short short short

THERE IS NO LONG DISTANCE NOW: VERY SHORT STORIES by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow 2011) is a collection of stories that are sometimes vignettes, sometimes a slice of a larger story (well, always that, I think), sometimes prose poems, and always thought-provoking. Master wordsmith Nye offers readers quick glimpses into character, motivation, dialogue, and other elements of writing. Perfect for reading aloud before asking students to do some free writing. Good for simply reading aloud and letting the story percolate in their minds as well. <14>