Edited by Donald R. Gallo
CMSW, hardcover, 221 pages
This short story collection is one that the LA department is considering for their new curriculum. I really enjoyed the variety! The protagonists are teenagers and some of the stories had a little bit of "strong language," but nothing that made me cringe (like some of Chris Crutcher's work does - powerful, but painful too). My favorites were the first story, "Something Old, Something New," by Joyce Sweeney, and "Bread on the Water" by David Lubar.
Sweeney's story related the tale of a young, poor, talented black writer who wins an essay contest after his English teacher inspires him to enter. On his almost three-hour trip across town on mass transit (with lots of transfers), he sees the world and himself with new eyes. This is a very cool and inspirational story.
Lubar's work surprised me by not being funny. I'm so used to his fantastic "weenie" stories that this tale of religious hypocrisy really made me think. When the narrator and his friend get kicked out of church, they live out a kindness that the Bible talks about. Yet the adults don't get the message. Good stuff.
I didn't pay attention to the stories' use of figurative language or other "English teacher" type lesson material. I just read the stories for themselves, and definitely enjoyed them! Lots of good discussion material here.
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