Imagining the Future: Short stories
Imagining the Future is a story series that helps young people explore science, technology and creativity through storytelling. Each story connects imagination with real-world STEM ideas to show students how curiosity today can shape the world tomorrow.
How It works
Suitable for ages 8 to 12, these stories are available in traditional print, audio, and audio-visual formats to suit all learning styles. They can be read individually, or students can listen in small groups. You can even watch and listen as a class.
Each title in the series stands alone but connects to a larger world of ideas. Think of it like a library of mini-series, each one exploring a different point in humanity’s exploration of space.
You can start anywhere, or follow a complete storyline from Book 1 onward.
Explore the stories
The Callistan Cycle
Far Out! By Lili Wilkinson
Book 1: Young stargazer Stella is excited, hers is the first family to be launched into deep space.. Join the Kaufmanns for an adventure packed with rocket thrusters, life-or-death choices, and a groovy dancing robot frog.
Calculating Apple Pie by Melissa Keil
Book 2: Sisters Kal and Arche are on a space voyage to Callisto, but a reckless act to ease homesickness leads to unexpected consequences. This thought-provoking story explores futuristic food production, coding, and the real-world risks of tampering with technology.
Semper by Rebecca Lim
Book 3: Shang has sacrificed everything to explore distant moons for critical minerals, but her space exploration dreams are being ruined by a playful Drobo who is more of a distraction than a help. Or is it?
Proof by Gary Lonesborough
Book 4: Tanner and his sister Rachel are investigating a mysterious illness affecting their lunar outpost community on Callisto. Rachel is pretty certain she knows what’s causing it, and won’t stop until she uncovers the truth.
Earthbound by Alison Evans
Book 5: Pen and their father have returned to Earth from Callisto, only to face a mysterious malfunction in Pen’s comms device and a strange rhythmic signal. With the help of an android, Pen investigates the anomaly and discovers something incredible.
Free activities linked to the stories
Keep the learning going with this free Blooms and Gardner’s Activity Matrix. This matrix is a useful education tool that combines Bloom’s Taxonomy (a theory that outlines the different stages of learning) with Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (the different ways in which people learn).
The matrix supports teachers and families to provide students with a variety of activities that cater to all learning styles while also challenging students' critical thinking skills at each stage of learning.
Designed for Years 3–6, the matrix also links directly to the Australian Curriculum: English (v9.0) outcomes, making planning simple.
Whether your students are budding inventors, storytellers, or future changemakers, this matrix helps every child connect with the stories in their own way. Perfect for classrooms with diverse abilities and interests, it sparks curiosity and builds skills for tomorrow, whilst also giving formal assessment opportunities for teachers and educators.
Teacher Activity Matrix
Parent Activity Matrix
Future You was funded by the Australian Government as part of the Women in STEM Ambassador Initiative from 2019 to May 2024, delivered through a grant with UNSW Sydney. The program is hosted at UNSW Sydney and co-funded by the Optiver Foundation and the Faculties of Science at UNSW Sydney and The University of Sydney.
