A Walk in My World: International Short Stories about Youth

Several junior high and high school teachers have written to me because of my review of Into the Widening World, edited by John Loughery and published by Persea Boos. I mentioned in my review that I use that book for my university course in International Short Stories. I am not sure that is the best choice for younger readers, or for schools with strong guidance from the PTA and the school board. Those stories are live and startling because they often challenge taboos. This book, on the other hand, provides a group of stories by some of the same excellent writers, all of them of a high artistic achievement, that might be more age appropriate for junior high and high school students. Make no mistake, they are not kid's stories--they're about children. But they pick up a rhythm and simplicity of execution from the generally accepted nature of children's stories. You won't find a bad one among them. And what a wonderful exposure to international writing. I used this one in my college class to kick off a semester's study of fiction from around the world, and my students really loved it. So do I. That story "Hands" is as good as anything you could find in any collection, as is "The French Lesson." If you want a quick glimpse into this book, start with these. You'll read the rest.

The author of the SLJ review is wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. A cretin, really. This collection is remarkably consistent. The writing is quite fine and the stories, often relatively obscure, offer a huge breadth of theme, tone and subject matter. I've read many collections of this sort with an eye towards teaching them. This is by far the best. Both weak and strong readers can find much to enjoy. All of these writers are top drawer, and these stories selected carefully to fall within the understanding of young adults. This should be a standard text in all schools, libraries, etc.

A Walk in My World provides teens with a starting point for understanding other cultures, with a series of short stories by contemporary authors addressing the issues and concerns of teens around the world. From a Chilean boy's writings about his parents' politics to a headstrong girl's alienation from her mother, these are moving stories packing in social as well as cultural revelations.