First Science Fiction / Fantasy Book

On i09 recently they asked their readers what was the first science fiction or fantasy book they had read. It made me think of what my answer would be and the problem that I was running in to is that I was having trouble thinking of what I read early on that was science fiction and fantasy. I am realizing at the time that I just read books and did not think about what larger genre the books were a part of. That then got me thinking about when I did finally realize that I was reading science fiction or fantasy and really it probably happened when I actually starting buying books for myself. At that point I had to understand the genres to be able to find the books that I wanted to read.

So I realized that I needed to just start thinking of what I remember that I read when I was younger that might work in to a science fiction and fantasy genre. This was still difficult because I am not quite sure which qualify and I feel like I read a lot of the typical science fiction and fantasy later in life. I think I actually watched a lot more science fiction and fantasy then I read, but here are a few of the books that I do remember reading.

The Giver

It has been so long since I read this book, but I remember loving it. Part of what I love is how ambiguous the ending was. Although now with the continuation of the story written in further novels, I am not sure how I feel about it. It definitely falls into the science fiction category, as it is the future of humanity.

The Eleventh Hour

So this is the greatest picture book ever, with a fantastic mystery. I loved the visuals of this book and the fantasy element is that is a bunch of talking and walking animals dressed in finery. It is a visually beautiful book with an amazing mystery to be solved throughout. The hidden clues on each page are very well done.

The Tripod Trilogy

This I read in 5th grade, if I am remembering correctly, because it was part of a Battle of the Books series. The one that was part of the Battle of the Books was The White Mountain, but you cannot start a trilogy without finishing it. I remember generally liking it, but I do not remember enough specifics about the book. The big thing I remember is the mesh that was put on people’s heads to control their emotions and thoughts.

Bridge to Terabithia

Now this one I do not know about because it is not about fantastical elements really existing, but about the use of our imagination to create fantasy. The story is really about two kids living their lives and using their imagination as a form of escape. At the same time the fantasy of the land of Terabithia is so important to the overall story. At the same time as a fantasy story it could be considered borderline.

Conclusion

That are the big ones that I can think of. Some of the other books I read were The Babysitter’s Club, The Client, Where the Red Fern Grows, and others, a lot of which for school or Battle of the Books. It is so interesting that I have trouble with books, but if I had to name movies it would be no contest because I could name a ton that I watched from when I was really little. Yet, when trying to think of books that I read I am struggling. I have read Ender’s Game, Hitchiker’s Guide, Dune, Anne McCaffery, The Hobbit, and others, but that has all been high school or later. So what was your first science fiction or fantasy book and about when did you read it?