Read a Solarpunk Story

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 Stories from our previous festivals are posted here! (Under "Previous Festivals.") They are each very different, yet each young writer has tried to show a better future in the background of their story. 

Wonderful stories, written by local talented writers who were in grades 8-12 .  Read the ones from our Festival in 2024, 2023 and 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. Some might inspire you. In the 2022 collection, try "A Holdout in the Northern California Designated Wildcraft Zone," by T.K. Rex, a San Fransisco writer, and  local Jerri Jerreat's story "Benni and Shiya" is set in future Toronto and Bancroft, Ontario. Check out the 2023 & 2024 collections as well. 

These are grounded in settings from around the world, and some use elements of fantasy or mythology--but not to solve the Climate Crisis. Those solutions are practical, embedded in each story.

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

or google one of those titles.

SOLARPUNK ANTHOLOGIES

"Solarpunk Creatures" (pub. 2024, World Weaver Press, USA) is a great collection. The main characters or key characters are not humans, in a creative mix of exciting stories. Imagine if humans were not the centre of everything! 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 .

"Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Winters" (World Weaver Press, USA) has a terrific variety of solarpunk stories, international. This is at KFPL Library.  Or purchase e-book. Try  story: "Rules for a Civilization."

"Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Summers" (World Weaver Press, USA) has another fun group of international solarpunk tales. At KFPL library. Or purchase e-book. Story "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.

The anthology ,"SOLARPUNK" (pub. 2024 Flame Tree Press, London, UK) has an international mix of solarpunk stories (Canada, Italy, Spain, UK,  Brazil, USA, the Czech Republic, Australia, Argentina, etc),  and should be at KFPL library. If not, request it.

The anthology, "Through the Portal: Hopeful Dystopias" (pub. Dec. 2024, Exile Editions, Toronto) has a wide variety of climate fiction stories in it. "Youth for Mars" is solarpunk and hopeful, with a teen narrator . This is at KFPL library, and about 90% of the authors are Canadian!  (Warning: not all the stories are hopeful solarpunk, but all are eco-fiction.)

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. 

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