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The Spit Children
The Spit Children is a collection of short fiction (43 pieces ranging from brief sentences to short stories).
Jo Randerson's short stories have appeared widely in magazines and anthologies, including The Picnic Virgin, edited by Emily Perkins (VUP 1999), and one, The Knot has been published as a small illustrated book by Wedge Press. Her collection, The Spit Children (VUP) was published to critical acclaim in 2000. Her second book, The Keys to Hell, which features illustrations by Taika Waititi, was published in November 2004. She contributed a provocative and thoughtful chapter to the anthology Are Angels OK? The Parallel Universes of New Zealand Writers and Scientists edited by Paul Callaghan and Bill Manhire (2006).
Jo Randerson's short stories have appeared widely in magazines and anthologies, including The Picnic Virgin, edited by Emily Perkins (VUP 1999), and one, The Knot has been published as a small illustrated book by Wedge Press. Her collection, The Spit Children (VUP) was published to critical acclaim in 2000. Her second book, The Keys to Hell, which features illustrations by Taika Waititi, was published in November 2004. She contributed a provocative and thoughtful chapter to the anthology Are Angels OK? The Parallel Universes of New Zealand Writers and Scientists edited by Paul Callaghan and Bill Manhire (2006).
- GenresShort Stories
104 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2001
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 19, 2025
“To live a little lighter with each other”
I think Randerson and I have similar feelings about violence (dead birds) and love (birds)
I think Randerson and I have similar feelings about violence (dead birds) and love (birds)
November 11, 2021
Phenomenal, personable, 10 stars
June 4, 2015
"And with what implements does one approach a startled bird?"
A collection of fables, poems, character sketches, monologues, populated by penguins, kings, honey bears, children and office workers. Often bizarre in subject but always burning with emotional truth, often fragmentary in style but always thoughtful. Childlike, didactic, lost, wounded and deeply unsettling, taken together these stories form a mythic journey from trauma to healing of a sort. A powerful collection that deserves to be more widely read.
A collection of fables, poems, character sketches, monologues, populated by penguins, kings, honey bears, children and office workers. Often bizarre in subject but always burning with emotional truth, often fragmentary in style but always thoughtful. Childlike, didactic, lost, wounded and deeply unsettling, taken together these stories form a mythic journey from trauma to healing of a sort. A powerful collection that deserves to be more widely read.
May 21, 2013
Jo Randerson is a very clever lady. Wished a lot of these very short stories had been pushed further. I found myself reading them several times over to soak up as much as I could from them, but still wishing they'd been explored with some more depth. The individual stories haven't stuck with me but the overall style/mood has and I think will continue to do so.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews