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This article presents an interview with Paolo Bacigalupi, a rising sci-fi star who has walked away with the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and, most recently, the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature--the Young Adult Library Services Association's top prize for prose. That's pretty impressive for a guy who's published only two novels--"The Windup Girl," a gritty futuristic thriller about the dire consequences of genetic engineering, and his first young adult novel, the Printz-winning "Ship Breaker," a postapocalyptic page-turner that was also short-listed for the National Book Award. Although the talented Mr. B. may sound like an overnight sensation, his first short story was published more than a decade ago, in 1999. Before that, in the early '90s, he attended Ohio's Oberlin College, where he majored in Chinese, and then spent a few years working as a web consultant and traveling in China. Since then, he's had his share of average-Joe jobs, including a four-year stint as an online editor and webmaster for "High County News," an environmentally conscious magazine. In this interview, Bacigalupi talks about his Printz-winning novel, his no-nonsense take on wealth and success, and why he's hooked on sci-fi.

Of the more than 5000 books reviewed in "School Library Journal's" ("SLJ's") pages in 2008, the 67 books listed in this article stood out as having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include books for toddlers and preschoolers, terrific picture books and easy readers, and some highly original novels. Fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, humor, mystery, affecting family stories, and adventure all make an appearance. It was an amazingly strong year for YA novels, several with hard-hitting, powerful themes. There's also some spectacular science and history. Deciding among all of the books about Lincoln published this year was not easy; the authors selected two that they felt were the most unusual and creative. The arts fared well also, with lively titles about Alexander Calder, Mark Twain, Billie Holiday, and William Carlos Williams.

Not only is science fiction alive and well--it's flourishing. From the big screen (howdy, Wall-E) to the big books (like Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, which has attracted loads of prepublication praise), 2008 has been a great year for sci-fi. Publishers have released truckloads of new sci-fi titles this year, but what's particularly impressive isn't their combined tonnage--it's the high-quality writing, thoughtfulness, and timeliness of much of the content. From Cory Doctorow's Little Brother (Tor), a searing examination of the perils of sacrificing personal freedom for national security, to David Klass's "Caretaker" trilogy (Farrar), which describes Earth on the verge of an ecological disaster, sci-fi has a lot to say to today's world and its young readers. In this article, the author provides some titles of the latest sci-fi.

This article profiles Orson Scott Card, the winner of this year's Margaret A. Edwards Award for his outstanding contributions to teen literature, specifically for Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow (1999, both Tor), a companion tale. Card, the magician behind both of these best sellers, is one of the nation's most prolific--and contentious--authors. Card's reputation for controversy does not stem from his fiction. It comes from his essays and columns, most of which appear in an independent newspaper in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife, Kristine, and their 12-year-old daughter, Zina. Card has so much to say that two of his six Web sites--The Ornery American (Ornery.org) and Hatrack River (hatrack.com)--are devoted in part to voicing his opinions.

Presents an interview with science-fiction writer and 1999 winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, Anne McCaffrey. Discusses other awards and honors, how science fiction has changed in 30 years, inspiration for characters, writing for young adults, discovery of science fiction, research, writing habits and dealing with writer's block, and the downside to and gratifications of fame. (AEF)

Describes 10 science fiction stories for young readers whose contents address recent developments on the frontiers of scientific research, including genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and robotics. The use of these materials to inform young readers about the issues and dangers involved in scientific developments is discussed. (CLB)