and give a sense of accomplishment at the completion of each story. So kids that don’t have novel-length stamina can enjoy these stories.

I can see many of my students devouring this book and relating to the characters and being fascinated by the adventures and the technology.

It’s rare that an anthology doesn’t contain a single dud, but Dreaming Robots editors Sean and Corie Weaver have accomplished that with this eclectic anthology of science-fiction short stories. Contributors range from Nebula and Hugo Awards winner Nancy Kress, who kicked off last year’s anthology as well as this one, to relative newcomers.

The entries range from the offbeat “A Planet Named Beatrice” by Melanie Harding-Shaw to the sweet “I Guess I’m a Lucky So-and-So” by debut novelist Deborah Walker to the disquieting “Fishbowl” by A. Katherine Black. My favorites have to be “Just: A Tale of the Jitney” by J.L. Bell, which contains a mystery worthy of a Golden Age novelist; the bittersweet “If You Find This, Please Give It to Gretchen Doheny” by playwright Elise Forier Edie, and the humorous “Mad Dad” by William B. Wolfe, which reminds me slightly of Inspector Gadget. (It would make a fine tween graphic novel or cartoon.)

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Dreaming Robot Press in exchange for an honest review.

A very solid collection obviously aimed at young people, but can be enjoyed by all ages. Good variety and length, and includes some top-notch authors. Recommended.

I really appreciate the review copy!!