Pret in the House / Ghost Trouble

Pret in the House / Ghost Trouble: Short story by Ruskin BondThis light-hearted children’s tale from master storyteller Ruskin Bond reflects a once common Indian belief that ghosts and other spirits (pret) inhabit certain types of tree. If something happens to such a tree, these are set free and must find a new home. There are many kinds of pret. Fortunately, the one that moves into a family’s house in this story is of the mischievous rather than dangerous or hungry variety. When its playful pranks become too annoying, the family decides to move away. This does not prove as easy as they thought! Themes: superstition, progress, family connectedness.

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Seventh Grade

Seventh Grade: Short story by Gary SotoMiddle School marks the beginning of early adolescence. Hormones rage, bodies begin to change, and ‘new’ kinds of relationships form with members of the opposite sex. This story by Gary Soto is about Victor, a boy just starting Seventh Grade. He has promised himself that before the year is out he is going to hook up with Terresa, a girl he has known through their church for several years. The only subject they share at school is French, and Victor’s comical efforts to impress almost lead to disaster. The message: Don’t try to fake who you are. Just be yourself! (1,900 words)

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Teacher Tamer

Teacher Tamer: Short story by Edward Wortis (aka Avi)Edward Wortis (aka Avi)’s Teacher Tamer is a coming of age story about unfairness, revenge, peer pressure, compassion and courage. A burnt-out fifth grade teacher regularly punishes the most promising student in class for things he did not do. In a moment of anger, the boy plots revenge and boasts about it to classmates. Although the class bully questions his courage, others say that if he succeeds he will become the class hero. He feels pressured into going ahead. The plan ends in failure, but by the end of the story he is hailed by the nickname Teacher Tamer.

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In the Great Walled Country

In the Great Walled Country: Short story by R M AldenThis Christmas story by R. M. Alden tells of a strange land of ice and snow where children never grow up. Being so close to the North Pole, Santa Claus doesn’t deliver presents to people’s houses. He hangs them on trees in a forest. On Christmas Eve, everyone goes out and chooses gifts to give to their family and friends. One year, a stranger visits and convinces the child king that it would be better to change the law so that people collected presents for themselves rather than others. The result was not what he expected.

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The Golden Windows

Golden Windows: Short story by Laura E. RichardsThis story by Laura E. Richards is about a poor farm boy who, at the end of most working days, would sit on top of a hill and look at a far-away house that appeared to have golden windows. As he did so, he wished that he could live in a wonderful house like that. One day he sets out to find the house. When he gets there, he is disappointed to learn that the house doesn’t have golden windows. A little girl takes him to the top of her hill and shows him the real house with golden windows.

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The Selfish Giant

The Selfish Giant: Children's story by Oscar WildeThe Irish writer Oscar Wilde is known for his plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and his short stories. He also wrote children’s stories, and this is one of the best known of these. A giant finds that his beautiful garden has become a playground for children. He drives them away and builds a wall around it. The seasons close in and his castle becomes a cold, miserable place. Redemption comes in the form of a small child the giant comes to love. The two main themes of the story are greed vs sharing, and Christian love.

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Dirk the Protector

Dirk the Protector: Short story by Gary PaulsenThis memoir by Gary Paulsen looks back to a time when, as a “street kid”, he not only had to fend for himself after school, but also had to be constantly on the lookout for a gang of bullies who liked to harass him. Relief from the bullies came in the form of a big, rangy, right on the edge of ugly dog he describes as as close to having a live nuclear weapon as you can get. When no longer needed, the dog moves on to its next protection job. Themes: self-sufficiency, courage, bullying, friendship, letting go.

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Ghost of the Lagoon

Ghost of the Lagoon: Short story by Armstrong SperrySet on the beautiful Pacific island of Bora Bora, this exciting adventure tale from Armstrong Sperry involves a boy (Mako), his dog and a monster from the sea. When Mako learns that Tupa, the “ghost of the lagoon”, was responsible for the death of his father, he swears revenge. It is almost as if Tupa were listening. The monster attacks Mako’s canoe the very next evening. Themes include superstition, vengeance, self-reliance, courage and possibly greed… rather than satisfaction and pride, the main thing on Mako’s mind afterwards seems to be a large reward that was on offer for Tupa’s death!

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