Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. Tor Science Fiction, 1994. ISBN: 978-0812550702
First things first: this is a great book. It thoroughly satisfies as a science fiction, as a philosophical journey, and as a well-written story.
And it is not necessarily a tween's book. Although there are many tweens who may be ready to grasp the dark concepts presented, we must remember that tweendom is that volatile stage between child and young adult, where individuals develop at different paces depending on their life experiences and natural maturation.
Like Collin's The Hunger Games, themes of violence, loss of innocence, totalitarian government, and premature death are prevalent. The reader must wrestle with ideas of religion, science, bullies and loneliness.
But, for those who can grasp abstract concepts and existential ideas, it is excellent.
And it's a lot of fun, too. What young person does not dream of being "special", a genius plucked from society and destined for greatness? Especially appealing to boys and active girls, tweens will be able to conjure up images of floating through weightless space, training for missions, and going on a fantastic journey.
Ender's Game is a wonderful contribution to young adult science fiction that should not be overlooked. I would recommend it for ages 12 and older, but only tentatively. If you are an adult, read it for yourself and decide if your tween is ready.
And since it is being made into a major motion picture in 2013, this is the perfect opportunity to enter into literary and topical discussions with your tween prior to the movie release.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Disney, 2006 (DVD Release). Directed by Andrew Adamson. ASIN: B000E8M0VAWhenever one of my all-time favorite books is being made into a movie adaption, I always feel a mixture of pleased excitement and loathsome dread. In the past I have been sorely disappointed with many movie adaptions (the Twilight big screen adaption being the most recent terrible flop, and the movie adaptions of the Love Comes Softly series - one dear to my heart - has topped the list, leaving a searing, bitter taste in my mouth towards movie script editors and their ilk).However, the adaption by Disney and Walden Media of the first book in C. S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia series has left me very pleased. I fully understand that not every nuance, description and sub-plot story can be included in a two-hour movie. However, it is when the writers leave out huge chunks that define the character development (Twilight), or when they add elements that never existed (Love Comes Softly) that I become frustrated. Although a few new elements are added, this adaption holds close enough to the original story for my liking.
Furthermore, this book simply needed to be visually seen. Talking animals, flying creatures, battles and scenic beauty all begs to be visual. This was the greatest difficulty of the original 1988 BBC adaptions that appeared on PBS in the 1990's. Although it is hailed as staying true to the books (and they did, indeed stay extremely close!) the visuals were sorely lacking. Today, with modern CGI, Hollywood can finally realize the creatures Lewis dreamed up in a realistic way. For this, along with a good musical score and keeping the script (mostly) true, I applaud Disney and Walden Media!
Toy Story 3. Walt Disney Pictures, 2010. Starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, Directed by Lee Unkrich.
If one thing can by said about Pixar Animation Studios, the creators of the Toy Story trilogy, it is that they have proven time and again to have the uncanny ability to create stories that appeal to a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Like the rest of the Toy Story movies, this one can be enjoyed by children, tweens, teens, college students, parents and grandparents, all of which will be laughing (and perhaps shedding a tear) at various different points of the story and dialogue.
Way to go, Pixar! You did it again.
