January 2 marks National Science Fiction Day, a date chosen to honor Isaac Asimov, who was born on January 2, 1920. Asimov made significant contributions to the science fiction genre and is credited with coining the term “robotics” in a short story published in 1941. Robots feature prominently in many works found in local library collections.
To celebrate the occasion, Henrico County Public Library has recommended a variety of science fiction titles for different age groups.
For young readers, suggested picture books include “Elio Goes to Space!” by Cynthea Liu and “I Come From Another Galaxy” by James Kwan. Other recommendations are “The Search for Our Cosmic Neighbors” by Chloe Savage, “Tate Tuber: Space Spud” by Michael Slack, and “To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here” by Antoinette Portis.
Children can explore titles such as “The Children’s Book of the Future” by Lavie Tidhar and “The Experiment” by Rebecca Stead. Additional options include “Lunar Boy” by Jessica Wibowo, “Roswell Johnson Saves the World” by Chris Colfer, and “The Space Cat” by Nnedi Okorafor.
Teens are encouraged to read graphic novels like “The Infinity Particle” by Wendy Xu and “Mister Miracle: The Great Escape” by Varian Johnson. Anthologies such as “Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms and Space,” edited by Zoraida Córdova, are also featured. Other selections include nonfiction like “The Science of Science Fiction” by Matthew B. Wood and new releases such as Suzanne Collins’ prequel novel in the Hunger Games series.
For adults interested in exploring more about science fiction’s history or its current trends, recommended books include Alec Nevala-Lee’s nonfiction work about key figures in the genre’s golden age—John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and L. Ron Hubbard—as well as novels like Robin Sloan’s “Moonbound,” Everina Maxwell’s “Ocean’s Echo,” Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Spare Man,” and John Scalzi’s “When the Moon Hits Your Eye.”
These recommendations aim to help readers of all ages commemorate National Science Fiction Day through exploration of classic themes and new stories within the genre.
