{"product_id":"equipping-space-cadets-primary-science-fiction-for-young-children-paperback","title":"Equipping Space Cadets: Primary Science Fiction for Young Children - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eEmily Midkiff\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2022 Longlist Nominee for the Best Non-Fiction Award from the British Science Fiction Association\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eEquipping Space Cadets: Primary Science Fiction for Young Children\u003c\/i\u003e argues for the benefits and potential of \"primary science fiction,\" or science fiction for children under twelve years old. Science fiction for children is often disregarded due to common misconceptions of childhood. When children are culturally portrayed as natural and simple, they seem like a poor audience for the complex scientific questions brought up by the best science fiction. The books and the children who read them tell another story. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Using three empirical studies and over 350 children's books including \u003ci\u003eIf I Had a Robot Dog\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBugs in Space\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eCommander Toad in Space\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEquipping Space Cadets\u003c\/i\u003e presents interdisciplinary evidence that science fiction and children are compatible after all. Primary science fiction literature includes many high-quality books that cleverly utilize the features of children's literature formats in order to fit large science fiction questions into small packages. In the best of these books, authors make science fiction questions accessible and relevant to children of various reading levels and from diverse backgrounds and identities. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eEquipping Space Cadets\u003c\/i\u003e does not stop with literary analysis, but also presents the voices of real children and practitioners. The book features three studies: a survey of teachers and librarians, quantitative analysis of lending records from school libraries across the United States, and coded read-aloud sessions with elementary school students. The results reveal how children are interested in and capable of reading science fiction, but it is the adults, including the most well-intentioned librarians and teachers, who hinder children's engagement with the genre due to their own preconceptions about the genre and children.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEmily Midkiff \u003c\/b\u003eis an instructor at the University of North Dakota, where she teaches children's literature and literacy instruction. She spent nine years performing fantasy stories alongside children for an improv children's theater group, and she now studies children's fantasy and science fiction stories with attention to what children have to say.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 218\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 19, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47410319655090,"sku":"9781496839015","price":63.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/7170c47033c40426cd7ba8197cdb767a.webp?v=1778282068","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/equipping-space-cadets-primary-science-fiction-for-young-children-paperback","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}