Donald R. Gallo, a former junior high school English teacher, lives in Solon, Ohio. His books include Connections, Join In, No Easy Answers, Time Capsule, Ultimate Sports, and Visions.
Gr 10 Up‘This collection of stories is intended to illustrate some of the moral choices facing teenagers today. Issues include computer blackmail, peer pressure, and self-censorship. The characters must decide for themselves the right thing to do. M.E. Kerr, Ron Koertge, Walter Dean Myers, Jack Gantos, and Rita Williams-Garcia are among the contributors. While these authors write well in the novel format, their talent is not always evident in this short story format. In Louise Plummer's "Bliss at the Burger Bar," the 18-year-old manager of a fast-food restaurant tries to comfort a teenage employee who is pregnant and has just been beaten by her boyfriend, but readers never find out what happens to her. In T. Ernesto Bethancourt's "Moon over Missouri," a teen who developed a best-selling CD-ROM adventure game is being sued because of its content, but the story ends before the case goes to trial. Other selections are equally open-ended, and most YAs will be left with a feeling of discontent, wanting to know what happens next. While the lack of conclusions might lead to some interesting discussions within a moderated group, it will be less satisfying for independent readers.‘Tracy Taylor, Los Angeles Public Library
As indicated by the title, there are "no easy answers" to the moral dilemmas brought forth in these 16 stories, all written specifically for this collection. Such distinguished authors as Virginia Euwer Wolff, Graham Salisbury and Walter Dean Myers present teenagers in the throes of conflict; as Gallo writes in his introduction, these stories leave it to the reader to judge the characters' "moral and ethical strength." Most struggles reflect broader social issues, as in Rita Williams-Garcia's portrait of a teenage girl whose family and friends don't allow themselves to notice her pregnancy; or in Gloria D. Miklowitz's tale of gang warfare. Some entries focus on more personal issues, as in M.E. Kerr's tale of a disgruntled student who tries to take revenge on the math teacher who is failing him. The volume seems designed for the classroom, with catchy synopses at the start of each story ("Everybody knows that Randy's a retard. The rest of the guys just want to have some fun with him"); indeed, with its clear presentations of ambiguous issues, it should particularly interest teachers seeking to stimulate class discussions. Ages 12-up. (Nov.)
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