Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers (Posthumanities) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816698767 ISBN 13: 9780816698769

Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press, 2016

Synopsis

From the Dakota people who first inhabited the state to its generations of immigrants and today’s residents, Minnesota has long had a vibrant and unique storytelling tradition. A rich and often under appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling—a movement of which Minnesota is a national forerunner. Here, for the first time, two of the state’s beloved independent booksellers collect a wide array of short stories for young readers that pay homage to Minnesota's diverse cultures and stunning landscapes.

Sky Blue Water celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota’s most beloved and award-winning authors to emerging talents and many more. With each turn of the page, every young reader will find a poignant and relatable story: tales of discovering hidden truths about one’s family, dealing with a difficult bully, and falling for the new kid who dresses like a cowboy, as well as settings from Rainy Lake to Lake Calhoun and time periods from Prohibition to the present day. Featuring primarily never-published stories, this anthology beautifully captures the essence of a Minnesota adolescence in twenty short stories and poems. Sky Blue Water features a Q&A between Minnesota classrooms and the contributing authors as well as curriculum materials for families, teachers, and students.

This collection embodies passion for fostering literacy in young readers. A portion of the proceeds from Sky Blue Water will go to the Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute, a Twin Cities organization offering free tutoring and writing assistance for students ages six to eighteen. 

Contributors: William Alexander; Swati Avasthi; Kelly Barnhill; Mary Casanova; John Coy; Kirstin Cronn-Mills; Anika Fajardo; Shannon Gibney; Pete Hautman; Lynne Jonell; Kevin Kling; Margi Preus; Marcie Rendon; Kurtis Scaletta; Julie Schumacher; Joyce Sidman; Phuoc Thi Minh Tran; Anne Ursu; Sarah Warren; Stephanie Watson; Kao Kalia Yang.

About this title

About the Author:

Jay D. Peterson spent twelve years as the store manager of Magers and Quinn Booksellers of Minneapolis. He is an active and dedicated member of the Twin Cities literary community and served as founding board chair of the Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute.

Collette A. Morgan believes that sharing stories changes lives. In 1992, she and Tom Braun opened Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. She has served on the board of directors of the American Bookseller’s Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, among others.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on NPR’s All Things Considered. He lives in Minneapolis.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 5 Up—A diverse range of authors with Minnesota ties present 20 stories and poems for tweens and teens. A few marvelously weave the supernatural into the everyday: a girl discovers a troublesome sprite in the schoolyard foliage; a boy gets caught in an ancient war between a lake and a road. Even the selections that are more grounded in reality often include a surprising twist, such as an unexpected and unearthly message from a grandfather or the fierce love of a boy for the doll his mother cherished. Those entries that do stick to realism are some of the most emotionally resonant: a young boy relishes the brief visits and fishing trips he has with his Mexican half brother; an Ojibwe teen stuck in the foster system connects to her father and her heritage for the first time. Featuring Joyce Sidman's evocative, accessible poetry, this is a well-curated volume that expertly showcases the art and power of short form writing. The Minnesota theme is only lightly applied—readers in other regions will have no trouble relating to these common adolescent emotions and experiences. However, this may prove to be a difficult collection for libraries to classify. The first few pieces are clearly aimed at upper elementary readers, but those in the second half of the book transition quickly to more mature teen concerns. Extensive back matter contains author reflections on the writing process, writing prompts, and classroom activities paired with many of the stories. VERDICT A high-quality anthology full of classroom potential, sure to inspire budding writers and hook casual readers, too.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

About this edition

• Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0816698767
• ISBN 13: 9780816698769
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240
• Editor: Peterson Jay D., Morgan Collette A.