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"Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow" by Alexander Stadler. Click, July/August 2012, pages 28-34.

"Beverly Billingsley Takes a Bow" is a short story featuring the same main character as the 2002 picture book Beverly Billingsley Borrows a Book. It appears in the July/August 2012 issue of Click Magazine. (It was also published as a picture book back in 2007, and it's still in print.)

Beverly wants to be an actress in the school play, but when she goes for her audition, stage fright gets the best of her and she winds up with two very small roles. Her parents encourage her to be the best Wall and Shrub she can be, but Beverly can’t help but learn all the other characters’ lines anyway. On the night of the play, Beverly can feel herself becoming less and less afraid, and ultimately, it is she who is able to help one of the stars remember her lines when she gets nervous.

This is a story line that has been used over and over again, and there isn’t very much new about this version, but kids in the target age group will be unlikely to realize that. Beverly is a relatable character, similar to a Henkes mouse, and her experiences are very believable and likely to reflect the lives of real kids. The writing is strong, and there are some nice moments where the language really impressed me. I especially liked Beverly’s feeling on opening night: “heavy and indestructible, as though she were actually made of stone.” I also got a chuckle out of her studying the stone wall and shrubs at her house to help her get into character.

Beverly Billingsley Borrows a Book is a picture book I like, and I’m glad to see Beverly is still around starring in stories like this one. Though this story is probably intended as a read-aloud, I think beginning readers approaching the chapter book level could read it on their own, too.

I read this short story at my local public library.

Visit Click Magazine online here.

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"A Motel Christmas" by Marilyn Kratz. from Highlights for Children, Dec 2012, Vol. 67 Issue 12, p40-41.

"A Motel Christmas" is a short story which appears in the December 2012 issue of Highlights for Children. Max is traveling with his family on Christmas Eve in a snowstorm. When the weather becomes too dangerous for them to continue to their destination, Max, his baby sister Olivia, and their parents find themselves stranded at a motel. They learn that Mr. Owens, the man at the motel desk, will also be spending the night alone because his son’s flight was delayed. Making the best of the situation, Max arranges a party for the man and all the guests of the motel.

There is no shortage of heartwarming holiday stories like this, which give kids - and their parents - feelings of warm fuzziness. Though it’s not much fun to be stranded in a motel on a holiday, this story makes it seem like a cozy and exciting experience. Max is perhaps a bit too good-natured and resourceful to be believable, but the story definitely gets to the heart of the Christmas spirit and shows kids a positive example of keeping the celebration alive despite adversity.

The language of the story is pretty simple, which suits the reading level of the magazine’s target audience of early elementary school students. There is lots of dialogue, which helps to develop the characters quickly, even though the story is only two pages long. The artwork by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill shows a racially diverse cast of characters, which adds to the story’s appeal for all readers.

Families looking for short, sweet holiday stories to share with their kids, or possibly even to read to a child’s class, will find that "A Motel Christmas" fits the bill. Independent readers will have no difficulty reading and enjoying this uplifting holiday tale, which empowers kids to make the best of bad situations and be thankful at every moment for all that they have.

I accessed this short story through my local public library’s subscription to the MasterFILE Premier database.  

Visit Highlights for Children online here.

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"Snow Day" by Ben H. Winters. from Jack & Jill, Nov/Dec2012, Vol. 74 Issue 6, p6-7.

Today’s short story comes from the November/December 2012 issue of Jack & Jill Magazine. I was drawn to the story because it is by Ben H. Winters, who writes the Bethesda Fielding mystery stories. "Snow Day" is for a slightly younger audience than his novels, but it’s still an enjoyable read.

James and Zeke are brothers. After his wish for a snow day comes true, James becomes convinced that he can control what happens to him by wishing for what he wants to happen. Practical-minded Zeke doesn’t believe in wishing, and he grows more and more frustrated as James’s wishes keep coming true. Only in the end when James fails to get his way does Zeke finally have the last word.

When I was a kid, I was really drawn to lighthearted slice of life stories like this one, because I liked imagining what other families were like. Not much happens in this quick glimpse into the relationship between two brothers, but the strong dialogue and gentle joking between the two boys is enough to keep the reader interested. I think most kids who live in snowy climates wish for snow days, so the subject matter is perfectly relatable for this time of year. I also think many kids would love to have the power to wish for things, and this story raises important questions about what life would be like if we did get everything we wished for.

Share this story with kids who wish for snow, or who need something to do on their own snow day.

I accessed this short story through my local public library’s subscription to the MasterFILE Premier database.

Visit Jack and Jill magazine online here.

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"Don't Blow out the Candles" by Barbara Diamond Goldin. from Highlights for Children, Dec 1998, Vol. 53 Issue 12, p18 

"Don’t Blow Out the Candles" is a Hanukkah story I found on the Highlights for Children website. It originally appeared in the magazine’s December 1998 issue. Iris is a big sister whose little brother, Benjy is still a bit too young to fully understand Hanukkah. He would much rather run around pretending to be a race car, and he even threatens to blow out the menorah candles. Iris, to whom Hanukkah is very important, and who cherishes the family’s menorah with the lion at the base, doesn’t get upset, but instead sits down with her brother to remind him of the story behind Hanukkah.

One of my challenges in the library this holiday season so far has been finding basic picture books that explain Hanukkah in simple enough terms for toddlers and preschoolers. The nice thing about this story is that it accomplishes this task, not just for a young audience, but from a youthful point of view. Iris tells the story in basic terms so that her brother can understand exactly why they have a menorah in their home. Benjy asks questions typical of a four-year-old, and Iris responds in child-like terms that still get across the correct information. Adults are mentioned in the story, but do not appear, and the focus becomes on the exchange between the two siblings as they come to a common understanding of their shared faith and traditions.

This story is available free online from Highlights, so it’s readily available to recommend to those families who want a simple account of the Hanukkah story that will be understood by every member of the family, no matter how young. It’s also a nice reminder for people like me who don’t celebrate Hanukkah, of what the celebration is all about.

Read "Don't Blow Out the Candles" on the Highlights website here.

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Since this week marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, I decided to share my thoughts on a story from a collection entitled You Don’t Have a Clue: Latino Mystery Stories for Teens. For more on National Hispanic Heritage Month click here. 

Marla is one of the few white girls in a primarily Latino high school. When she goes missing, and is later found dead, the police draw their own conclusions, treating the case as open and shut, but Gloria, a journalist for the school newspaper, can’t rest until she’s sure justice has been served. With pad and paper in hand, she interviews everyone who might know anything about Marla’s final hours, pressing for answers to the questions the police aren’t asking.

"No Flowers for Marla" might be a short story, but it has every element of an excellent mystery - suspense, red herrings, and a surprising conclusion. The beginning and ending of the story are a bit flowery in terms of description and emotion, but the middle reads like a detailed crime report, focusing on every detail of Marla’s murder. Gloria isn’t especially well-developed beyond a brief glimpse into her family life and her stubborn persistence regarding Marla’s case, but she is the most believable teen detective I’ve read about. Her role as school newspaper reporter gives her a plausible reason to poke around in the business of the case, and the roadblocks she encounters are reasonable for a teenager trying to solve a crime, but not so insurmountable that she doesn’t eventually figure it all out. I also think she is a much more believable character than someone like, say, Nancy Drew, because we get to see her emotional reactions to each clue she uncovers. She’s not just a vehicle for finding clues, but a real character unto herself who is affected deeply by the case.

Due to the somewhat graphic nature of the subject matter, I would say that is a story for older teens. Though the collection it comes from is intended to celebrate Latino Mystery Stories for Teens, race is not heavily important to this story. More important are themes of community, violation, fear, and justice. Latino teens will be pleased, however, to see characters who look and speak like them featured in such a wonderfully well-crafted story. The mystery kept me eagerly turning the pages, and the bittersweet ending made me tear up just a little bit. Teachers might like to use this story as a mini lesson in constructing a strong mystery story. It would also make a nice read-aloud for a mystery-themed library program, for Halloween, or any time.

Preview the story below: 

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Today I’m introducing a brand-new feature here on the blog. This one is devoted to an oft-overlooked format of literature for kids: the short story. My library’s shelves are pretty well-stocked with short story collections, but they are much less likely to circulate than the novels shelved on either side of them. I’ve started trying to include them more in activities, especially for older readers who can sit and listen to a story that doesn’t have many illustrations. As I get to know the library collection and other kid-friendly short stories, I’ll be sharing them here, in the Short Story Spotlight. Each Monday, I’ll introduce one short story, give a brief review and, where applicable, suggestions for how to use it with kids, or how to get kids reading it.

I begin this week with "Fat Girls Can’t Don’t Run" by Lynea Bowdish.

"Fat Girls Can't Don't Run." by Lynea Bowdish. From Lay-ups and Long Shots. Darby Creek Publishing. 2008. ISBN: 9781581960785

This story comes from a collection of sports-themed stories entitled Lay-ups and Long Shots. It definitely fits in well with the second part of that title, because the main character of the story, Carla Anders, doesn’t see herself as the kind of person who can run, let alone win a race. Instead, she sees herself as a fat girl for whom dieting and exercise are equally hopeless. “The point,” she says, “is to stay as invisible as possible” because otherwise, she will be teased about her weight. One day in gym class, though, Carla forgets about trying to blend in and does what actually feels good to her - pushes herself harder to actually run competitively against a classmate.

This story deals with such an important subject in a gentle, yet empowering way, but I’m not sure the kind of reader who would appreciate it the most is necessarily the kind of reader who would choose to read a book with a basketball hoop on the cover. I would have loved this story in middle school, but there’s no way I’d have picked up such a sporty book. But the story is in there, just waiting, and I think every teacher and librarian can think of at least one girl who can benefit from the message that being “fat” doesn’t automatically exclude a girl from living life and trying to be healthy.

Another plus is that the story is quick and easy to read. It relates just this one small achievement in a girl’s life, draws its conclusions, and moves on. Skeptical readers will barely have time to scoff before the story is over. I’m not sure I’d use this as a read-aloud, but I will keep it in mind the next time a parent asks me for something about weight and self esteem.

Lynea Bowdish, whose name is new to me, is the author of a few other, vaguely familiar books. According to her author bio in the Layups and Long-Shots anthology, she was also a “large” kid, and “firmly believes bird watching and computer games should qualify as sports when it comes to school fitness tests.”

I borrowed Lay-Ups and Long Shots from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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