Shining On: 11 Star Authors' Illuminating Stories [Paperback]

Lois Lowry (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2007

In this thoughtful and engaging collection, 11 acclaimed authors explore the highs and lows of growing up and shining on in the face of obstacles. A parent's departure, a sister's illness, a cheerleader's breakup, a family's secrets . . . these stories sensitively capture the challenges—and triumphs—of finding the way to a bright tomorrow.

Featuring powerful stories by Lois Lowry, Meg Rosoff, Meg Cabot, Melvin Burgess, Sue Limb, and more. . . .

A portion of the money generated from the sale of this book will benefit CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation and Children's Oncology Group, partners in the search for a cure for childhood cancer.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—This collection of stories primarily from British authors focuses on the ability of teens not only to deal with the problems that life brings, but also to triumph over them. Authors include Lois Lowry, Anne Fine, Celia Rees, Melvin Burgess, and Meg Rosoff. The characters are middle-class kids who struggle with myriad challenges and changes, some of which are foisted upon them and some that are of their own doing. Meg Cabot's story, in which Allie Finklestein finds that being dumped by a questionable boyfriend isn't the worst thing in the world, especially when you are already halfway in love with your nerdy tutor, is the only humorous selection. Other stories revolve around more serious topics such as telling your family you're gay, learning about a parent's affair, and discovering that your sister is terminally ill. The best stories are those in which the main character must cope with a physical disability. In Malorie Blackman's "Humming Through My Fingers," a well-adjusted girl who became blind because of diabetes teaches a boy a thing or two about sight and trust after he asks her out on a dare. In Rosie Rushton's "Skin Deep," a girl who is disfigured from a bomb explosion learns that some boys actually like you for who you are as a person, not just for your looks. The stories show courage, creativity, and a core of toughness that is not always attributed to young adults.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Teenagers cope with a wide range of difficulties in these 11 well-crafted short stories, some old and some new, by well-known British and American authors. One girl is blind, another has a devastating accident. Ghost children wanting a mother threaten the life of a third. Breaking up with a boyfriend, discovering your grandmother is a person, and planning how to come out to your family are among the growing-up processes highlighted by the entries. An introduction by Lois Lowry explains the collection's loose theme of "fighting through to find one's place"; Lowry also contributes a chapter from A Summer to Die (1977). Other authors include Meg Cabot, Melvin Burgess, Anne Fine, Sue Limb, Jacqueline Wilson, Celia Rees, Malorie Blackman, Rosie Rushton, and Cathy Hopkins. Linked to pediatric cancer charities that will benefit from the book's sales, this solid collection is sure to be enjoyed by readers, many of whom will want to seek out more by these stars. Isaacs, Kathleen

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385734727
• ISBN-13: 978-0385734721
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,104,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good theme, some great reads, June 26, 2007

By 

Kathryn Gaglione "The Bibliophile" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shining On: 11 Star Authors' Illuminating Stories (Paperback)

I love compilation books, and this one is another good read. Because most of the authors are British, I am not familiar with a lot of their writings, but I plan on reading quite a few of them now that I have gotten a taste. And isn't that what compilations are for--I mean besides supporting whatever charity the proceeds of the books are supporting, that is?

All of the stories in Shining On: 11 Star Authors' Illuminating Stories center on teens overcoming whatever challenges life throws at them, and the proceeds of this particular book benefit children's cancer research and treatment.

There are a couple of standouts that illustrate this theme very poignantly. "Humming Through My Fingers" by Malorie Blackman is about a blind girl who teaches a boy to "taste shapes and hear colors," and "Skin Deep" by Rosie Rushton is about a girl who loses her self-identity along with her boyfriend after a bomb disfigures her face.

Two humorous anecdotes made me laugh out loud. The never-failing Meg Cabot's "Allie Funklestein's Rules for Boyfriends" tells the email story of a girl whose pain over her boyfriend's infidelities is eased when she admits to having a crush on her geeky tutor, and Cathy Hopkins' "John Lennon Said..." describe the panicked thoughts of a girl who has no clue what she wants to be when she grows up.

I wasn't a big fan of Celia Rees' "Calling the Cats," and I also couldn't figure out why Lois Lowry, who edited the book, included an excerpt from her novel that was published years ago (A Summer to Die) rather than writing a new story or submitting something from a book in progress.

Overall, the stories were heartfelt, inspiring and easy to read. It's a great book for any summer reading list and provides some deep though on tough issues while still keeping a fairly light tone.