Twelve Shots

by Harry Mazer

In a dozen riveting new works of short fiction, written especially for this collection, popular contemporary authors explore the emotion-driven world of guns. From the grim reality of urban violence (in "Chalkman" by Rita Williams-Garcia) to a boy's first glimpse of manhood while target-shooting with Dad (in Ron Koertge's "Fresh Meat") to mercy killing (in Rob Thomas's "The War Chest"), the 12 stories included here are as different as the 12 authors themselves.

Genres: Short Stories, Young Adult

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 10, 1997

About the author

Harry Mazer is an American author of books for children and young adults, acclaimed for his 'realistic' novels. He has written twenty-two novels, including The Solid Gold Kid, The Island Keeper, Heroes Don't Run, and Snow Bound, which was adapted as an NBC After school special, as well as one work of poetry and a few short stories.

Reviews

[Carson]

Student Name: Beyersdorf Carson Date Submitted: April 1st
Book Title: Twelve Shots Lexile: 780


Personal Response: I personally liked this book. It was another multi-story book. It showed twelve stories that included guns. Some stories were about murders, and some were about hunting. It has a wide range of stories.

Book Summary: The book’s main purpose is to show that kids with guns are bad. It depicts multiple stories of kids with guns. One showed a kid who took a 1911 and pointed it at cops who were practicing drills in an empty courtyard. Another shows a kid whose parents are going through a divorce claim and attempts suicide. Then another shows a black person going to shoot a guy with a briefcase because his thoughts got to him.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to high schoolers. It has gore in it for the boys but also has heart-wrenching stories for the girls. Overall it was a good read.

[Alivia Hammond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve Shots is a informing book that brings different perspective about guns to the surface. It approaches many topics about America's gun-driven society with 12 fictional short stories. Personally, I don't enjoy information-packed books. The stories were a bit jumbled and some did not have clear theses. Although it was very interesting learning about how guns can affect people. For example, someone can see a gun as a safety weapon and another person could recognize it as the thing that took their mother's life. On either parts of the spectrum, this book covers it all.

[Amilia Kiesman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is a fabulous representation of the vast differing experiences of gun ownership amongst different people. It’s worth a read! I left my copy in a free little library so others can enjoy and learn about the experiences of others.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great collection of YA short stories that don't fall into the pitfalls that can happen with some YA stories. My favorite is "War Game" but there are several good bits to pick from. It sounds like a weirdly morbid or incessantly street-lit-cool kind of topic to string an anthology together with, but these "stories about guns" are broadly defined and infused more with the real violence of life than the dramatic violence of shooting and killing. If that makes any sense . . .

[Shawntrice Williams]

This book deals with Violence, Money, and Age. Violence= A guy name Pookie shot at 2 boys-hit a little girl and got arrested.
Money=Pookie took money from the 2 boys cousin.
Age=A guy in a suit always took the train with the bike meesanger and tried to bully him by telling him to turn his radio off and everytime he see's him he just stare's at him.

[Salsabrarian]

Short stories written by established children’s authors that look at guns and their effects, places, and influences in kids’ lives, from a boy who’s suicidal, to kids playing a game inspired by a neighbor’s murder, to squirt-gun war games.

[Js]

i really like this book it is filled with alot of short stories.

[Marianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having trouble getting into this one. Think I"ll send it back to the library unread.