Reviews (27)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Written over ten years ago, AM I BLUE? is still as important today as it was then.A short-story collection dealing with GLBT (gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender) issues by some of 1995's top authors, this book is a true gem for teens searching for their identity--or just looking for a good read.With stories ranging from contemporary paranormal, to ones set in the 1950's, to one based during the Vietnam War, and even one in another world of Amazon warriors, there's something here for everyone.
Overall a great book!
There are some stories in this book that are absolutely phenomenal. "Am I Blue" is one of them, and it is a great first story of the book.This books helps people to understand what it is like to be GLBT from many different viewpoints."The Honorary Shepherd" is probably the story that impacted me the most, as it deals with interracial relationships as well.Having bought this book on accident, I am glad I did.I've probably read the book 15 times through and I don't know if I'll ever tire of it.

Helped me out
Reading this book helped me to figure out who I was, that I am gay. I'd been wondering for years, literally, but afraid to decide and not really sure either what it meant, but one day, at the North Shore Library this book caught my eye and the next day after reading it I came out to myself.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Fiction    4. Homosexuality    5. Juvenile fiction    6. Short Stories    7. Short stories, American    8. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    9. Social Issues - Homosexuality    10. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Dating & Sex    11. Women's studies   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Short Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Reviews (2)

One of Clark's Best Mystery Anthologies: 4� stars
"Bad Behavior," a collaboration by the International Association of Crime Writers, contains 22 mystery stories, as recapped below: This is a disturbing book, but not S. King
I liked it.It was a good collection of short, disturbing tales.Some stories creeped me out.I mean I was scared.But if you like that kind of a thing, this is for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Detective and mystery stories    4. General    5. Horror stories    6. Horror tales    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    9. Mystery and detective stories    10. Short stories    11. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (2)

In the Year 2525 . . . Well, Okay, the Year 2041
Published in 1991, this collection of stories posed each author the question-what would the world be like 50 years from now?Veteran SF and fantasy writer Jane Yolen presents readers with a collection of delightful stories on the advent of her fiftieth year.These range from the introspective, to the hilarious, to the gravely frightening.Ten of these twelve tales are original to this production, and all of them are worth a read.This anthology is directed at a young teen audience, as evidenced by the introduction by the editor.Jane poses the question to her reader, what will the world be like in 50 years, when they are in their sixties.
The best collection of sci-fi stories about the future!
This collection of stories are all from the year 2041.All have different things that the world will be like in 2041.One story is "Ear" which is about the people of 2041 have to wear an amp on their ear to hear. Another is "Whose Gonna Rock Us Home?" which is about a boy who runs away from home with just him and his guitar on the streets full of murderous gangs.So I think this is the best collection of sci-fi stories about the future of the year.Trust me you should add this to your science fiction book collection ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    4. Science fiction    5. Science fiction, American    6. Short stories    7. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

An excellent collection of short stories for young adults
I am so pleased to see this book back in print.I first used this book in a summer school class for entering freshmen six years ago, and my studentsloved it.There are wonderful stories to be found here, from some of thebest writers of young adult fiction in the business.Chris Crutcher's"A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune" is probably thebest of the book (and far better than the movie "Angus").Thereis also an absolutely first-rate rarity, the second-person point of viewstory, in Gordon Korman's hilarious "A Reasonable Sum."Ifyou're a teacher looking for some contemporary short stories for teenagers,or you just love to read well-written stories, then "Connections"is a great find. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies    2. Children's Books - Young Adult    3. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    4. Children's stories, American    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Short Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Reviews (3)

Coming from an Asian girl.
American Eyes is a great book. It tells the whole world how it's like for us "Outsiders". The book says many true things about Asian people and how we live and think. I enjoyed the book because it reminded me not too be so obnoxious about having black hair, brown eyes and having parents who are traditional to thier culture. It teaches lessons like its okay not too be a "Blond blue eyed and tall". The story "House Painting" was a story I got addicted to. It told about a sister off at college coming home and the parents being very excited. Over all the book was great. For the children or adults who hate reading long boring stories, "American Eyes" is a book every one could enjoy and surely isn't boring.

A collection of stories that are easy to relate to.
Though the stories like "Blonde" and "Knuckles" read like childish stories, I found the rest of the book to be pretty interesting and easy to relate to. It's nice to know that I'm not alone inmy dislike for Asian foods ("Fortune Teller") or my lack ofknowledge of my ethnic language ("Summer of My Korean Soldier").My favorites were "Fortune Teller," "Singing Apples,"and "Summer of My Korean Soldier." The references to thedifferent cultures were a learning experience. And the stories don't havehappy endings, which is a life lesson in itself.

a pointless collection
I bought this book knowing that it is a collection of short stories by Asian writers that is intended for young adults.However, I was not expecting a book written by young adults.That's what the story of this book reads like.The themes explored in this book are pretty cliched: do we really need another story about Chinese kids being embarassed by the ethnic food her mother packs for them for lunch?Not only are the topics cliched, their treatments can't be more standard. I believe that some of these stories could have been written by non-Asians who owns a Chinese-English dictionary. Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian American authors    2. Asian Americans    3. Children's Books - Young Adult    4. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. People & Places - United States - Asian American    9. Short Stories    10. Short stories, American    11. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    12. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Emotions & Feelings    14. Racism, sexism & prejudice   

Reviews (8)

The Truth and its companions
Doing Time by Rob Thomas is a great book. Rob Thomas does an excellent job of writing ten short stories in which each one appeals to teenagers. Thomas does an exceptional job of conveying morals and themes from each story that really makes one think. That was great...
This book is full of stories that are irony and also true. Most of them were similar to the ones that I read before but there was something always odd and unexpected. ??Doing Time?? is about hours. It made me want to go over to Lee High School get involved with friends there volunteering for others. I would definitely recommend to the others who don??t want to worry about which types of book they want to read because this book is related to our real lives and it shows Rob Thomas??s thoughtful comments from each characters. You can't escape life!
I would recommend the book Doing Time to any reader who will give a book a chance. Rob Thomas wrote this book about 0 diferent Cmunnity Service stories. At a place called Lee High youhave to have 200 hours of community service put in b4 you can graduate. In one of the chapters 2 people volonteer at a library and every wednesday there is a meeting of people who have lost pets. In another chapter A geeky young women starts volonteering at a type of Care/ Rehabilatation Center. A man that she fel l in love with a yar or 2 b4 has to go there b/c of a motocycle crsh. As i said this is agrate book and I woi=uldrecommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children's stories, American    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. High schools    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. School & Education    8. Schools    9. Short Stories    10. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (21)

A Writing Teacher's Perspective
Fine craftmanship is the hallmark for Robert Cormier's storytelling abilities. This book is different from his other works. Each short story begins with an introduction that focuses on a different concept for writing. He not only tells the story, the introduction tells how he came up with the story idea. For example, the introduction to the first story focuses on choosing your perspective when writing. The themes of the story are love and the agony of middle age. Mr. Cormier uses the short stories to model his craftmanship for other writers. If you are looking for his usual work, this book isn't like the others and you might want to keep looking. If you are looking for insight into the craftmanship of writing, this is a great book!

Only sporadically interesting.
Eight Plus One is a collection of short stories inspired by Cormier's life as a father and teenager - three set during the great depression, four from the view of a father, and five as a teenager.
My Review
Have you ever felt like you were living the story that you were reading? Well that is how I felt reading 8 Plus 1 by Robert Cormier. It is a collection of 9 short stories. The one that I enjoyed the most was the story called "Bunny Berigan----Wasn't He a Musician or Something." In this story I felt like it was very detailed, you just get trapped into the story. I liked the fact that Robert Cormier was so specific about the story that he just made me feel as if I knew the characters and as if I was part of the story. Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Family life    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Short Stories    9. Juvenile Fiction / General    10. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (6)

The Greatest Kook of all
Dymirah Gurley
The Greatest Kook of all
[...]
Couple of Kooks: and Other Stories about Love
THIS BOOK IS GREAT!!!I have always enjoyed reading Cynthia Rylant books because she is a very compelling and expressive writer.I was surprised to find the story "A Crush" inside my 7th grade class's reading book. My exact thoughts were oh joy another story that I will like and the students won't but I was proved wrong.The first words I heard after I completed reading the story out loud was "What happens? Why didn't you finish?"My students enjoyment of the story has led me to purchase the book and use it as my read aloud book for the next book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Literature (Young Adult)    6. Love    7. Short stories    8. Short stories, American   

Reviews (5)

short stories about tough issuses
This book is a great book about teens dealing with tough issues. It touches on many issuse that teens deal with every day, such as teen pregnancy, drug use and abuse, not knowing how to handle.The fact that it is written as a group of short stories makes it that much more appealing to a younger audience. Great stories...there's at least one for everyone
I read this book in less than a day.The stories were really realistic, and they're things that real teenagers face in everyday life.All the stories are by different authors, and I liked how they put a mini-bio after each of the stories to tell about that author's most famous books that had won the most prizes, etc.It helped, because if there was a story I really liked, then I could get the book with the longer version (most of the stories came from a book the author had written).It was an awesome book.

An excellent discussion tool for character education . . .
Given the recent trend toward violence with teenagers, this book provides a powerful discussion piece in the middle school classroom.The stories in this collection all have characters who face difficult moral delimmas. This can spark many classroom activities where students determine the bestcourse of action.This gets young adults talking about character, takingresponsiblity, and choosing the right path. Furthermore, the high interestlevel of the stories hook even the most reluctant of readers!It was hardfor anyone in the room to put down. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children's stories, American    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Conduct of life    6. Fiction    7. Human behavior    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Short Stories    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Issues - Values    12. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Reviews (1)

A Pretty Good Collection of Short Stories
This is a pretty good collection of short stories all having a common theme: teens at work. The stories have a range of characters, from thirteen year olds to nineteen year olds, from chinese to mexican, and are all worth reading. The teens experiences range from meeting new people to discover new things about themseves and the life they want to lead. If you like short story collections or just like reading about teens, this is a good book to get. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business, Careers, Occupations    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children's stories, American    4. Employment    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Short Stories    8. Teenagers    9. Work    10. Literature: Texts   

Reviews (12)

Baseball in april and other stories
The book Baseball in april and other stories is a book based on different stories in it. I think that it's a fun book to read for us teens because if you find the first story boring or you not interested in the story, you can go to the next story. I think books like that have different stories that relate to each other(I guess. There were only about three (3) stories that I didnt like or it was just boring to me.
Great storytelling
I discovered Gary Soto's poetry in a public library in Nebraska. Then I read his short stories, my favorite being "Baseball in April." Like his poetry, these stories are beautiful in that they reveal a child's inner thought life; they also show the challenges that teenagers go through.
good
The reason that I think this book is very good is because,of various reasons. One reason i think this book is very good is cause in the book the kids sound like they are having fun and its very realistic ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    3. Children's stories, American    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile fiction    7. Mexican Americans    8. School & Education    9. Short Stories    10. Social Situations - General   

Editorial Review

Movie stars, rock stars, pond nymphs, intergalactic superheroes . . . who are the real goddesses in Francesca Lia Block's world? Real young women--the kind who ache, bleed, dance, and talk to blue ghosts in closets. Famous for her lyric Weetzie Bat books, Block blossoms in this collection of short stories about love: straight, gay, familial, and otherworldly. Very few young adult authors talk as frankly as Block about sex and some of the other yearnings we feel in this world, yet she guides her readers toward the self-respect and courage necessary to make smart choices about those yearnings. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

another great one by francesca lia block
Francesca Lia Block never ceases to amaze me and with this book she proves just how awesome of a writer she is. With her poetic style and writing of topics that a lot of people deal with every day from homosexuality and the loss of a parent to drug use and schizophrenia and being without friends (almost all 9 stories center around the lead girl character with the exception of a few) With this book F. L. Block proves that in every girl lives a goddess and we should embrace that and be proud that we are a goddess and no one can take that away from us.
Amazing Book
Girl Goddess #9 is an amazing book.
Goddesses
Books by Francesca Lia Block are always gorgeous. In Girl Goddess #9, there were stories about girls making zines, in love with rock stars, about best friends racing through life. There was a girl with a little blue friend in her closet, and a girl who had two beautiful mothers. Jacaranda, Rave, Desiree, Alabaster Duchess and Lady Ivory, Pixie and Pony, Tuck, Izzy and Anastasia, Winnie, & Tweetie Sweet Pea are all goddesses.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Girls & Women    4. Short Stories    5. Short stories, American    6. Social Situations - Adolescence   

Editorial Review

How do we become who we need to be? How do we make the transition from child to adult? Sometimes we have very few people to guide us. Sometimes the journeys are lonely. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to see how far we've come."Leaving Home" is a collection of stories by some of the world's most powerful writers (including Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, Gary Soto,Norma Fox Mazer, and Sandra Cisneros) about departing from familiar worlds, encountering pain and confusion, finding a new way of being. Transcendent, magical, transforming . . . for readers young and old. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

everybody has been through it
This book has a lot of situations that people been through when they were younger. Some had it easier than others,but when it all came down they had to leave their nest and be on their own.The book Leaving Home has stories from people of all ages stating their situations about why they had to leave and what happened to them when they were own their own. The stories that I read was very interesting, it reminded me of the day I left my nest.

It's a wonderful book
Leaving Home is a wonderful anthology of stories by d Been There done That
Its interesting, a book about what it feels like to dream of leaving home and the and alll the posibilties that couldfollow., I was real impressed with their desire to go out and explore the world. The problem is that most of the situations in the book has happened to me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Juvenile fiction    4. Short Stories    5. Social Issues - New Experience    6. Social Situations - New Experience    7. Youth   

Editorial Review

Put together in remembrance of the authors who inspired her own writing, this anthology edited by Jacqueline Woodson includes stories and poems by more than a dozen African American writers. From excerpts of James Baldwin's searing Read more

Reviews (1)

A very interesting book aimed at the mature reader
I found this book to be very absorbing but definitely intended for the mature reader (17 and older.) If you plan to purchase it for a school library, be sure to read it in its entirety first. Several of the writingscontain strong language and explicit sexual material. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American authors    2. African Americans    3. American literature    4. Anthologies    5. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    6. Children's literature, America    7. Children's literature, American    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. Ethnic - African American    10. Literary collections    11. People & Places - United States - African-American   

Reviews (1)

Twelve Shots deserves 12 stars!
I read Tweleve Shots in a sudden urge to get up and read a odd-sounding titled book. I was suprised at how intrigued one could be in a book with this such genre. I had never thought I would enjoy the book, but as soon as the library fines started becuase I was to busy reading it to return it, I went out and bought myself a copy! That was May. By December, all my friends had read the book and a few bought THIER friends copies for X-mas and birthdays! I now own a battered and worn thin, but loved and frequently read, copy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children's stories, American    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Firearms    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Short Stories    9. Social Issues - General    10. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Reviews (19)

Athletic Shorts
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher is a collection of six short stories revolving around six different characters. More than a mere collection of sports related stories this book looks at everyday situations and problems about teen life. Weight problems, pushy parents, uncomfortable situations, racism, homosexuality and death. Packed into less than 200 pages Crutcher is able to captivate readers through this book with his humor as well as his insights into the young adult mind. My favorite story of the six is "The Other Pin" about a guy named Petey who is "volunteered" by his best friend to wrestle Chris Byers who has a habit of not just beating all opponents but humiliating them in the process. If that wasn't bad enought Chris Byers is also a girl. Though some of Crutcher's stories are emotional and heart wrenching all are worth the read.

Wonderful book
This really is a wonderful collection, one that anyone seeking to understand the mind and actions of a teenage boy or even girl should read. Chris is simple, straightforward, and always fun to read. I'd highly recommend this to any student and even some teachers.

Highly Recommended!
This book is great for introducing children to Gay and Lesbian issues through characters and themes. Athletic Shorts is a collection of stories about athletic boys facing challenges in their lives, including " A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune," about a boy with two sets of gay parents and "In the Time I Get," in which Louie, the main character of Cruther's Running Loose becomes friends with a gay man dying of AIDS. I also recommend Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence by Marion Dean Bauer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Short Stories    4. Short stories, American    5. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Children's stories, American    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    4. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    5. Science fiction    6. Science fiction, American    7. Short stories   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. England    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Horror / Ghost Stories (Young Adult)    7. Horror tales, English    8. Occult fiction    9. Short stories, English    10. Westall, Robert    11. Juvenile Fiction / General    12. Short stories   

Editorial Review

Virginia Euwer Wolff (Read more

Reviews (4)

Color of Absenceshows loss in many ways
I absolutely solidly recommend this anthology of short stories.All of the stories deal with loss, but different types of loss and the stories are as varied as the writers who have written them. Walter Dean Myers uses baseball for his setting, Annette Curtis Klause writes about a vampire, and "Shoofly Pie" by Naomi Shihab Nye is set in A DINER!! All of the stories are brilliantly written and selected. Anyone who has experienced loss will love these stories, but anyone who enjoys great writing will also love these stories.Avi's story about a bicycle theft is wonderful and "The Rialto" is great as well. "The Rialto" was supposed to be made into a novel, but no news yet. UNTIL THEN, Read the short story. It is fabulous. I can't believe in a collection of short stories, there is not a one that I did not care for.

GOOD BOOK
This book makes for a good read. it has theraupitc ways of dealing with death, loss, and ways of finding hope.

Color of Absence
I read the story "Summer of Love" by Annette Curtis Klause. I thought it was a really good short story. I like this story because it is funny and I think vampires are cool because they are wicked.I thought is was sad because Simon was alone until he meets a cat.Then when the cat died he was alone again.:( Other kids in my class think the story is sad, but they liked it too. :( ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Fiction    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Loss (Psychology)    6. Short Stories    7. Short stories, American    8. Social Issues - Adolescence    9. Social Issues - Death & Dying    10. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    11. Social Situations - Adolescence    12. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Emotions & Feelings    14. YA: Grades 10-12