In this Japanese folktale retold by Yoshiko Uchida, a man who had made a good living by snaring one wild duck a day with a long piece of rope decides that life would be easier if he were to trap a hundred at a time and relax for the next ninety-nine days. He learns a lesson that changes his life when, having caught ninety-nine ducks, they suddenly take flight, pulling him into the sky with them. The messages of the story are respect for nature (take only what you need), and the consequences of greed and laziness. More…
The Magic Shop
This delightful fantasy from H. G. Wells is about ‘magic’ and perception. A father and son enter a strange Magic Shop. As they begin to look around, the shopkeeper appears and entertains them with some ‘magic’. The innocent boy watches in awe, while his skeptical father looks for the sources of trickery. The pair moves further into the store and witness additional, seemingly impossible wonders. The father, realizing that what he sees may be real, becomes increasingly uncomfortable and begins to suspect the presence of unnatural forces. Themes: childhood innocence and wonder, father-son relationships, trickery vs. the supernatural. More…
The Sand Castle
The major theme of this story by Alma Luz Villanueva is climate change. Set over fifty years into the future, Earth has warmed so much that all birds and marine life are extinct and direct exposure to sunlight or seawater can be deadly. Although protective clothing must be worn when venturing outside during the day, an aging woman takes her grandchildren on monthly excursions to the beach. This time she has prepared a special treat. Spurred on by her own childhood memories, they are going to build their first sand castle. Other themes: memories, family, childhood wonder and imagination, hope. More…
The Skater
In this story by Joy Williams, parents (Tom and Annie) take their teenage daughter Molly on an awkward trip from California to New England to look at boarding schools. Sending Molly to school across the country is ostensibly so that the distance will help her deal with the recent death of her older sister Martha. Molly thinks her parents have an ulterior motive… to help them cope more easily with their own grief. Although Molly rejects all the schools, the trip helps all three on their road to recovery. Themes include family, death, grief, acceptance. More…
Night
In this heart-wrenching story by Tatyana Tolstaya, an impoverished eighty-year-old woman struggles to cope with task of looking after her middle-aged, severely retarded son. The man is dependent on his mother’s directions to get him through the day. He has virtually no social skills, is confused about women, and is prone to violent outbursts and extreme behaviour when things don’t go his way. The story begs but does not answer the question: What will happen when his mother is no longer around to take care of him? Themes: love and devotion, mental health, alienation, poverty, fear, dreams and fantasy. More…