Short Circuits

by Donald R. Gallo

Prepare to be jolted . . . electrified . . . zapped. Here are thirteen hair-raising stories that are bound to stun and shock you.
There is great suspense in Robert Westall's "Aunt Florrie" and Larry Bograd's "The Reincarnation of Sweet Lips." Horrifying happenings occur in Annette Curtis Klause's "The Hoppins" and Patricia Windsor's "Teeth."


Ghosts abound in stories by Joan Aiken, Vivien Alcock, Elsa Marston, Jane McFann, Frances A. Miller, and Joan Lowery Nixon. For a dose of comic relief, readers will gulp with glee at Ellen Conford's "For Pete's Snake," Gary Blackwood's "Ethan Unbound," and Steven Otfinoski's "Salesman, Beware!" Read this shocking collection at your own risk.

"From the Paperback edition."


xi • Introduction (Short Circuits: Thirteen Shocking Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young Adults) • (1992) • essay by Donald R. Gallo
3 • There's a Tomb Waiting for Yor • (1992) • novelette by Joan Lowery Nixon
24 • Anubis • (1992) • novelette by Elsa Marston
47 • Save the Elephant, the Ant, and Billikins • (1992) • short story by Vivien Alcock
60 • Ethan Unbound • (1992) • short story by Gary L. Blackwood [as by Gary Blackwood]
75 • TLA • (1992) • short story by Jane McFann
89 • For Pete's Snake • (1992) • short story by Ellen Conford
104 • Aunt Florrie • (1992) • short story by Robert Westall
118 • The Reincarnation of Sweet Lips • (1992) • short story by Larry Bograd
136 • A Nasty, Muddy Ghost Dog • (1992) • short story by Joan Aiken
147 • Salesman, Beware! • (1992) • short story by Steven Otfinoski
156 • Something's Different • (1992) • short story by Frances A. Miller
171 • Teeth • (1992) • short story by Patricia Windsor
183 • The Hoppins • (1992) • novelette by Annette Curtis Klause

Genres: Horror

206 pages, Hardcover

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

[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.