The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War.

The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War.  Candlewick Press  2015  283p  $19.99  ISBN 978-0-7636-7554-7  ms/hs  Historical fiction  E-BN  

Eleven acclaimed young-adult authors, including David Almond, Tracy Chevalier, Michael Morpurgo, and Marcus Sedgwick, contribute stories to this work honoring the beginning of World War I.  Each of the stories, ranging in theme from battles to the home front to post-war, is inspired by a wartime artifact.  A section at the end of the book describes each of the objects.  Black-and-white illustrations, often with descriptive captions, are found throughout the book. This story collection is a must-have for middle- and high-school libraries.

Summary: Eleven acclaimed young-adult authors present short stories inspired by wartime objects commemorating the beginning of World War I.        

Short stories                                               --Stephanie Pennucci

Sherman, M. Zachary. Bloodlines: Heart of War.

Sherman, M. Zachary.  Bloodlines: Heart of War.  Capstone Young Readers  2013  235p ISBN 978-1-62370-002-7  ms/jr  Paperback  VG-BN  Short stories   

Author and Marine Corps veteran M. Zachary Sherman follows the warriors of the Donovan family from World War II to Afghanistan in this collection of seven short stories, each describing a military action or event in which a member of the family was involved.  Each story is a brief snapshot of a single experience serving in the armed forces, be it parachuting out of a plane over France or raiding a terrorist hideout in search of weapons caches.  This book is an engaging read geared toward younger readers, especially young boys, but it would also be of interest to older readers as well.  One of the things Sherman does particularly well is to portray the realities of war without glossing over them or devolving into a graphic gore fest, and this makes it a good read for more sensitive readers.  Throughout the book the characters are staunch in their support of their country, even when they doubt the intelligence of their immediate superiors, but the tone is not jarringly nationalistic.  The Donovan family is simply one in which service in the armed forces is a done thing, and, importantly, it is not limited to the male members of the family.  Particularly memorable is the bittersweet story of a nurse serving with the military overseas.  Classroom and public libraries in towns with a strong military presence will find that this book will circulate frequently, and will probably make its way into the personal collection of particularly devoted readers, as the direct storytelling style will be irresistibly appealing to young men with parents or siblings in the armed forces.  It is also well suited for middle-school libraries and public libraries, especially in places with a strong military presence.    

Summary: This compilation of seven previously published works, edited to form a single narrative, follows the Donovans through four generations of American wars, from World War II to the war in Afghanistan.  

War-Short stories                                           --Bethany Geleskie

Martin, Ann M. Because of Shoe.

Martin, Ann M.    Because of Shoe.  Macmillan/Henry Holt    261p  $15.99      978-0-8050-9314-8 elm/ms            VG      Animal stories   

The nine short stories in this collection are organized by reading level, from the easiest-to-read to the most difficult.  This allows readers at many levels to enjoy the heartwarming and funny dog stories, written by several famous authors who are not especially known for animal stories.  The stories included in this collection are sometimes hilariously funny, or poignant, or thoughtful, or endearing.  The styles vary as well.  One is written in free verse.
 

There is a story about Max the Dax catching a dog-napper, a story about a boy and dog who rescue a little lost boy, stories from the dog’s point of view, and one about how Shoe got her name.  There is a story about a dog named Peanut who is mistaken for a wolf, and even one about a boy who turns into a dog.  In short, a little bit of everything.  The book will be enjoyed by readers who love their dog, wish they had a dog, or fondly remember a past dog.

This book is recommended for grades 4-7.  Everyone will find at least one story he or she can relate to in this varied collection.
     

Short stories, Dog stories                                                                              -- Joan Theal 

Despeyroux, Denise. Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allen Poe.

Despeyroux, Denise.     Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allen Poe.    Enslow      96p $25.26  978-0-7660-4086-1       ms/hs Series: Dark Graphic Novels (Enslow)  VG-BN           Graphic novel    

The essential elements of the creepy nature of Poe’s tales are retained in text and darkly illustrated with attention to background detail.  The tales include “The Gold Bug”, “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether”.      This is an English translation of a book originally published in Spanish in 2009.  The illustrations are indeed dark in color as well as tone, and there is great attention to detail regarding the interiors of houses and things found in the countryside.  The inmates of an asylum in the lesser-known tale of “Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” are deftly drawn.  The collection is suitable for students in upper-elementary school as well as older students, who will be drawn into telling of these early horror stories.  This is a perfect book to share on a camping trip under the stars or read by flashlight at home on a night when the electric power fails.  It is just spooky enough to thrill but not enough to give younger readers nightmares.  Some American readers may bristle at the use of words such as “idiot” and “moron” in the “Gold Bug”.  The author keeps the text faithful to the broad context of the original tale, thus bringing the stories into contemporary times and a new generation of readers.   

The series Dark Graphic Novels contains three books, featuring stories by Poe, stories by Shelley, and a collection of many horror stories by various authors.  The graphic-novel format features text that is faithful to the original stories and illustrations that are dark in color and mood, increasing the sense of impending dread.   It is strongly recommended for school libraries to introduce students to classic horror stories and novels in an easy-to-read graphic-novel format.   --  Lois McNicol

Macabre – Fiction, Ghost stories, Short stories        

Van Allsberg, Chris. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick.

Van Allsberg, Chris.            The Chronicles of Harris Burdick.            HoughtonMifflin/Clarion/Graphia/

Kingfisher, 2011.  221p.  $24.99.  ISBN 978-0-547-54810-4            secondary        Fantasy           E-BN  

Twenty-five years ago, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, a collection of fourteen intriguing illustrations, each accompanied by a title and a caption, was published.  The premise of that volume was that fictional author/illustrator Harris Burdick had wandered into a publisher’s office and showed an editor the contents of his portfolio. Burdick told a wondrous tale for each picture and left the portfolio with the publisher, promising to return with the manuscripts.  But Burdick was never seen again, supposedly the publisher decided to publish the drawings without stories, and the result was the slender volume that has inspired countless creative writing assignments for generations of students across the globe.
Defining the audience for Mysteries of Harris Burdick was challenging, despite the picture-book format. Chronicles faces a similar challenge.  It will appeal to Mysteries fans of all ages, but it is clearly not intended for the usual picture-book crowd.  Fourteen top-notch YA writers have penned fresh stories inspired by the Mysteries illustrations and the clues provided by the titles and captions.  Like most short-story anthologies, the collection is uneven, but fans of these A-list authors will select this volume in order to read new material by their favorite(s) and may linger to read the rest as well.  The speculative fiction provides a springboard for spirited discussion.  The all-star author line-up guarantees that nearly every reader will find a story that appeals to him or her.
The writers contributing to Chronicles include Stephen King, Lois Lowry, Sherman Alexie, Jules Feiffer, Louis Sachar, Linda Sue Park, Walter Dean Myers, Cory Doctorow, M. T. Anderson, Tabitha King, Gregory MacGuire, Jon Sciezka, Kate DiCamillo, and Chris Van Allsburg.  Those who skip introductions will miss a humorously paranoid tale by Lemony Snicket, which provides newcomers (those unfamiliar with Harris Burdick) with the back-story.  Each short story will find a devoted readership, even though not every story will appeal to each reader.  Of note are “Under the Rug,” by Jon Sciezka, “Missing in Venice,” by Gregory Macguire, “Another Place, Another Time,” by Cory Doctorow, and “Mr. Linden’s Library” by Walter Dean Myers.  The short stories are memorable and appealing.  Many of them resonate long after the reader has turned the last page.  And of course, the illustrations continue to be curiously strange and intriguing.      Subjects: 1. Children's stories, American.  2.  Short stories.       Hilary Welliver

Soto, Gary. Hey 13!

Soto, Gary.  Hey 13!  Holiday House, 2011.  197p  16.95     ISBN 978-0-8234-2395-8 ms/jr  VG-BN Realistic Fiction

     Thirteen short stories revolve around realistic situations that middle-school-age children face in their everyday lives.  The main characters are all HIspanic.   These stories have just enough tension, humor, and realism to appeal to middle-school age students who are looking for shorter reads and less commitment than a novel requires.  In one story, an honor student gets to tour a local college and see some of her stereotypes about university life challenged.  In another, a pretty girl on a long-distance bus ride obsesses over her looks and wallows in the knowledge that men and boys find her attractive.  In yet another, two altar boys get into trouble with the law for stealing a couple of motorized scooters and taking them for a joy ride.  Each story will provide food for thought and classroom discussion.  Gary Soto’s ear for the way kids think and speak to each other is perfect, and he has a keenly observant eye as well.

Carol Kennedy