The Adventures of Superhero Girl
Faith Erin Hicks
This unexpected treat I found in the children's section of Cardiff Central Libraries, during a day I spent "researching" the resources there. (I was finding materials for story time and got distracted in the graphic section.)
Superhero Girl is a completely terrible superhero, especially compared to her brother, who takes on the world and handles the fame of his status with ease and composure.
And yet it is Superhero Girl that I would like to be - terrible with romance, impoverished by lack of income, and pretty useless at maintaining her secret identity. Her missions are somewhat mediocre - rescuing cats from trees, placating her overzealous mother, etc. - but that makes it all the more brilliant when her arch-nemesis finds himself chosing between continuing in a career of evil and a more conventional profession.
This comic stemmed from a blog, which you can find here: http://superherogirladventures.blogspot.co.uk/; and author Faith Erin Hicks is very vocal and entertaining on social media. She is definitely worth following.
Roy Kane TV Detective
Steve Bowkett
London, A&C Black, 2008, 80p
The Colour Graphix series has had a recent reprint and now they look great! Originally published in 1998, the books in this collection are brightly illustrated, full of drama, and ideal for reluctant readers.
When a diamond is stolen from the city museum, Roy Kane TV Detective is on the case. The diamond belongs to Magnus Carmody, a billionaire. CCTV footage shows a mysterious dark shape entering and leaving the room, so Kane and his partner, Vicki Stand, turn to local celebrity magician for ideas. But Doctor Praetorius is unable (or unwilling) to help. He seems like the obvious suspect, but nothing is ever what it seems.
The story is accessible and not overly complicated, but engaging enough for younger readers to want to keep reading.
Assassin City / Switch Face
Jonny Zucker & Pedro J Colombo / Jonny Zucker & Kev Hopgood
London, Franklin Watts, 2013
There is nothing like a good short read to get me back into younger fiction, albeit slowly. Luckily, I read two!
In Assassin City, Milo is given a task and he has no choice but to follow through. He does not want to be an assassin, so plots with Kira to try and find a way out.
Switch Face is the story of a boy who can change his face to look like another person, providing he has an image from which to take inspiration. At school, he borrows a mate's passport to get him into trouble, and adopts the Headmaster's face to boss people around. But his antics place him in danger when he finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
Best of all, Switch Face is a cliffhanger - it is so short, with so much packed in, that it leaves you begging for more.
Franklin Watts are legendary for their short read fiction and non-fiction, and with these new graphics, they have really hit the mark. They are brightly illustrated, action-packed and ideally low on the Accelerated Reader scale at just 1.7 / 1.8.
It is really hard to find books at the lower scale of the Accelerated Reader program - my stock in that area is pretty thin, though most of the books in that section are exceptional. But I am so glad I have this new (at least, new for my library) selection of Franklin Watts to entertain those reluctant boys who are so easily distracted in lesson.
Clockwork, or All Wound Up
Philip Pullman
London, Corgi, 1996, 92p
Clockwork is one of the novels the year seven read towards the end of the academic year. I am pretty sure I have read it before, but as I reread, I was delighted that I couldn't remember it, so got to enjoy it all over again.
In a small German town, everyone is buzzing with excitement about the new figure that will appear in the clock tomorrow. An apprentice clock maker is coming to the end of his training, and tradition dictates he must add his own touch to the town timepiece. But Karl is not ready - he has not managed to create anything, so he sits in the Tavern listening to the dark and terrible tales of the local storyteller.
And when one of the so-called characters of the story arrives in the Tavern, a man who some say is the devil, it becomes clear that the wind up figures might be more than they first appear.
Pullman's short story explores some complex ideas about good and evil, and about the power of pure love. It draws on tropes from traditional fairy tales, with murder and death contrasted against the innocence of a child, wrapped in a moral about having a good soul.
But it is also surprisingly haunting - I haven't read a gothic tale like this in some time, and expect to find myself having some weird dreams tonight...
Jon for Short
Malorie Blackman
Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 80p
I love a good Barrington Stoke and, with Malorie Blackman, you are bound to find yourself reading something more than good.
Jon is haunted by dark nightmares. He lies in a hospital bed, unable to move, his arms missing and, he suspects, his legs soon to be taken, too. It is a terrifying ordeal because no one believes him, and the doctors and nurses mull around unwilling to help him.
The dark dream is repeated again and again throughout the book, slowly building and growing to reveal the truth about who Jon is and why he is in this state.
Malorie Blackman is a brilliant writer, but when combined with the skills and experience of Barrington Stoke, you get a sharp, scary read suitable for readers of all ages and abilities. Embossed with the 'dyslexia friendly' sticker, Jon for Short is suitable for reluctant readers and those with special educational needs; but the psychological thriller would attract all.
Stories of World War One
ed. Tony Bradman
London, Orchard, 2014, 304p
Memorials to the First World War will come in many forms this year, but Tony Bradman is one of the greatest editors of short stories today. This collection has vast variety and a great selection of authors to read.
My favourite story was The Men Who Wouldn't Sleep by Tim Bowler, which is about a young boy who volunteers at a hospital for returning soldiers. There, Robbie meets Bert and Jimmy, two injured soldiers. Bert is incredibly protective of Jimmy, who sits in a trance like state, unable or unwilling to talk to anyone. Robbie is assigned to sit and talk with Jimmy - at first, he struggles to know what to say, but soon he finds himself sharing his worries about his father, who is lost in France. It is a touching, tragic story; one of many in this collection that stay with you long after you have finished reading.
There are stories set on the home front and on the front line, in France, England, Ireland and elsewhere. Some are about the young and others are about older soldiers. Each of the authors tackles a different element of war, such as the separation of childhood sweethearts, mothers' fears about their sons, and young boys in the trenches. There is a brilliant contribution from Children's Laureate, Malorie Blackman, which explores the relationship between two half brothers on the front line, torn between their love for each other and masculine pride.
Although I didn't feel that the collection began with a particularly strong story, I liked the way these stories brought the war into the present, making it accessible for modern teenage readers. There is a story for everyone in this book, though you may have to read them all to find the one for you.
Ghost Stadium
Tom Palmer
Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 2013, 88p
I could not put this book down. And that is not just because it is short and I knew I could read through it quickly - no, this book is haunting, action-packed and completely brilliant.
School's out, and Lucas, Irfan and Jack have a great plan for the first night of summer. They are going to break into the old Northface Stadium, abandoned since the closure of the club five years ago. They are going to break in and camp out, reliving the memories of the old football team. But years ago, someone lost his life within the stands, and now he is out to avenge his death.
I don't think I have ever read such a gripping Barrington Stoke novel - it is hardly recognisable as a dyslexia friendly book because it is so fast paced and scary. The chapters are short and succinct, but each ends with something that makes you want to turn to the next page. Every sentence is carefully crafted to entice you to read on, as you get deeper and deeper into the mystery and horror.
Although there are no illustrations, Ghost Stadium is very visual, drawing on classic Gothic tropes and common phobias - you feel like you are there with the boys, seeing strange things in the corners of your vision.
I cannot get enough of this new wave of engaging, high interest level fiction for reluctant and low ability readers. Now if only they could make some romances for my girls...
Graphic
Cathy Brett
Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 2013, 69p
I feel a great sense of victory when I am able to read book in just one day, even if it is a short read...
Graphic is the story of Joe, who is brilliant at art. He likes to hang around after school in the art room, partly so he can practice his skills, but also because Honey Jackson also hangs out there after school working on her fashion portfolio. The only problem is that Honey has a boyfriend. Then, Joe finds that some of the things he draws come true - he could get anything he wants, he could be rich, he could finally get to date Honey; but perhaps some wishes are better left unfulfilled.
This dyslexia friendly short read from Barrington Stoke. These books are tested with young readers to ensure they meet their needs and interests. And because it is a book about an artist, it's pages are filled with illustrations, helping with the visualisation of the story. Graphic is a great example of a fast-paced, high interest level novel for teens.
Snapshot
Robert Swindells
Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 2014, 50p
Rumour has it that this short novel is based on a true story.
When Alfie gets a brand-new, top of the range camera for his birthday, he doesn't expect it to put his life at risk. Trying out his new gadget, Alfie witnesses a robbery, and photographs the events. But walking home from the incident, he starts to worry he is being followed, and someone won't stop until the images are destroyed.
This is an unusually long sample of Barrington Stoke publishing, with a higher word count than most of their short reads. But this added to the story, giving Swindells room to play with characterisation and dramatic tension. As such, Alfie has time to wander down side streets and try to shake off his follower, and the reader becomes embroiled in the fear.
Snapshot has been published in the past, so this is a reproduction of the short novel. It is perfect for reluctant or low ability readers, and contains a story that I would recommend to all.
Under the Skin
Catherine McPhail
Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 2012, 53p
Omar's family have never had it easy, but now they have a home in England. Omar can't wait for his cousin to come and join them, and writes to tell him so. But Omar isn't completely honest in his letters. He writes about his friend, Sam, when in fact Omar and Sam are enemies.
Despite his school preaching tolerance, Sam is not accepting of Omar. They fight often, with Omar being fast to lash out and attack. Neither are exactly in the right. And Omar's mother isn't exactly setting a great example, bickering and squabbling with their neighbour, Mrs Brown.
This is another of the brilliant dyslexia friendly books from Barrington Stoke, where they work hard to ensure that their texts are accessible for all. The story is ideal for junior or teenage readers, it's content perfectly directed at any reluctant reader. Omar's story is gripping and engaging, with a strong moral undercurrent, and yet you do not feel like you are being preached at.
Under the Skin is a story that demonstrates how we are all pretty similar people beneath our externalities. The relationship between Omar and Sam shows how easy it is to judge people; it takes the boys a lot to get to know each other truly.
Foster
Claire Keegan
London, Faber, 2010, 88p
The emotion and drama in this story crept up on from out of nowhere, taking me completely by surprise. What began as a seemingly simple but beautiful novella about family left me in tears.
In Foster, a young girl is left by her father with her aunt and uncle. With no explanation and no idea when she might go home, she quietly settles into life on her relatives' expansive farm. Mr and Mrs Kinsella love her dearly, raising her up, teaching her to read and keeping her clean.
Back home, it is implied that the girl is one of a large family and her parents were unable to take proper care of her - they are a rather typical Irish family. But her aunt and uncle have no one but themselves to care for, except a tragic secret they try to hide about a little boy they once had.
The story is told through the eyes of the little girl, who struggles to become attached to these alternative parents, calling them "the woman" and "Kinsella". Over time, she begins to let them into her heart, learning to feel comfortable in a loving embrace or simply holding hands. This is not a dark mystery novella, as the blurb suggests. Rather modestly, it is a sad tale about loss and love.
Drawing a Veil
Lari Don
London, Bloomsbury, 2012, 61p
Amina and Ellie are best friends. But when Amina turns up at school wearing a head scarf, Ellie is confused. Is Amina different now? Does this change their friendship?
Drawing a Veil is a brilliant short read - appropriate in content for teenage readers, but adequately accessible for students with limited vocabulary. It does not patronise, but discusses serious issues faced by teenagers every day.
Amina is a confident, self-assured protagonist; but her friend Ellie questions her motives for choosing to wear a hajib. Amina breaks down her reasoning, offering the reader a simplified understanding of the choices available to young Mulsim women.
This is the sort of story that would appeal to students at my school due to the diversity of our intake. And as well as being a great story, it is educational and moral.
How to Breathe Underwater
Julie Orringer
London, Penguin
Over half term, I loaned copies of How to Breathe Underwater to a student and a colleague. When they returned, both were full of praise for this collection of short stories.
I have been reading Orringer's tales over the course of several weeks, dipping in and out of them, savouring the poetry and tragedy. They are real life stories about girlhood and family and religion. They speak of universal truths, everyday emotions: love, anger, jealousy, hope. They are not bold or particularly dramatic, but the stories open your eyes and settle in your mind, staying with you long after you have finished reading.
Two stories in particular stood out to me. One is called 'Note to my Sixth Grade Self', in which the author recalls a childhood memory through a series of command sentences, such as, "On Wednesdays wear a skirt. A skirt is better for dancing." This language perfectly encapsulates the uncertainty and apprehension of childhood, as the protagonist negotiates her way through the drama of love and want. Characteristic of these stories is the feeling of not belonging - they are all stories about girls' need to fit in, always watching from the outside.
The other story that has stayed with me is 'When She is Old And I am Famous'. Here, Mira battles with jealousy and anger at her beautiful, popular cousin. Orringer's women are not flawless females, but realistic humans, full of the emotions experiences by so many young girls. This honesty is what makes these stories so enticing and universal.
How to Breathe Underwater offers young women the acknowledgement that growing up is not easy. Her stories deal with real experiences and emotions. They are a pleasure to read, gifting the reader with the feeling that everything is going to be ok.
Breaking the Rules
Maxine Linnell
London, Bloomsbury, 2012, 79p
Mo moves house and starts a new school, faced with all the usual challenges of being a teenager and more. She feels like she doesn't fit in. All her attempts to make friends seem to end in embarrassment, nothing she does is 'right'. She creates some rules by which to live, pushing herself to meet new people and forcing herself to say yes to any opportunity that arises.
Until a boy adds her on a social networking site, claiming to also be new to the area. They support each other - he helps her feel more comfortable in this small new town. When he suggests they meet up, Mo knows she has to live by her new rules, so plans a trip to the city. But in doing so, she is placing herself in unknown danger.
Breaking the Rules is part of the short read collection in the Book Trust School Library Pack. This particular book is a great example of a high interest level with less complex language. It is targeted at lower ability teenagers, who want to read about kids they can relate to and worlds they recognise. As well as being a gripping and dramatic book, it contains a lesson about talking to strangers.
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Roy App
London, Franklin Watts, 2013, 47p
My Book Trust school library pack arrived in the post this week, and I have been plotting great things to do with the sets of six books after half term.
As well as the book club packs, this year's box included a selection of short read titles and several short story collections. Amongst them was this - the biography of Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Written in the style of a piece of fiction, this book outlines Ennis' rise to success from her first introduction to competitive athletics as a young teenager in Sheffield to her victory at the London 2013 Olympic Games.
Because of the nature of Ennis' story, some of the language in this text is a little complicated for less able readers, including the athletics related terminology. The book could have benefited from a glossary, though it does contain pictures to illustrate some of the content.
This biography is part of the Dream to Win series - tales of success from comtemporary heroes ti inspire young readers. In terms of style, Franklin Watts have hit the nail on the head. The font is adequately large and the sentences are short and well spread out. It is a formula you see in every one of their short reads, which make them ideal for our reluctant readers.
Payback
Graham Marks
London, Franklin Watts, 2012, 53p
It's always a delight to stumble across a short read for teenage or young adult readers.
Payback is about Greg who finds his rather boring Saturday taking a turn for a worse when he picks up a mobile-shaped item from a park bench. The oblong talks to him, telling him he is a Watcher for the Reapers, helping them see who is ready to move on from this world into the next.
It is a rather strange concept for a short story - and one that is very hard to develop in such a limited space. But it is written in such a way that it pulls you in: no words are wasted, meaning it is perfect for reluctant readers who might get lost in the waffle of many longer pieces of fiction.
What I love about the Rivets / Edge series from Franklin Watts is their accessibility. These books are printed with large font, but within a frame that looks like any other, meaning students do not appear to be reading anything different or special from their more able classmates. And the content is brilliant - fast-paced fantasies or thrillers about normal teenage kids in unusual situations, taking the reader on an imaginative adventure.
Furthermore, the language is perfect for the target audience - a great mix of simple, colloquial phrases with some more challenging words, explained so that the reader is learning new vocabulary without realising.
I imagine it is fairly tough to get the balance right when writing short novels like this, especially in terms of successfully creating a whole story in such a constrained word count. Payback is a slightly peculiar concept, but a perfect example of a short story for older students.
Someone Like You
Roald Dahl
London, Penguin, 2011, 355p
(World Book Night 2012)
This novel has been sitting on my shelf for ages, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it to find it was a collection of short stories. It was just what I needed for the last few days of my holiday - intelligent, witty little bites of fiction.
Someone Like You consists of a number of short stories written for adults. These are tales of gambling and murder, but told in such a way that you cannot help but read with a smile on your face. Dahl is one of the most hilarious and macabre writers - he is the master of the twist in the tale.
In most of these stories, the protagonists is the cause of their own demise. Dahl entices you into empathising with these characters, but through ego or stupidity, the hero ends up in ruins. In just a few pages, Dahl is able to build up tension to the point that you find yourself laughing with shock and amusement as the plot suddenly turns in an unexpected direction.
The ones that particularly stood out to me were the more wicked of the stories. Lamb to the Slaughter begins with a woman excitedly awaiting the return of her husband from work, but things take a dangerous twist when he tells her is leaving her. You read in awe as the events unfold and delight in the strangeness of it all.
I think what is incredible about these stories is that they are both realist and surreal. The characters are not great works of imagination and the tales begin as narratives of everyday lives. But the twists and turns take you into a dreamlike world where the darkest of fantasies come to life.
It is similar to the sensation when you might be really angry at someone, and imagine punching them in the face, but of course do not actually take action. Dahl writes those wicked fantasies into short story form, allowing the reader to release some pent up frustrations by laughing at what might happen if you did succumb to your darkest desires.
Steve Sharp
(Six book series)
H. L. Dube
Winchester, Ransom, 2013, 35p (approx)
I don't tend to read many short reads. For an adult reader, they are just too short, and I feel like I am cheating, especially with this blog measuring exactly how many books I read. But this is a series of stories, there are six of them, so I feel like I have read an acceptable amount.
The Steve Sharp series consists of six books about a private investigator in a missing persons case. The books all tell the same story, each beginning with a recap and ending with a cliffhanger. A rich woman, Mrs Clayton, arrives at Steve's office, asking him to help her find her missing teenage daughter. Steve explores the city, risking his safety to find the missing girl.
I have written in the past about the difficulty of striking a balance between high interest level and simple language in these short read novels, but I think the Steve Sharp series effectively meets those needs. In terms of the appearance of these books, they are very appealing to a teenage reader of low ability books. The black pages with white font, black and white illustrations, and short, blunt sentences make for a new reading experience. These novels are surprisingly tense considering how few words they contain. And the story is clear and fluid, yet contains drama and action throughout.
I have a whole new batch of year seven student starting very soon, and have stocked up on these and other short reads for when they are introduced to the Library and Accelerated Reader. The current year sevens have worked their way through most of my current short read stock, so I am excited by having something new and gripping like Steve Sharp.
The Collected Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker
London, Penguin, 2001, 610p
I first came across Dorothy Parker a few years ago at a Dead Poet's Slam, in which people performed the poems of their favourite deceased writers. Her poems were sharp and witty, full of cynicism and anger, but not ranting-and-raving anger, but a more poignant and observational social critique.
This collection includes Parker's poems, short stories, and journalistic writings. Her style is singular and her tone is unique. In the introduction to this collection, one particular phrase stood out: "the imagination of disaster". By this, it is implied that she always manages to see the worst in things, as all her stories end badly. It is suggested that Parker did not think she would live as long as she did: in an age when all young female writers seemed to die prematurely, Parker lived to the ripe old age of 73. The theme of death, particularly suicide, is prominent throughout her poems ans stories, in which many of her characters are angry, lonely or depressed.
Most of these works were written in the 1920s, a time in which anything seemed possible. There were riches, sex and parties: the American Dream. But nothing was ever enough, and Parker highlights people's dissatisfaction with this world, anticipating the crash of the 30s. Her stories are about people who are lonely and confused, always wanting: wanting for their absent lover, wanting for a fur coat like the one the neighbour has, wanting for more of this or less of that. These characters turn to gossip, alcohol or extra-marital sex. They crave meaning and purpose, but always seem to be unable to find that fulfillment.
And yet, her language and descriptions are so captivating and addictive that I found myself in love with the beauty in the world, rather than lamenting the problems in it. Her stories are magnificently visual, and in just a few pages, you become engrossed in these worlds, intrigued by these people. For example, in one story, she describes a women as such:
"She was tall, and her body streamed like a sonnet. Her face was formed all of triangles, like a cat's is, and her eyes and her hair were blue-grey."
There is a beauty to this language that is unprecedented. Parker's humour is sharp and observational, drawing your attention to some of the most common-place things and making them entertaining:
"Men seldom make passes / At girls who wear glasses."
And that is the whole poem. Two lines: just brilliant. Though I think my favourite poem is Observation, because it perfectly encapsulates a thought I have almost every day.
Her tone and wit continue into her journalistic writing: reviews, commentaries, columns. It is like she is sat across the table from you in a coffee shop, telling you about the play she saw last night, laughing at the unconvincing acting or praising the audience's reaction.
I really enjoyed reading these stories and poems over the last few weeks, and I am ashamed I knew so little of her before now. Parker's stories end in tears or death - none of them offer the that fairytale happy ending - but they are real and honest, a criticism of the time in which she lived. She was a rare literary beauty, and I am glad she was an exception of her generation and lived long enough to give us such a vast and entertaining collection of writing.
The Firework Maker's Daughter
Philip Pullman
London, Corgo, 1995, 101p
This story is a delightful little short read, set in far away China. It feels like a folk tale, full of goddesses and demons, magic and morality. The illustrations by Nick Harris frame the story, with pictures of the characters and events (though surprisingly few pictures of fireworks).
Lila is The Firework Maker's Daughter - she must climb Mount Merapi and face the Fire-Fiend in order to complete her training. It is a dangerous mission, and Lila is not fully prepared, so her friends must come to her aid.
Again, Pullman uses the trope of the child hero. Lila's journey is a dangerous one, but she is a brave and determined girl. Like Lyra, her innocence is a blessing, as she is unaware of the potential risks her journey entails. The friends who help her are a White Elephant, Hamlet, and his young carer, Chulak. Hamlet is owned by the King, and Lila's father helps them escape in order to help Lila. They are a unconventional team, but I would definitely want them to help me.
Whereas many of Pullman's teenage novels are complex and heavy, this is a lovely short read that could be shared and enjoyed by all the family. It has more recently been adapted for the stage, and I imagine it is a delight to see, with fireworks and demons and a giant elephant - the sort of story that translates brilliant into a visual extravaganza.
