Short Stories

While short stories may have a reputation for being the stuff of English classes and elite literary journals, they can also be fun. Readers who are pressed for time or find longer books challenging may enjoy these bite-sized versions of their favorite literary fare. It’s also a great way to try out new authors and genres without the pressure of committing to a full-length novel that might not be a good fit. To find short stories in the catalog do an advanced search for juvenile fiction AND short stories. To narrow by genre add an additional subject term (fantasy, sports, mystery, horror, science fiction, etc). You can also browse in call number 808.83: some short story collections are shelved here. The authors of individual stories in anthologies are often not listed in the library catalog, so do not rely on author searches to find short stories in anthologies. Listed below are some short story vocabulary and a bibliography, separated by short stories for younger readers (under age 13) and short stories for teens (ages 13-19).

Definitions:
– Anthology: A book of short stories by multiple authors; can be edited by one of the contributors or another person.
– Collection: A book of short stories by one author.
– Interconnected Short Stories: A book of short stories that can be read individually but form a coherent narrative when read together.

Short Stories for Younger Readers (under age 13)

Dahl, Roald.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar: and Six More. 1977.
Meet the boy who can talk to animals, the man who can see with his eyes closed, and find out about the treasure buried deep underground on Thistley Green. This is a collection of short stories that contain sudden turns of wit and wisdom, unforgettable characters, and amazing situations.
[Education Oak St. Facility S.D137wo]

Erdrich, Liselotte
Bears Make Rock Soup: and Other Stories. 2002.
A collection of stories inspired by paintings that depict the special relationships between the Plains Indians and such animals as bear, deer, moose, crows, and loons.
[Education Storage SE. Er29b]

Hearne, Betsy.
The Canine Connection: Stories about Dogs and People. 2003.
Varied in tone and setting, Hearne’s 12 memorable stories about man’s best friend will make readers smile, cry, and keep turning the pages to see what happens in each new mini world of real and imagined encounters. Ages 10-14.
[Education S-Collection S.H3511c]

LaMarche, Jim.
Lost and Found: Three Dog Stories. 2009.
In three heartwarming stories, LaMarche lovingly depicts tales of being lost, being found, finding home, and, most important, the dogs who help us find our way. One lost dog is rescued, another pup leads a frightened child home, and a fractured family finds a fresh start through the love of a dog.
[Education S Collection Q. SE. L161l]

Lay Ups and Long Shots: An Anthology of Short Stories. 2008.
A collection of nine short stories about middle-schoolers and sports. They range from a game of H-O-R-S-E to running, ping pong, dirt biking, surfing, place kicking, soccer, and basketball.
[Education S Collection S. L4512]

Lobel, Arnold.
The Frogs and Toads All Sang. 2009.
From Caldecott Medalist Arnold Lobel comes a new collection of rhyming stories about frogs and toads. Discovered by his daughter, The Frogs and Toads All Sang has the same warmth, compassion, and humor that is found in his best-loved work. Brimming with sweet silliness, this new book reminds us why Lobel’s characters continue to be so popular years after debut.
[Education S Collection SE. L783fr]

Oldfield, Jenny (compiler).
The Kingfisher Book of Horse & Pony Stories. 2005.
In ancient Greece and medieval Japan, on an American ranch, and at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, you’ll meet brave and beautiful horses in danger, loyal and loving ponies to cherish, and magical animals to dream about! Each tale has been carefully selected by best-selling author and horse enthusiast Jenny Oldfield and includes illustrations that will get any horse lover’s heartbeat racing.
[Education S Collection S.808.83 K59]

Sachar, Louis.
Wayside School is Falling Down. 1989.
More humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, where students learn to tango, face the cafeteria’s dreaded Mushroom Surprise, face supernatural elements, and study a hobo during Show and Tell. This is the sequel to “Sideways Stories from Wayside School.”
[Education S Collection S.SA141W]

Schwartz, Alvin (compiler).
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. 1981.
Filled with folktales of eerie horror and dark revenge, this collection contains stories about skeletons that roam the Earth with torn and tangled flesh; a ghost who takes revenge on her murderer; and, a haunted house where a bloody head falls down the chimney each night.
[Education Storage S.398.25 Sch95s]

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro.
Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories. 2007.
Laura Vaccaro Seeger guides children on the first steps to reading with three sweet, funny stories about a stuffed bear and a frisky dachshund who happen to be best friends. Simple, engaging texts and bright, colorful pictures make this a perfect book for emergent readers to read by themselves or to share with friends.
[Education S Collection SE. Se326d]

Short Stories for Teens (ages 13-19)

Black, Holly and Cecil Castellucci (compilers).
Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd. 2009.
With illustrations from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O’Malley,Geektastic is a collection of short stories from such YA authors as M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, and Garth Nix, which covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction and theater geeks.
[Education S Collection S.808.839 G27]

Black, Holly and Justine Larbalestier (compilers).
Zombies vs. Unicorns. 2010.
It’s a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?
[Uni High Fiction Z757]

Cart, Michael (compiler).
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity. 2009.
Presents twelve stories by contemporary, award-winning young adult authors, some presented in graphic or letter format, which explore themes of gender identity, love, and sexuality.
[Education S Collection S. H8301]

Cowboy Stories. 2007.
From stampeding cattle to steadfast sheriffs, there is something irresistible about a good cowboy story. In this roundup you’l find adventure, courage, and suspense by such masters as Louis L’Amour, O. Henry, Elmore Leonard, Annie Proulx, and Dorothy M. Johnson. Coupled with award-winning artist Barry Moser’s stunning engravings, these magnificent stories are sure to delight the whole family.
[Education S Collection S.808.83 C838]

Crutcher, Chris.
Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories. 1991.
These six powerful short stories chronicle the lives of athletes, and yet they are not sport stories. They are tales of love and death, bigotry and heroism, of real people doing their best even when that best isn’t very good. Crutcher’s straightforward style and total honesty have earned him an admiring audience and made readers of many nonreaders.
[Education S Collection S.C889A]

Donoghue, Emma.
Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. 1999.
Cinderella forsakes the handsome prince and runs off with the fairy godmother; Beauty discovers the Beast behind the mask is not so very different from the face she sees in the mirror. Donoghue spins new tales out of old in a magical web of thirteen interconnected stories about power and transformation and choosing one’s own path in the world.
[Uni High Fiction D719k1999; Main Stacks 823 D719k1999]

Flake, Sharon.
You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys. 2010.
I sit in your class. I play by the rules. I’m young. I’m fly. I’m black. In 9 stories and 13 poems, Sharon Flake gives readers insight into the minds of a diverse group of adolescent African American males. There’s Tow-Kaye, getting married at age 17 to the love of his life, who’s pregnant. He knows it’s the right thing to do, but he’s scared to death.
[Education S Collection S. F599y]

Gallo, Donald (compiler).
Owing It: Stories about Teens with Disabilities. 2008.
From an acclaimed anthologist, a stellar collection of stories about teens with disabilities–and the tenacity, spirit, and humor that drive them. Chris Crutcher takes us on a wild ride through the mind of a teen with ADD. In Gail Giles’s tale, Brad can’t help barking at his classmates but finds understanding when he gives a comical (and informative) presentation to his entire school.
[Center for Children’s Books S.808.83 Ow4]

McKinley, Robin and Peter Dickinson.
Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits. 2009.
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire. With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors’ longtime fans and newcomers alike.
[Education S Collection S. M2152f]

Tan, Shaun.
Tales from Outer Suburbia. 2009.
An exchange student who’s really an alien, a secret room that becomes the perfect place for a quick escape, a typical tale of grandfatherly exaggeration that is actually even more bizarre than he says… These are the odd details of everyday life that grow and take on an incredible life of their own in tales and illustrations that Shaun Tan’s many fans will love.
[Uni High Graphic Novels GN T153t]

Taylor, Laini.
Lips Touch: Three Times. 2009.
From a writer of unparalleled imagination and emotional insight come three stories of supernatural love–tales about the deliciousness of wanting and waiting for that moment when lips touch. Voted one of the Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2010 by the Young Adult Library Services Association.
[Uni High Fiction T2158l]