Shelf Life: Stories by the Book [Hardcover]

Gary Paulsen (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003 | Age Level: 10 and up

Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen has long been an ardent supporter of books, reading, and literacy programs. To further the cause of ProLiteracy Worldwide, he asked prominent authors to write an original story; the only restriction was that each story was to include mention of a book. The result is this collection, Shelf Life: Stories by the Book. From Jennifer L. Holm's story of a girl on Mars trying desperately to return to Earth to Gregory Maguire's domestic intrigue; from Kathleen Karr's story of a thief in turn-of-the-century Chicago to M. T. Anderson's mysterious shipboard adventure; from A. LaFaye's tale of magical wonderment to Marion Dane Bauer's story of doing good, this volume provides a full range of reading for every taste. Other authors featured here are Joan Bauer, Ellen Conford, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and Ellen Wittlinger.

Sales of this book benefit ProLiteracy Worldwide, an international network with more than 1,400 programs in the United States and 79 partner programs abroad, whose mission is to change lives through literacy.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-10-To benefit ProLiteracy Worldwide, Paulsen has assembled a stellar lineup of children's and young adult authors to contribute original short stories in which books change lives. Paulsen's emotional introduction explains how books turned his life around for the better. It is an excellent preface to a diverse, entertaining collection. Jennifer L. Holm's intriguing "Follow the Water" features the first teenager on Mars, who compares her life on the Martian colony to the description of the Red Planet from an old science-fiction novel. In "Barcarole for Paper and Bones," M. T. Anderson created an intricate mystery about the written records of a deserted ship. Joan Bauer, Marion Dane Bauer, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Kathleen Karr, A. LaFaye, Gregory Maguire, and Ellen Wittinger also contributed stories that display a wide range of emotions in a variety of genres. There is a selection in this collection that will appeal to almost every reading taste.
Edward Sullivan, White Pine School, TN
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. In this collection assembled to benefit literacy, Gary Paulsen brings together 10 stories by fine writers for young people, with books playing a central role in some stories, and a tangential role in others. Ellen Wittlinger's "Wet Hens" revolves around a well-known children's book, Roxaboxen. Other books will be less well known among the target reading audience, but children will find humor, pathos, magic, intrigue, and sf in stories by Ellen Conford, Joan Bauer, Margaret Peterson Haddix, M. T. Anderson, and more. The looseness of the theme results in a variety that offers something for most readers. Although it's a shame that the book opens with a dry foreword, and that Paulsen himself doesn't contribute a story, libraries looking for short-story collections will find this a solid addition. Kathleen Odean
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689841809
• ISBN-13: 978-0689841804
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and creative, February 13, 2005

By 

Lynn Allen (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shelf Life: Stories by the Book (Hardcover)

My fourth grader checked this out of the school library and we are reading it together. The stories are smart and engaging and each one gives us something to think and talk about afterwards. We especially loved "Follow the Water" by Jennifer L. Holm - emotionally complex and heartbreaking, we'll be talking about this one for awhile. Great book, great cause. We're buying our own copy.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 10 stories for every age, February 8, 2004

By 

Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" (Woodbury, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shelf Life: Stories by the Book (Hardcover)

A great set of stories by ten well-known juvenile fiction writers including:

In Your Hat by Ellen Conford where a procrastinating joker gets his just desserts

Escape by Margaret Peterson Haddix in which a homeless girl learns even more hard lessons about life

Follow the Water by Jennifer L. Holm, a sci-fi special about a young girl on Mars who misses her grandmother

Testing, Testing, 1...2...3 by A. Lafaye in which a young boy encounters a special kind of learning through magic

Tea Party Ends in Bloody Massacre, Film at 11 by Gregory Maguire, a humorous story of an under-the-table eavesdrop and its unexpected end

What's a Fellow to Do? by Kathleen Karr is a historical and emotional journey of a young pick-pocket and his unusual discovery

Wet Hens by Ellen Wittlinger in which best friends have a falling out

The Good Deed by Marion Dane Bauer that describes the beginning of some very special friendships

Barcarole for Paper and Bones by M.T. Anderson, an esoteric and challenging story involving a mysteriously deserted ship

and

Clean Sweep by Joan Bauer in which a young girl working in the family business helps an elderly client make a reconciliation

All ten wonderful, engaging, important stories for young readers will be welcome by those who are already familiar with these authors but more importantly, Shelf Life is a great introduction for readers who may be more reluctant about getting into an entire novel or just have difficulty reading in general. Plus sales benefit ProLiteracy Worldwide. How can you go wrong with this one?

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great short stories, great theme, great cause, December 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Shelf Life: Stories by the Book (Hardcover)

"Ten original stories to benefit proliteracy worldwide"

The subtitle says most, but not all.

In addition to being a good cause, the stories are all intriguing, some truly excellent! (I particularly liked "Follow the Water," referring to there being none on the colony on Mars, and "In Your Hat," concerning a boy who didn't do his book report--yet.)

Hooray for Paulsen, and ProLiteracy!