Chris' Fish Place

                I almost didn’t get this book.  Near my doctor’s office, there just opened one of those Giant Book Sale Stories.  About 90% of the stock is 6 dollars and below.  This book was priced as a buck (and at check out, there was an additional 20% off).  It was a nice cover.

                It’s actually a pretty decent collection of stories.  The two central themes are of transformation and are careful what you wish for, you just meant get it.  The problem with the use of the second theme in some books is that taken too badly it can be seen as an endorsement of “maintain the status quo and conform”.

                Avi is not one of these writers.  The point isn’t conforming, but acknowledging the situation, dealing with it, and moving beyond it.

                True, there is one story where the focus is just on transformation.  It actually is a really funny, dark and very plausible story. 

                The rest of the stories do have moments of humor, but are more of beautiful type of modern fairy tale.  There is a student who learns more about cats than is good for him, a hunter who learns about himself, a shoemaker who gets help from something other than elves, and a princess whose country learns about beauty.  There are morals but there is no club over the head, and the story comes first – which is nice.

                If you like short stories with bite these are for you.  Best .80 cents I’ve spent.