Books

Print References Resources for Science Fiction Reader’s Advisory

Reference Books

Barron, Neil (ed.). Anatomy of Wonder 4: A Critical Guide to Science Fiction. New Jersey: R.R. Bowker, 1995.

The primary purpose of this guide is the selective listing and annotation of "the best, better, or historically important science fiction works in English". Barron writes the guide for a variety of overlapping audiences: collection development in public, school, college and university libraries; interested readers who wish to become familiar with the best or representative works in the SF field; and high school or college faculty/students who use SF in their courses. It is a source for finding information on titles or authors, building a reference collection, or finding Hugo and Nebula winners and it is an excellent guide to collection development, providing a recommended list of 'best' titles. There are excellent essays and annotations included that can be powerful tools for anyone teaching or studying science fiction.

This resource presents concise summaries and evaluations of some 2,100 works of fiction and over 800 works of nonfiction published from the genre's beginnings to the present. Each chapter begins with an interesting essay explaining the history, changes, hallmarks, and chief individuals of the time period, then moves on to describe the best examples of science fiction in that time period. Additional features include an author index, a title index, a theme index to novels and anthologies, series and expanded awards indexes, a listing of SF films and their literary sources, and a section on SF comics. Barron, the editor of this work, is an active SF fan with an ongoing academic interest in the field. The other contributors are equally as qualified as both fans and experts in the field of science fiction.

Barron, Neil; Daniel S. Burt; Melissa Hudak; D.R. Meredit; Mary Pat Radke; Kristin Ramsdell; Tom and Enid Sschantz (eds.). What Do I Read Next? Detroit: Gale Group, 2003.

This resource, now published in two volumes each year, is intended to be a summary of the best fiction published in a given year in each genre area. It is designed as a readers' advisory resource, for librarians or booksellers, and provides over 1,500 current and classic recommendations in nine major genres: mystery, romance, western, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, inspirational fiction, popular fiction, and science-fiction.

This resource is organized into sections by genre. Each genre-section begins with an overview essay of the year's developments in that genre and then provides an annotated list of that year's best titles. Each annotated entry includes details such as story type, major characters, time period, locale, brief plot summary, where it's reviewed, other books by the author, and other books the readers might like. There are nine useful indexes in this resource: series, time period, geographic, genre type (with many subdivisions), character name, character description (amnesiacs, gamblers, mutants, etc.), author, title and subject. Additional useful features include a Key to Genre Terms, and a listing of the year's Award Winners in each genre. There is a section entitled, "About the Genre Experts" that describes the authority of each contributing editor; this editorial board is filled with fans and scholars who are well-known in their genre.

Herald, Diana Tixier. Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interest in Genre Fiction, Fifth Edition. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2000.

This book is intended to help readers' advisors and those involved with collection development become more knowledgeable about genre fiction. It also serves as an introductory readers' advisory textbook for many library school students, training them to identify and find genre authors and titles of desired types for the common reader in public libraries. This resource is widely recognized as an authority in the area of readers' advisory; it began as a project of Betty Rosenberg and is currently maintained by Diana Tixier Herald. Authors chosen to be listed in each genre are mainly prolific, popular, established and important to the history of their genre; their works must be available in hardcover or paperback editions as well.

The materials in this guide are organized to define each genre and subgenre. Eight fiction genres, including romance, westerns, fantasy, crime, and science fiction, are defined and divided into dozens of descriptive subgenres, in which nearly 6,000 titles are slotted. Typically, there is no information on the contents of individual works included, though there are a few exceptions where details are provided. Additional information that is provided includes information on such genre topics as trade magazines, critical works, book clubs, specialized publishers, and conventions; the type of supplemental information available varies with each genre. The Table of Contents, Author/Title Index, Subject Index and Series Character Index all allow easy access to this book's information.

Herald, Diana Tixier. Strictly Science Fiction: A Guide to Reading Interests. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 2002.

The purpose of this volume is to serve as both a readers' advisory tool and as a guide for collection development, specifically for the science fiction genre. Because this guide is more narrowly focused, it is able to map out the science fiction genre and groups together books with similar characteristics. The titles described in this resource are those that are currently in print or those most likely to be in library collections and the intended audience is the readers' advisory librarian, booksellers and interested science fiction readers themselves. The editors of this volume are considered to be experts in the field of readers' advisory; Herald is a former readers' advisory librarian and author of several other titles in the "Genreflecting Advisory" series, and Kunzel is a teen specialist in the youth services department of Princeton Public Library, New Jersey.

This reader's guide includes approximately 900 mainly adult titles that are described and classified into subgenres such as "action adventure" (and sub- subgenres like "space opera"), and grouped by theme (technology, strange worlds), format (short stories), and readership. Entries provide brief descriptions, and notes concerning awards, films, readership, and "classic" status. Icons identify award winners, classics, books that have film versions, and selections that can be recommended to young adults. There are brief sections with books written for young adults and for children and the final chapter of this book lists resources for librarians and teachers, including journals, web sites, references sources and more. Author/title, subject, and character indexes are available to aid with access and extensive cross-referencing helps in cases where a book is covered in more than one chapter. An appendix lists award winners and "bests."

Buker, Derek. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers' Advisory: The Librarian Guide to Cyborgs, Aliens and Sorcerers. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.

This guide to science fiction and fantasy is written for those librarians, booksellers or readers who are unfamiliar with either genre. What this guide does best is demonstrate the wide scope of science fiction and fantasy literature and it gives many suggestions and recommendations across this broad range. Derek Buker, self-described science fiction and fantasy aficionado, authored this guide, one of many in the ALA Readers' Advisory Series.

The book is divided into two parts, one dealing with science fiction and one with fantasy; these two parts are further divided into their many subgenres. The science fiction and fantasy genres are both summarized, their various subgenres described, and a short annotated lists of recommended titles as well as longer lists without annotations are provided within each subgenre. Some subgenres covered include: classic and general science fiction, cyberpunk, time travel, aliens, historical fantasy, quest fantasy, and fantasy romance. Author/title and subject indexes are available and there is an appendix which lists Hugo, Nebula, Mythopoeic, and World Fantasy award winners. Buker's suggestions for reluctant readers are also a useful feature.

Journal Articles

Arant, Wendy; Hal W. Hall. "Science Fiction and Fantasy: A Guide to Resources on the Web." College & Research Libraries News 63:9 (October 2002): 652-655.

This article is designed for use as a guide to science fiction and fantasy internet resources. The authors have provided annotations for web sites that are both useful and authoritative (information is accurate and source is respected). Additionally, the author made every effort to only include websites that are freely and publicly available. Note that this article was published in 2002 and has not been updated since then; because of this limitation, some of the internet resources may not be current.

This guide is organized by types of web resources, categories include: Getting Started, Reference Sources and Megasites, Professional Associations, Topical and Genre Listings, Electronic Journal and Magazines, and Miscellaneous Sites of Interest. Within each of these categories, the authors have given detailed descriptions and review of internet resources, as well as their URLs. The authors are respected in the area of science fiction and fantasy; Arant is a Humanities bibliographer and Hall is a recognized science fiction scholar, bibliographer and curator of science fiction.

"Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror 2003." Voice of Youth Advocates 27:1 (April 2004): 10-15.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) is a bi-monthly journal addressing librarians, educators and other professionals who work with young adults. On an annual basis, VOYA publishes a list of the best science fiction, fantasy and horror published that year. This list, selected by young adults, librarians and the editors of VOYA, provides an excellent source of readers' advisory recommendations for both young adults and adults (science fiction titles often cross over from young adult to adult and vice versa). This particular article provides VOYA's 19th annual, and latest selective list. The listing is organized alphabetically by author and each title includes bibliographic information, publishing information and a short annotation.

Pearl, Nancy. "Out of this World: SF For Novices." Library Journal 126:12 (August 2001): 196.

This article provides suggestions for readers reluctant to try the science fiction genre. It is mainly intended as a resource for librarians, but is readily accessible to the average, interested reader. Pearl, recognizing that science fiction is an intimidating genre, provides recommendations here that focus on characters rather than out-of-this-world settings; she has provided suggestions that focus on "the real lives of everyday people" rather than on more scientific or other-worldly themes. Pearl lists six book suggestions, with bibliographic, publishing information for each. She also describes each book and why it might appeal to a reluctant reader. This is a handy resource to have on hand when faced with a reader who may be interested in trying science fiction, but is intimidated by the other-worldly settings and science characteristic of the genre.

Nancy Pearl is the renowned author of the readers' advisory work, Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Reason. She is a recognized source of authority in the realm of readers' advisory.

Pearl, Nancy. "Star Trek: The Text Generation." Library Journal 129:9 (May 2004): 136.

This article focuses on bringing the television and movie fans of the Star Trek series into the reading world of Star Trek. It is written for the librarian or reader interested in making this Star Trek connection. Pearl begins the article with helpful hints and tips for bridging from the television and movie series to the books. For example, pointing out that the books do not have to be read in numerical order. She then discusses the original television series and its relationship to print; the Next Generation television series and its relation to print; and the Star Trek movies relationship to books. Within each of these categories she offers title suggestions, bibliographic and publishing information and a short description.

Snider, Adam. "Thinking Sidewise." School Library Journal 50: 4 (April 2004): 41-42.

This article provides a simple introduction to one of the science fiction subgenres, alternate history. Snider describes the history of the subgenre, discusses readers' interest in the subgenre, points out print and AV materials available in the subgenre and shares general tips on how to begin building a collection in this subgenre. Snider also does a nice job of summarizing the award for this subgenre, The Sidewise Award for Outstanding Alternate Fiction. A few recommended titles for middle schoolers and young adults are listed, as well as the Sidewise Award winner for 2003. Also noted are resources for further exploration of this subgenre.

Adam Snider is a Library Media Specialist at the Creative Performing and Media Arts Middle School in San Diego, CA.