SOLVED. YA Sci-fi. Psychic children raised in basement by a scientist. [s]

[Dave]

A scientist shields his basement from all radiation on the theory that children raised in that environment will develop psychic powers. The experiment works. The world is threatened with alien invasion. Probably written late 1950's or early 1960's.

[Dave]

Bump

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Dave, please note you can bump your thread every 30 days, because the group is so large.

[Dave]

Bump

[Elena]

Was it part of a series or a stand alone book? Male author or female author? How long was it? Setting? Written in dialect?

[Rouan]

Could it be Huysman's Pets by Kate Wilhelm?

[Rosa]

Huysman's Pets for the link.

[Rainbowheart]

Children of the Atom?

[Dave]

It's not either of those. This is a book from my childhood, I'm 53, so I'm not sure about any more details. The younger children were stronger psychically than the older children because the scientist raising them was getting better at shielding the children from radiation as time went on.

[Dave]

Still no answers. Anyone have any ideas?

[Tab]

Does the story focus on the experiment part or the alien invasion?
How many children were there? Girls, boys, both?
Anything about the cover?
Part of a series?
Time period/location story takes place?

[Rainbowheart]

Are you sure that it's juvenile and not adult fiction?

[Dave]

i found it. children of the Atom - Wilmar Shiras

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Dave]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Children of the Atom?"
This was it. Somehow I missed your post.

[Len]

Could it be oone of the books about The Tomorrow People by Roger Price: The Tomorrow People in 'The Visitor'. There were many others in the series.

[Rainbowheart]

Good news, glad you found it!

[Dave]

Turns out I was wrong, it's not Children of the Atom".. but I did indeed find it a couple of days later.

It was "Tomorrow's Children" by Poul Anderson. Skimmed and verified as the one I read as a kid.

[Kris]

No worries. Thanks for the update, Dave.

Tomorrow's Children by Poul Anderson

[beichst]

@Dave. Great to hear you were able to find the book you were seeking. I have not read 'Tomorrow's Children." However based on the plot description if you liked that one you might consider reading the 1965 book Zero Minus X by Fanthorpe Lionel a.k.a. Karl Ziegfreid among other pen names.

A brief description is below.


"Hunger and Gradey decided on an illegal experiment. They brought up a small group of children in a strange artificial setting where there was practically no radiation. The setting was improved. The environment grew more shielded as generations passed. At last the "Thinkers" exploded into a world that had not dreamed of their existence. The world was facing other complications at the moment. An alien had appeared from the other side of the cosmos! Humanity was faced with two potentially deadly enemies; could they be turned against each other, or was one a secret friend?"