Been There, Done That

September 7, 2015
In this fiction/nonfiction hybrid, 20 authors including Gary D. Schmidt, Margarita Engle, and Linda Sue Park pair accounts of real-life moments in their lives with fictional counterparts they inspired. Some of the fictional stories unfold faithfully, such as Lisa Yee’s tales about a cruel prank in which one girl hides in a closet while her two friends talk about her, both ending on uneasy, thought-provoking notes. Others veer wildly from reality to invention: Nathan Hale’s hilarious graphic treatment of his siblings’ childhood terrorization of their younger sister translates into a darkly comedic story that begins with nefarious men stealing Easter loot from orphans. And Karen Cushman applies a historical prism to her husband’s childhood in San Diego to create a tale about a family forever changed by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Winchell’s introductions to each section help organize the stories, which are grouped into thematic categories revolving around topics like guilt, peer pressure, and change. These multifaceted, parallel stories reveal not only how ideas become fiction but also how the spark of creativity evolves into a polished product. Ages 10–up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (Nov.)■

August 1, 2015
Twenty writers share how they drew upon personal experiences to write short fiction. Gary D. Schmidt kicks off the collection with a fine story based on a summer-camp job in which his fictional character falls in love and deals with some scary peer pressure. Claire Legrand transmutes a personal experience into an eerie dystopian tale with a tone akin to that of "The Lottery." Julia Alvarez's "My First True Frenemy" combines the politics of the Dominican Republic, immigration to the United States, and the difficulties of forging a friendship. A brief "What Really Happened" section precedes each story so that readers can compare the real-life experiences with the fictional renderings. Stories are arranged by theme-peer pressure; regret, guilt, and sadness; being surprised by what some people do; putting others first; asking questions about the world around you; and dealing with change. The stories are purposive, out to show the connections between personal experience and fiction, so there's a sameness in the first-person point of view and the reminiscent tone, though variety is provided by stories in a graphic novel format, monologues, and verse. Though no single story is a knockout, the collection is consistently strong and useful. What Rebecca Stern and Brad Wolfe did for personal essays in Breakfast on Mars (2013), Winchell delivers for teachers of short fiction. A fine collection and a boon to writing teachers everywhere. (Anthology. 10-16)

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October 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-A collection of short works from a wide variety of young adult and juvenile fiction writers. Each piece has two parts: actual events from the author's' life and the story that was inspired by that event. The book is organized into six thematic chapters such as "If Only...: Dealing with Regret, Guilt, and Sadness" and "Why or Why Not?: Asking Questions About the World Around You." Some of the works have identifiable flavors of the actual event while others merely use a kernel of truth for their story. One of the best is "Lemon Squeeze" by Caroline Starr Rose, based on stories she was told by her mother. Lemon Squeeze was a game played by her mother in the Little Nippers club, where each girl contributed an anonymous "suggestion" to another girl. Rose spins a story written in free verse poetry. Each girl has her own voice and tells her inner thoughts about the game and the hurt feelings that go along with criticism. Many of the stories feel like "works in progress" and read more like developmental practice. As a result, some of the creative stories may not stand well on their own. This collection will work best in a classroom setting, as the entries are solid mentor texts for "write what you know" exercises. VERDICT A worthwhile purchase to fulfill a specific niche.-Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

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