Grade 7-8 Story by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. A Native American boy is proud of his ethnic identity as portrayed by “stately TV Indians”, but embarrassed to invite friends home when his ailing great-grandfather comes to visit, and mortified at the prospect of having to wear a family heirloom.
Short Story by Haruki Murakami. A troubled young woman and middle-aged artist bond over bonfires the artist constructs on a beach. Both appear to be trying to escape unstated traumas from their past. Their lives are contrasted with that of the woman’s boyfriend, a carefree surfer and musician.
Short Story by Stephen King. A boy saves his younger sister when she falls from a broken ladder. She comments: “You're my big brother. I knew you'd take care of me”. Later in life, he is too busy climbing a different ladder to be there when needed.
Short Story by Ring Lardner. A small-town barber talks to a visitor about local life. The barber seems to think the town is a good place to live. However, the stories he tells suggest otherwise… especially if you are a woman or impaired in some way.
Novelette by John Lang. A man who came to Australia as a convict worked hard and became rich. He disappears, and a neighbor tells everyone he has returned to England. Shortly afterwards, three men returning home late one night encounter the man’s ghost sitting on a fence near his body.