The stories and poetry in this volume were written by authors between the ages of 11 and 13 and selected for publication in Stone Soup magazine. Since its beginning in 1973, Stone Soup has published art, poetry, and short fiction springing from the imaginations of young writers and artists. For the under-14s, family-or the lack of it-is not only at the center of their world, for the most part, family is their world.
In this collection, we encounter all sorts of families: happy families, broken families, extended families, bereaved families, and the non-related families we choose for ourselves. In these tales of summer vacations, sibling relationships, family traditions, moving house or moving country, births, deaths, and "normal" everyday life, these young authors expose a myriad of emotions that we experience along with their characters: joy, anger, jealousy, confusion, unhappiness, amusement-and, above everything, love. The stories represent a quest for, and movement towards, deeper understanding of these various aspects of family life. Be prepared for a read that takes you through the fun of silly games with siblings, the sorrows of bereavement and divorce, the pleasures of bonding with grandparents and carers, and the longing for absent parents—all in the context of some truly creative storytelling. It's a richly challenging experience.
