This collection puts Black female protagonists front and center in some excellent horror stories. The foreword from Tananarive Due sets the stage withThis collection puts Black female protagonists front and center in some excellent horror stories. The foreword from Tananarive Due sets the stage with a brief history of Black characters’ (especially Black females’) minimal inclusion in the genre. And the cover art… just fire ...more
An anthology as only A.S. King could imagine it. Ten stories from some rock star authors. My favorites are King’s “We are Looking for Home”— love how An anthology as only A.S. King could imagine it. Ten stories from some rock star authors. My favorites are King’s “We are Looking for Home”— love how she weaves in threads from some of the other stories and just GETS teens— and Jason Reynolds’ “A Recording for Carole Before It All Goes”— perfection in nine pages. But there are no weak links in this varied collection.
The 2024 Printz Award Committee selected a worthy winner....more
What an amazing collection. I'm so glad that the Alex Award committee put this title-- and N.K. Jemisin-- on my radar. Themes include power, race, genWhat an amazing collection. I'm so glad that the Alex Award committee put this title-- and N.K. Jemisin-- on my radar. Themes include power, race, gender, and community, and in many cases the setting is almost a character in itself. The audiobook narrators do an exceptional job. Standouts for me: * "The City Born Great" * "L'Alchimista" * "Red Dirt Witch" * "Cuisine des Mémoires * "Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters" (this was my absolute favorite, and I wish I could find the name of the person who narrated it on the audiobook-- he took it to a different level than if I had read the print version).
There were a few stories in the collection that didn't grab me, but the sheer power of Jemisin's writing and imagination easily brings this into the 5-star realm....more
I wouldn’t have sought this out if it hadn’t been put on my radar as an NBA finalist, so thank you, National Book Award, for shining a light on this. I wouldn’t have sought this out if it hadn’t been put on my radar as an NBA finalist, so thank you, National Book Award, for shining a light on this. Groff gives us brief glimpses into various lives, often focusing on women who are navigating family issues and exhaustion and a pervasive sense of something being slightly off. While not all of the stories are set in Florida, there’s always some kind of link, and the place almost becomes a character in its own right. Incisive and evocative and unsettling in a very satisfying way. Geoff herself narrates the audio version....more
I loved the approach these three authors took-- showing examples of their work and annotating their thought process along the way. Excellent resource I loved the approach these three authors took-- showing examples of their work and annotating their thought process along the way. Excellent resource for writers....more
If Neil Gaiman's novels are a rich, decadent cake, this online short story is a dark nibble of chocolate, an amuse-bouche to be read while it's still If Neil Gaiman's novels are a rich, decadent cake, this online short story is a dark nibble of chocolate, an amuse-bouche to be read while it's still daylight. For all its brevity, it packs a nice shivery wallop.
The Telegraph article that included the story said that it was a new online exclusive, but from the comments here, looks like it actually made an appearance in 2012 as a free Audible download....more
A wonderful collection to curl up with during the lazy days of winter break. Each author manages within 20 to 40 pages to weave a delightful story-- tA wonderful collection to curl up with during the lazy days of winter break. Each author manages within 20 to 40 pages to weave a delightful story-- there are no weak links in the bunch. Not as substantial and filling as their full-length fare, but each of these makes a lovely "amuse-bouche"-- or "amuse-coeur" as the case may be. ...more
I wanted to enjoy this collection of vignettes more, but the disjointed nature kept me at arm's length. Perhaps intentionally, since many of the storiI wanted to enjoy this collection of vignettes more, but the disjointed nature kept me at arm's length. Perhaps intentionally, since many of the stories have to do with the narrator's own alienation, but the whole thing just felt kind of flat....more
Inspiring, if a little pedantic. This does fill a need in a (sadly)-growing area of the curriculum, and students who keep up with the headlines will wInspiring, if a little pedantic. This does fill a need in a (sadly)-growing area of the curriculum, and students who keep up with the headlines will want to read more about a few of the individuals who have moved on from the horrors of their enslavement....more
While this isn't the in-your-face humor of Garfield or other popular comic strips, a certain audience will appreciate O'Brien's deligGrades 4 and up:
While this isn't the in-your-face humor of Garfield or other popular comic strips, a certain audience will appreciate O'Brien's delightful and thought-provoking cartoons. The cleverness is subtle enough that readers might have to study the panels on each two-page spread before understanding the sly message that O'Brien is sending through unexpected shifts in perspective or plays on words. This collection of cartoons from New Yorker artist O'Brien is divided into six sections, each focusing on a certain character: the dairy farmer, the chef, the woodsmen, the night, the doorman, and the clown. An enjoyable and highly-browsable collection. ...more
The four stories that Carle has chosen to retell and illustrate in this volume were previously included in earlier Carle publications, but they receivThe four stories that Carle has chosen to retell and illustrate in this volume were previously included in earlier Carle publications, but they receive new energy here. Children will enjoy hearing the well-known tales of "Tom Thumb" and "The Fisherman and His Wife," and the lesser-known "Hans in Luck" and "The Seven Swabians." Carle's illustrations add a wonderful vitality to the stories. An afterword gives a short history of the Brothers Grimm and why their stories were so well-received when originally published in the early 19th century. While younger children will enjoy hearing the stories, the text is small and fairly heavy: these are tales that will appeal to all ages. Recommended for any traditional literature collection.
How can you go wrong in giving the 14 pictures from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick to some of today's most wonderful authors who each provide a shortHow can you go wrong in giving the 14 pictures from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick to some of today's most wonderful authors who each provide a short story based on that picture? Chris Van Allsburg contributes a story for "Oscar and Alphonse," and the other stories are written by the likes of Lois Lowry, Walter Dean Myers, Louis Sachar, and Kate diCamillo, to name just a few. Each reader will have her favorites... I was partial to Linda Sue Park's take on "The Harp" and Stephen King's "The House on Maple Street." One word of caution: while many elementary teachers and librarians use The Mysteries of Harris Burdick to inspire their own students to write, the dark humor in many of these stories will best be appreciated by readers in middle school and up....more
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