Short Circuits : Thirteen Shocking Stories by Outstanding Writers

by Donald R. Gallo

Includes offerings from Joan Lowery Nixon, Vivien Alcock, Robert Westall, and Joan Aiken.

Genres: Horror

Library Binding

First published May 1, 1999

About the author

Donald R. Gallo, often called the godfather of YA short stories, is the editor of more than a dozen acclaimed anthologies, including Sixteen, Destination Unexpected, First Crossing, and What Are You Afraid Of?. A former English teacher and professor, he began championing short stories written specifically for teens in 1980, addressing a gap in school curricula. His groundbreaking work has earned numerous accolades, including the ALAN Award for Outstanding Contributions to Young Adult Literature. Gallo now writes, edits, and presents workshops, while also enjoying photography, cooking, and travel from his home in Solon, Ohio.

Reviews

[TheMother · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Short Circuits: Thirteen Shocking Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young Adults' was unfortunately a dud. This book was a slog for me. Out of roughly 205 pages, this book had nothing that made me want to keep going (other than my refusal to DNF).

List of Stories:
1) There's A Tomb Waiting For You
(New Orleans, Voodoo, Mystery)
2) Anubis
(Haunted Boat)
3) Save The Elephant, The Ant, and Billikins
(Rich miser is terrible human, dies, is a terrible ghost)
4) Ethan Unbound
(Evil witch Morgan le Fay runs library)
5) TLA
(Ex-lover's ghost haunting)
6) For Pete's Snake
(Boa constrictor is scary?)
7) Aunt Florrie
(Miserable aunt is a curse in life and death - so is her son)
8) The Reincarnation of Sweet Lips
(Mad scientist loves his dog/wife)
9) A Nasty Muddy Ghost Dog
(Ghost dog hates everyone but his family. Saves day.)
10) Salesman, Beware!
(Space salesman meets Saturn space monster)
11) Something's Different
(Freeing a ghost domestic violence victim from the past. Changes future.)
12) Teeth
(Body horror with teeth)
13) The Hoppins
(Spooky carnival werewolf carousel)

The writing wasn't necessarily the bad part. Each short story was written fine enough to follow. They were all just extremely boring. I don't even know if they could hold up to an R.L. Stein book. The two "decent" stories happened to be: The Reincarnation of Sweet Lips and Teeth (if you check the book out for yourself).

Did I hate this book? No. Was it shocking? No. Scary? No. All of it. Just... no.

[Mary JL · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often read young adult fiction. This is a short story collection and the blurb says " prepare to be jolted...electrified..."

Perhaps younger readers would enjoy this more than I but the stories were only average for the most part. Of the 13 stories only two were memrable at all.

Find something faster paced and more exciting for your teen readers.