STORIES FROM WHERE WE LIVE

Presents a collection of stories, poems, journals, and memoir excerpts of life along the North Atlantic coast, with a focus on people and their relationship to nature, and both historical and contemporary pieces that explore the role of the sea.

Gr. 5-8. The first volume in the new series Stories from Where We Live, this anthology presents stories, essays, folktales, journal entries, songs, and poems inspired by the places and people of the North Atlantic coast, from Newfoundland to Delaware. Notable authors represented include Henry David Thoreau, Farley Mowatt, and Nikki Giovanni, but relatively unknown writers contributed some of the most effective selections. For example, Jeff W. Bens' memorable story "The Legend of Big Claw," which takes places on Black Island in Rhode Island, tells of the capture of a legendary lobster. Put on display in the lobster tank of a seafood restaurant, Big Claw soon makes his escape, aided by sympathetic locals. Ink drawings illustrate many of the selections. Reflecting themes in the writing, the pictures most often focus on elements of the natural world. This attractive anthology will be of particular interest to those who live in the North Atlantic region. Carolyn Phelan
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