On the Fringe [Hardcover]

Chris Crutcher (Author), Ron Koertge (Author), Graham Salisbury (Author), Nancy Werlin (Author), Francess Lin Lantz (Author), Angela Johnson (Author), Jack Gantos (Author), M. E. Kerr (Author), Will Weaver (Author), Alden R. Carter (Author), Joan Bauer (Author), Donald R. Gallo (Compiler)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

In every school at every grade, there's a pecking order among students-an in crowd and those outside it, who are often ridiculed mercilessly for the "crime" of being different. This powerful anthology explores the teen outsider experience in electrifying, never-before-published stories by eleven of today's most acclaimed YA authors. A tomboy finds the relief of self-expression through her music, while in another tale a relentless bully tests the faith of an intensely religious girl. A cheerleader discovers that the true soul of her school can't be found within the cool clique; a football player finally stands up for a harassed fellow student; and a boy watches in horror as the school "freak" marches into his classroom with a loaded rifle.

Offering insights into popularity and peer pressure, nonconformity and persecution, acceptance and hate, these riveting, provocative tales will leave readers thinking and start them talking.

Stories by:

Joan Bauer
Alden R. Carter
Chris Crutcher
Jack Gantos Angela Johnson
M. E. Kerr
Ron Koertge
Francess Lantz
Graham Salisbury
Will Weaver
Nancy Werlin

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Adolescent outsiders are the subject of On the Fringe, a collection of 11 short stories by well-known YA authors, edited by Donald R. Gallo. Joan Bauer describes confronting the "jock flock" who have a bonding ritual called, "Get the Geeks" and M.E. Kerr demonstrates the determination of Brian, nicknamed "Mousey," to show everyone he isn't a loser. Other authors include Jack Gantos, Chris Crutcher and Angela Johnson ( May)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Kids who are geeks, unathletic, poor, emotionally fragile, loners, or unattractive by current standards form the heart of this collection of exceptional stories by well-known YA authors such as Joan Bauer, Chris Crutcher, and M. E. Kerr. Inspired by the events at Columbine High School, the authors pondered what sorts of heartbreak could cause teens to react so powerfully and violently, and how being isolated and shut out of high school groups could tear down the fragile walls of self-esteem, making vulnerable individuals snap and cause massive destruction. The result is a compilation of short stories from the point of view of those tormented, and those who view others being bullied and how their perceptions change as they examine the situations. While all the stories are excellent, Jack Gantos's "Muzak for Prozac" is an exceptional example of the fragile balance that one teen struggles to maintain through the use of mood-stabilizing chemicals. A must-buy for all libraries.-Susan Riley, Greenburgh Public Library, Elmsford, NY

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Dial (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803726562
• ISBN-13: 978-0803726567
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #999,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book for Sharing, May 23, 2004

By 

A teacher (Owings Mills, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Fringe (Hardcover)

I used selections from this collection as read-alouds for my 8th grade language arts class (I end class most days with a read-aloud, while students keep a response journal). Because of the subject matter, these stories definitely engage the students and keep their attention. Do they all "get" the message? No, but I guarantee that when you look around the room and see the eyes of those two or three students who are themselves on the fringe, you will know it was worth it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching, honest and engaging, May 22, 2001

By 

Teacher K (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Fringe (Hardcover)

As a middle school teacher I am constantly trying to help those who are on the fringe to feel more included and to understand that being on the fringe is not such a bad thing! This book does just that! It is an amazing book and I am using it to lead discussions in my reading class. I have kids fighting over it at the end of each class period. The stories are real and my middle school students are able to connect with them. I highly recommend it!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diversity Within Today's Schools, December 6, 2001

By 

Linda Smith, Kelly Smith, Rachel Preston (Ole Miss) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Fringe (Hardcover)

"On the Fringe" is a book of short stories compiled by different authors. The stories do contain one central topic, youth that are considered outsiders. These outsiders face many different problems. One story focuses on hygiene problems, one is about a boy that is short, thin, and is nervous around his peers, and yet another is about an outcast who took his aggression out with a gun at school. These stories did not all focus on one person; several had a cluster of individuals that were ins ome way or another ostricized by the seemingly perfect in-crowd.
We all read this book with deep interest. We felt that it was easy to read due to the fact that they were short stories. We had a desire to find out what happened in each one. We felt like it was very informative. The stories definitely opened our eyes to a variety of issues that neither one of us had ever imagined existed. We, as a society, tend to close our eyes to so much that is unpleasant. This book brings out that side, the one that no one wants to realize exists.
As for liking this book and recommending it, we thought that it was very enlightening and educational, but we would not recommend it for school-aged children to read. It touches on many topics that do happen in our schools, and we do not think that children should be given examples of how to humiliate other students. This is a book that we would recommend to adults. This book illustrates what is going in the heads of kids that do not fit the perfect student role model. These are everyday young adults with problems. This collaboration of stories opened our eyes, and hopefully helped us to know who we, as future teachers, are looking for that need extra love and attention. Maybe with our eyes open, we will be able to counteract some of the negativity that these future adults undergo and keep them from performing a drastic event that will seal their fate forever.