In Shells by Cynthia Rylant, a recently orphaned boy named Michael is having problems adjusting to living with his aunt Esther. She has never had children, and is very set in her ways. Michael feels alone in the world. He misses his parents, and goes to a new school where he has no friends. Desperate for company, Michael looks in a pet store for ‘some small living thing’ to brighten up his life. He finds just the right pet. When Aunt Esther shows an interest in it, both Michael and the pet start to come out of their shells. More…

This story by Cynthia Rylant deals with the themes of loneliness, puppy love and lost opportunity. A teenage girl is lonely after her parents move to a new city. Her only joy is shopping for the family groceries. This helps the girl take her mind off problems and think more clearly. At the supermarket the girl finds herself strongly attracted to a bag boy operating one of the checkouts. The boy is also strongly attracted to her. Fast forward to the end of the story, and both are with another partner. More…

Heavy snow can cause many problems, closing roads and stopping people from going to work or school. Today’s story from Cynthia Rylant is about Doris, an only child from a poor family. A cold, shivering puppy comes into her yard as she is clearing snow from around the front door. It has been abandoned. She takes the animal inside and cares for it, knowing that her parents will say they don’t have the money to keep a dog and take it away when the snow clears. The story’s themes are loneliness, compassion, responsibility, understanding, cruelty to animals, kindness and love. More…

Although this story from Cynthia Rylant touches on romantic feelings, it is more about how an act of friendship helps a socially challenged young man develop the courage to face the world. Jack, a group home carer, takes a special interest in one of its residents (Ernie). Thanks to Jack, Ernie finds peace and purpose growing flowers. As they grow, so does Ernie’s self-confidence. When Ernie decides to anonymously share his flowers with a woman he is attracted to, he unknowingly creates positive change in the lives of two people he doesn’t even know. Themes: isolation, beauty, friendship, love, sharing. More…

Drying Out is from Cynthia Rylant’s book Every Living Thing, which contains several stories aimed at school-aged children about how animals can change people’s lives. In this story, the expression ‘Drying Out’ has nothing to do with water. Rather, it is an idiom which means for someone who is dependent on alcohol to stop drinking. The main character (protagonist) is a returned soldier whose life is ruined when he starts drinking too much after his wife leaves him. He is sent to a special hospital where some unlikely friends who visit every morning help him to overcome his problem. More…