Steampunk

Lately I've been hearing a lot about Steampunk books. What is Steampunk (besides a really cool word)? Steampunk books are books that take place in the past, like before we had cars and electricity, when people used steam power. That's the "steam" in Steampunk. But the "punk" part is that these books have a fantasy element to them, something that could never actually happen in that time. So they are basically really cool fantasy or science fiction books that take place in the past.

Here are some of my favorite Steampunk books:

Larklight by Phillip Reeve
An old-fashioned British Victorian family lives a normal old fashioned British Victorian life — except they live in a suburb of the Moon.

Death Collector by Justin Richards
A curator from the British Museum tries to stop a madman determined to reanimate the dead, both human and dinosaur.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pierson
A prequel to the story of Peter Pan, this book is about Peter and a group of orphans sailing to a foreign country where they will become slaves. Their destiny changes when Peter discovers that their ship is carrying the most magical treasure on earth.

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers
Theodosia must reverse the black magic that only she can see in the ancient artifacts that her archaeologist parents bring back from Egypt.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
It's hard to say if this book really takes place in the past because the time period is not defined. But I think it's safe to say it is definitely not present day, and definitely fantasy. Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North.

Have you read any Steampunk books?  What are YOUR favorites?

— Sonja, Scholastic.com Editor

Comments

[Comment #1]

Well, I think the A Wrinkle in Time series (Time Quartet) are steampunk. Thay are science fiction and take place in the late 80's or 90's. Does that count? if it does I love those books!

[Comment #2]

I love fanasty books along with some science fiction. These books sound like my type, so I might give them a try. I have heard of THE GOLDEN COMPASS,PETER AND THE STAR CATCHERS, and DEATH COLLECTER.

[Comment #3]

Ella Enchanted is definitely my favorite steampunk book! Steampunk is a really cool word to define those types of books (some other good ones are The Princess Academy, The Runaway Princess, and Once Upon a Marigold.)

[Comment #4]

I like the books and I will like to have a copy

[Comment #5]

Steampunk books... They really do drag you in, just with the name. The books are probably fine, and I do love fiction, so I'll have to look at them.

[Comment #6]

Good Death Collector =O Best one on that list.

[Comment #7]

I didn't even know there was a word to describe those books...very interesting

[Comment #8]

Very cool!

[Comment #9]

peter and the star cachers is about faries

[Comment #10]

peter and the star cachers is about faries

[Comment #11]

I think "steampunk" is an inapropreat name for a book (and I don't like any of the books on the list exept Death Collecter)

[Comment #12]

I did not make up the word Steampunk, but I wish I did because I think it is really clever. I first heard of it on the Scholastic website in this booklist.

[Comment #13]

this was so ggggggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We loved it

[Comment #14]

I like a wrinkle in time as well it is good

[Comment #15]

awesome blog i love it (ipod shuffle)

[Comment #16]

Try I don't know maybe Lightnings Theif, aka The Percy Jackson series. or maybe Eragon, Blackboat,

[Comment #17]

I like the Wrinkle in Time serease too but I don't think it is a "steampunkin" or what ever because people had cars in the 80s and 90s

[Comment #18]

Awesome!

[Comment #19]

did u know that peter and the starcatchers has a sequil its called peter and the shadow theives

[Comment #20]

The book looks stupid because that kind of topoic REALLY bores me

[Comment #21]

I read Peter and the Starcatchers, it is an ausome booke

[Comment #22]

Books like the steampunk are not that intresrting to me but I do like fantasys not based on the past because it then is boring