Shelf Life: Stories by the Book

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.

Customer Reviews:

Intelligent and creative

By Lynn Allen - February 13, 2005

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.

10 stories for every age

By Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" - February 8, 2004

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 dessertsEscape by Margaret Peterson Haddix in which a homeless girl learns even more hard lessons about lifeFollow the Water by Jennifer L. Holm, a sci-fi special about a young girl on Mars who misses her grandmotherTesting, Testing, 1...2...3 by A. Lafaye in which a young boy encounters a special kind of learning through magicTea Party Ends in Bloody Massacre, Film at 11 by Gregory Maguire, a humorous story of an under-the-table eavesdrop and its unexpected endWhat's a Fellow to Do? by Kathleen Karr is a historical and emotional journey of a young pick-pocket and his unusual discoveryWet Hens by Ellen Wittlinger in which best friends have a falling outThe Good Deed by Marion Dane Bauer that describes the beginning of some very special friendshipsBarcarole for Paper and Bones by M.T. Anderson, an esoteric and... read more

Great short stories, great theme, great cause

By A Customer - December 1, 2003

"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!