Next up in my TBR quest is an intriguing collection of short stories called The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales, edited by Chris Van Allsburg (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2011). The collection is based on a series of illustrations Van Allsburg created for a book entitled The Mysteries of Harris Burdick back in 1984. Van Allsburg drew the illustrations, added intriguing titles and captions, and packaged them as a challenge or inspiration to young writers. In the 2011 Chronicles, 14 fantastic writers take up the challenge and write stories to accompany the original illustrations. I'm excited to read short fiction from some of my favorite authors--Kate DiCamillo, Stephen King, Lois Lowry, and a host of others.
The stories embrace a range of styles and subjects, but, like their enigmatic and mysterious inspirations, each touches on the strange, the odd, and the fantastic. —The Horn Book Magazine
While the stories are distinct—by turns funny, sinister, and touching—they have much in common, sharing an arch tone, a curious metaphysicality, and some familiar folk-tale tropes, and the authors’ commitment to the original conceit gives the volume additional cohesion. —Booklist
Intrigued? Want to come along on this wild and crazy trip? I'll let you know what I think of it when I'm finished with the book.
That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment