Read a SolarPunk Story

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 Stories from our previous festivals are posted here! They are each very different, yet each tries to show a better future in the background of their story. Wonderful stories, written by grade 8-12 students.  Read the ones from our Festival in 2023 and from our festival in 2022. 

Perhaps next year, your story will be published here, inspiring others!

The environmental magazine, Grist, in Seattle, Washington, sponsors a solarpunk contest on an large international scale. Their stories are published online. Those are longer, but some might inspire you. In the 2022 collection, try "A Holdout in the Northern California Designated Wildcraft Zone," by T.K. Rex, very cool, and Jerri Jerreat's story is set in Toronto and Bancroft, Ontario. Check out the 2023 collection as well. These are grounded in settings from around the world, and some use elements of fantasy or mythology. 

https://grist.org/fix/imagine-2200-climate-fiction-2022/

or google: 'Benni and Shiya are Leaving Grist.org'  

The anthology "Solarpunk Creatures" (pub. 2024, World Weaver Press) is a great collection. The main characters or key characters are not humans, in a really creative mix of exciting stories. Imagine if humans were not the centre of everything! Note that one story is set in Ontario, "The Wetlands versus the Mayor." Order from your nearest independent bookstore (eg. Novel Idea, Books & Company, Beggars Banquet Books or Lighthouse Books, etc.) ,  or purchase the e-book online .

Fix the World: Twelve Sci-fi Writers Save the Future, is a great anthology for older high school grades. Try the E-book. Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk & Eco-Speculation looks great, and Flame Tree Press in the UK is publishing a large international collection this Sept/Oct 2024, called Solarpunk. 

As well, Exile Editions in Toronto is publishing a Canadian anthology Nov.  2024 called, Through the Portal: Stories of a Hopeful Dystopia. Some stories will show communities rebuilding after serious climate events, but others will be straight solarpunk. 

Solarpunk stories are showing up in magazines. "Dandelion Brew" (Ana Sun/UK) in DreamForge Magazine, January 2022 is great. 

This anthology you can borrow from the KFPL library, or purchase through Novel Idea, or purchase the ebook online. Some schools have it in their library. Ask your library for it. 

Anthology: Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Winters *** (World Weaver Press) 

There are lots of  fun stories in it! 

TRY Story: Rules for a Civilization  (Jerreat/Canada)

Length: 5000+ words

Summary: A young teacher in future Toronto struggles to help a student bullying others when a hurricane hits. 

TRY Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Summers too! "Riot of the Wind & Sun" (J Rossman/USA) has teens in future Australia working to entice a major band to come to their small town.