Heinlein's Juveniles

I mentioned this series of books the other day and I thought I'd review them with a little more depth. As I mentioned, Heinlein wrote one of these books every year from '47 to '58. The books were very popular and had a huge influence on a generation of sci-fi readers. Most of the men involved in NASA in the '60's had been turned onto rocket science after reading Heinlein. He was so well respected there that he was invited to join them in Houston during the Apollo 11 moonwalk.
The books are all stand alone stories and can be read in any order. The characters don't overlap although the universe they inhabit has a consistent logic to it. There are common characteristics involved in most of the books:

• Each one is about a boy in his mid to late teens. They come from different types of families, many of them broken due to losing a parent. Most of them come from poorer families and the need to work to succeed is there for all of them.
• Most of them struggle with the idea of continued education. Sometimes it is a financial decision. Sometimes it has to do with the idea of more school or other difficulties in the way. Heinlein shows that school (or equivalent experience) is worth it.
• The boys are all self-reliant, most out of necessity. Each book is filled with a 'can-do' type spirit.
• All of the boys are put into situations that would be difficult for adults to deal with. They are forced to grow up. In some cases the only other option is death.

I stumbled upon the books in junior high so I'm not sure what the best age for readers is. Certainly the level was fine for me in my early teens. If I'd known about them at ten, I think I would have liked them just as much. I'd freely recommend them to anyone who is looking for books for young boys or girls.

Rocket Ship Galileo (1947) This book is about three boys who decide to build a rocket ship and go to the moon. Their uncle is an actual rocket scientist and he's gotten hold of a surplus 'mail rocket'. They retrofit it for the trip, all the while dodging shady inspectors. Later on they face a distinctly post WW2 threat. Not one of my favorites, but not a bad book at all.
Space Cadet (1948) The story of a young man who joins a planetary version of the military. Very strong on duty and correct behavior. The only one of these I don't own. Haven't read it in many years.
Red Planet (1949) Details two young men who live on Mars. One of them has made a pet out of a martian rounder, a small animal that has learned English. While at school they uncover a plot that puts their families at risk. They must cover many miles by skating over the frozen canals of Mars. This book discusses revolution and responsibility. Very good.
Farmer in the Sky (1950) Reviewed here.
Between Planets (1951) A young man is pulled from school by an urgent message from his parents, calling him to join them on Mars. On his way there he becomes enmeshed in the martian revolt and ends up on Venus. Little does he know that he holds the key to the war. If only he can somehow find his folks... Another very good book.
The Rolling Stones (1952) One of the lightest-hearted of the series. This book is about a family that decides to travel from their home on the moon and see some of the rest of the solar system. The Stone family has a set of twins and they and their grandmother quickly become mixed up in various business schemes. One episode from this book was the inspiration for 'The Trouble with Tribbles'. A very fun book.
Starman Jones (1953) Max has a perfect memory and an intolerable home situation. He dreams of going to the stars and with the help of a rascal he makes it. Unfortunatley, his ship becomes hopelessly lost and his special skills become very important for everyone. One of my favorites.
The Star Beast (1954) Another fun one. This one involves a teen boy who has a pet named Lummox. Lummox is something like a friendly dinosaur and proves to be beyond the control of his owner. A court order to destroy him is issued but they can't figure out how to do it. How can they possibly save him? Another very fun book.
Tunnel in the Sky (1955) If I had the money, I'd turn this one into a movie. It involves a group of teens who are studying to be planetary explorers. Their final test involves being teleported to an unknown planet. They must survive for a week or so. But something goes wrong and the entire bunch is stranded. What can they do as a group to survive? And how can they overcome the unexpected? A great book.
Time for the Stars (1956) A study of identical twins discovers a way to tap into telepathy. It also shows that telepathy happens instantaneously, making twins the perfect communication systems for exploration ships. One twin goes with the ship and the other one stays home. Many dangers are faced, not the least is that the twins grow very far apart. Another great book.
Citizen of the Galaxy (1957) Maybe the best of the lot. Thorby is a slave who, as a joke, is sold to a beggar. The beggar is more than he appears to be and he raises and educates Thorby well. Then catastrophe strikes and Thorby finds out that his 'father' was more than he thought. And he might be as well. This book deals directly with the evil of slavery, not in racial terms but in how it degrades people. There are similiarities between this book and Kipling's 'Kim'. A great book.
Have Space Suit - Will Travel (1958) Kip is a high school student who has won a real space suit through a contest. He works very hard to get it in working order even though he has no real use for it. Or at least that's what he thinks. He soon gets mixed up in an interstellar plot and the fate of humanity itself may be in danger. A very good book.

In 1959 Heinlein wrote 'Starship Troopers' and his publisher turned it down. That ended his relationship with them and kind of ended the series as well.