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The Right Book at the Right Time

Using contemporary short fiction in the classroom

A thirty two pound anthology sits on each student's desk. Over a chorus of groans, you ask them to turn to page 843 while clutching scribbled notes about "A Clean, Well Lighted Place". You're eager to share this work from one of your favorite American writers when you hear a voice from the back:

"Hemingwho?"

So much for the classics

With teen readers -- especially those falling under the 'reluctant' category -- you're better off starting closer to home. Hey, I'm all for higher standards and exposing kids to the giants of literature, but unless your students have a fundamental understanding of short story elements or common knowledge of literary devices, you risk turning some kids off forever.

Fortunately, there's a myriad of young adult books out there with quality writing from contemporary authors to help capture kids' attention. Start with these gems, and not only will you get them reading, you'll be able to sneak some teaching in there, too. So don't toss away those weighty anthologies yet, just push 'em to the back of the shelf for a bit.

Consider yourself warned:

Be sure to read these stories ahead of time, though, before handing them out in the classroom. 'Edgy' is the buzzword in today's YA writing and depending on how you approach some of these works you may wind up with principals, parents or board members questioning your choices. But in the right environment, animated class discussions and enthusiastic written responses will be the norm. I promise.

No Easy Answers (ed. Donald R. Gallo) - The dedication page of this 1997 publication is what sold me on his latest collection: "This book is for all the teachers and librarians who know that kids will read if we introduce the right book to them at the right time." My philosophy exactly. And the stories in here reflect that notion. Popular YA authors contribute to this anthology ‚ from Walter Dean Meyers to Ron Koertge to Virginia Euwer Wolff. The book's sixteen stories are divided into thematic sections such as, 'It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time' and 'How Do I Get Myself Out of This?' Each story is then followed by a brief biography of the author giving some background into the piece and a listing of other titles written. It's a great stepping stone: if a kid likes a particular author's style, he or she has an idea of where to go next.

On The Edge: Stories on the Brink (ed. Lois Duncan) - This 2001 publication features other current authors such as Ellen Wittlinger and Margaret Peterson Haddix. It, too, has a follow up bio, but one that's written in first person - by the author him or herself. This personal link between writer and work is a wonderful compliment to the stories and shows kids how much life can influence fiction writing. For example, the first selection "Stevie in the Mirror" is about a girl placed in an adolescent psychiatric unit due to a suicide attempt. Wittlinger explains afterward how the character of Stevie was based on a real life person she'd met while working in such a hospital. It's this sort of connection, I think, that helps kids begin to see that fiction isn't simply some magical, external process.

Who Do You Think You Are? (selected by Hazel Rochman and Darlene Z. McCampbell) - This 1993 ALA Best Book for Young Adults is a study in stories about friends as well as enemies. The difference between this and the afore mentioned collections is that many of these are previously published selections from such books as Tobias Wolff's This Boy's Life and Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried as well as individual stories by authors like Toni Cade Bambara and Joyce Carol Oates. This collection would be a great lead into that thirty two pound anthology as well as a creative way to introduce those students ready for that leap into more 'adult' literature.

Shattered (ed. Jennifer Armstrong) - Dealing with a much heavier subject matter, Shattered is a collection of contemporary short stories written by young adult authors across cultures reflecting young people's struggle for survival in a climate of war. In her introduction, Armstrong writes, "Stories can be a way of looking at reality. We tell stories to help us walk closer to frightening truth, and with something as difficult as war, stories might be the best way to get there." She states that these pieces are not meant to be a study in history, but a glimpse into the painful realities of the consequences of conflict. In keeping with the serious theme, all authors' notes are saved for the end of the book. But an interesting addition appears at the bottom of each page: a running commentary listing different facts about various wars. A sort of 'story within a story', these historical elements literally and figuratively become the underlying base of this collection - a fascinating and symbolic intertwining of fact and fiction

Athletic Shorts (authored by Chris Crutcher) I had to add this because I don't want new readers to the world of YA collections to think everything out there is depressing. There's a lot of fun stuff, too. And this collection of Crutcher's is a good time, especially for those boys in your class who are into sports and are looking for a sense of humor on the page. What I like best about each of these stories is that the characters within them all show up in his different novels. So after you read "Telephone Man" , check out Crazy Horse Electric Game - the climactic scene in the short story is part of a bigger picture involving a different point of view character. It's a great way, as a teacher, not only to introduce a short story, but to entice a reader into trying a longer work. It makes for an easier transition because he or she will be meeting characters in the novel that they've already met in the short story.

The Last Word

These collections are only a small sampling of the dozens of anthologies out there. And while it's true that Hemingway, Faulkner, Welty, Hughes, Ellison, Tan, Alexie and the hundreds of other 'adult' writers deserve a place in our classroom, it's also true that today's young adult writers have something of substance to say. And if it means forgoing a lesson on "A Clean, Well Lighted Place" in order to teach kids something about characterization and dialogue and mood using a story such as Jennifer Armstrong's "Witness", I say go for it ‚ because if her story keeps their interest, sparking new thinking and animated discussion, then you've started them on their way.

Alternative Network Journal September 2003 Page 24-25

All speeches and articles are copyrighted by, and are the property of, Laurie Thurston, and may not be reprinted without permission of the author.