A mischievous boy from France with a big imagination A talented man who wrote about prehistoric beasts, hot-air-balloon races, and undersea creatures A famous author often called “the father of science fiction” Meet the father of science fiction, Jule Verne. Born in France in 1829, Jules Verne always dreamed of adventure. At age 11, he snuck onboard a ship headed for the Indies only to be discovered by his father and have his dreams dashed. After his father made him swear to only travel “in his ...