What are You Afraid of? Stories about phobias editted by Donald R. Gallo

"Phoebe knelt and held out her hand. But instead of going up to her, the creature padded toward me. As I stood there, trying to decide what to do, he put both his front paws on my leg, stretched, and extended he claws. He stared at me with the cold eyes of a serial killer."

Are you afraid of small spaces (claustrophobia)? How about large spaces (agoraphobia)? Knives (aichmophobia)? Cats (elurophobia)? String (linonophobia)? Everything (panophobia)?!? Everyone is afraid of something! And in 10 short stories written by 10 different authors you can read about some of them. Reading about Will's fear of clowns, will certainly make you feel better about the little terrors that plague your own life! And reading a collection of short stories is always a great way to discover new authors.

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and here.

SLJ recommends grades 6 to 9.

Foretelling by Alice Hoffman

Rain is a child of sorrow, unwanted daughter of the Amazon Queen. Raised by the high priestess, Deborah, her aunt Cybelle the beekeeper, and her cousins Artesia and Artella the archers, Rain learns all of the secrets of her people and will be expected to use them someday as the queen of these warrior women. But strong as she is, she questions the absence of mercy, peace, and men in her tribe. When it come time for her to lead, will she follow the path set before her or her own instincts.


Hoffman spins a terse, dreamlike tale of a mythical people who may be either our past or our future.

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and here.

Subjects: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Amazons (mythical tribe), gender issues, parental approval, rape

(SLJ recommends this for for grades 6 & up.)