Review Detail

Reader reviewed by bookworm9

This is a collection of short stories by well-known YA authors about kids "on the fringe." The protagonists varied from gay/ lesbian to unpopular to invisible, and the outcomes varied. A lot of the stories were less than stellar, as though the authors tried to cram the plot for a novel into a 10 page story. (In fact, Chris Crutcher's "Guns for Geeks" was originally supposed to be a novel, but after the incident at Columbine, he decided to scrap the main plot and turned it into his novel "Whale Talk" instead. "Guns for Geeks" features all of Crutcher's usual flash, but since he doesn't have an opportunity to develop the characters, the shock value is all the story has.)

However, there were some really worthwhile stories. My favorite was "Satyagraha" by Alden R. Carter, which was a lesson in passive resistance. Also notable were Jack Gantos's "Muzak for Prozac" and Will Weaver's "WWJD," though both were rather disturbing.