Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls

by Marilyn Singer (Editor)

Just in time for Women's History Month, this collection of stories features strong heroines in important coming-of-age settings and includes works by Rita Williams-Garcia, Norma Fox Mazer, and M. E. Kerr. Reprint.

Genres: Young Adult, Short Stories, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Marilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.

In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.

Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.

Reviews

[Isabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was great to read because you could read one story and then do other things and then come back to the same book but this time it would be different because of the different story. i liked this book because these stories were so different from ones that i normally read. they were about girls aspiring to do what they are told not to do, what they don't like. not that i don't read books like this but not from the same aspect as these stories have been told. Stay True: short stories for strong girls, compiled by Marilyn Singer was interesting and captivating like the other short story book i read, almost midnight by Rainbow Rowell. both books have female protagonists and talk about struggles and stories the girls face. i reading the short story books fun because once i finished the story it was easier for me to do other things instead of finishing the whole book in one day, which is still fun to read it just means that im left with nothing else to read. i recommend this book to people who need inspiration or are looking for motivation. these stories really show you that if you believe/try you will get what you want.

[Shakari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I have completed this book, I can tell that the characters were brought to life. Each character had a different situation, and they may or may not have gone through it positively. For example, when a character wants to to an engineer, and her guardian does not approve it. Each character was also different than what would happen in real life. The would not always be a happy ending, and that's what I liked about the character structure.

I wish that the stories would be slightly longer to give more details in the plot. I think I would be more interested if a story was not rushed, so I would have time to think about each character. At first I thought this would be a great book, but I was disappointed because of this. I am not stating that it was rushed as in not enough effort, but rushed as in not enough structure. I would love to read a book similar to this one, but maybe as in one story.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've spent my fall struggling to balance: reading for an intense British and Western Literature course and desperately searching for stories designed to appeal to struggling readers and writers. This is a lovely anthology, but designed for more the average reader as opposed to kids who need some action, some gore, some kind of hook beyond the difficulty of everyday life. Recommended for teachers of regular freshmen--these stories are highly teachable, but do not contain the kind of octane I am seeking for my particular crowd.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. I didn't care for only 3/11 of the stories.

The best was "Building Bridges" by Andrea Davis Pinkney. It's about a black teenager who wants to become an engineer and design buildings. Her grandmother (who is raising her) has other ideas for her future, thinking that engineering is 'white mans' work.' It was just really good.

The funniest was "The Statue of Liberty Factory" by Jennifer Armstrong. A teenager, in the 1970s, on the front lawn protesting a decision her parents made. Pretty funny stuff in this one.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A reasonably good anthology of short stories for girls. I particularly liked the story, "Building Bridges" by Andrea Davis Pinkney and found the story "The Statue of Liberty Factory" by Jennifer Armstrong to be entertaining. The rest didn't do much for me. I'm clearly not the target audience.

[Kelly Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great collection of stories for girls! My favorites were: The Transformations of Cindy R, The Statue of Liberty Factory, and Stay True.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorites:

'Guess Who's Back in Town, Dear?'

'The Transformations of Cindy R.'

'The Magic Bow'

[Damaris · Rating 1 out of 5]

stupid

[Dianna Baker]

its pretty good every chapter is like a different story and they are all different I don't like the last chapter story its like hekka confusing i just did not like it

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories in this book. They were very inspirational and could very much be uplifting for girls going through a hard time. I had a good time reading this.

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of short stories and I really enjoyed this book! I recommend it to girls my age.

[Julia Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish it all, but a good read for young adult readers.

[Mas5thgrade2012 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but some parts were inaprropiet.
~monkeyfreak#1