Walk in My World: International Short Stories About Youth

Publisher Marketing: Here is a highly selective gathering of sixteen contemporary short stories about youth written by some of the world's best authors. Accessible to both young and old, the stories invite us to walk in another's world, to see and feel what it's like to live in another culture. There are stories from Ghana, Egypt, England, Ireland, Chile, Antigua, India, Australia, Italy, Norway, Germany, China, Japan, Indonesia, the United States, and Russia. Several involve situations brought about by unjust social or political systems ("Inem" by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, about an eight-year-old Indonesian servant girl sold into marriage, and "The Composition" by Antonio Skarmeta of Chile, in which a seemingly innocent essay assignment turns children into informers against their parents), but the majority center on everyday experiences -- going to school ("French Lessons" by Valentin Rasputin and "Hands" by Xiao Hong), friendships and play ("Games at Twilight" by Anita Desai), getting along with family ("The Late Bud" by Area Ata Aidoo, "The Ladder" by V. S. Pritchett, and "The Jay" by Yasunari Kawabata), and leaving home in search of a future ("A Walk to the Jetty" by Jamaica Kincaid). Other authors included are Toni Cade Bambara, Heinrich Boll, Italo Calvino, Elizabeth Jolley, Naguib Mahfouz, Frank O'Connor, and Cora Sandel. A literary collection to treasure, A Walk in My World makes a perfect gift for a young friend. Publisher Marketing: These classic contemporary tales written by some of the world's best writers have the power to transport you to other countries. You'll discover what it's like to live in another culture and you'll meet kindred spirits on their own journeys to adulthood. In Ama Ata Aidoo's "The Late Bud, " it takes the collective wisdom of a Ghanan village to reconcile headstrong Yaaba with her mother. A young Chilean boy outwits a representative of the military regime by writing an essay that disguises his parents' true political beliefs in "The Composition" by Antonio Skarmeta. Valentin Rasputin's "French Lessons" takes place during the difficult times following the Second World War and portrays a fifth-grade Russian boy who staves off hunger through gamesmanship and the help of a special teacher who respects his sense of pride. And in "The Child Who Loved Roads, " Norwegian author Cora Sandel's young protagonist almost abandons "her" road in order to travel on the pathway to adulthood, but instead decides to wait a little longer. Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 12/21/1998 pg. 69 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) Booklist 01/01/1999 pg. 857 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) Booklist 04/01/1999 pg. 1383 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/1998 pg. 128 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) School Library Journal 06/01/1999 pg. 134 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/1999 pg. 128 (EAN 9780892552375, Hardcover) Publishers Weekly 06/19/2000 (EAN 9780892552498, Paperback) Contributor Bio:  Mazer, Anne Anne Mazer is the author of The Salamander Room, The Sister Magic series, and the bestselling Abby Hayes series. She lives in Ithaca, New York.