What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything? And Other Stories

This collection of seven short stories by award-winning author Avi delves into the complex 'middle-school years,' where young protagonists navigate significant turning points. From William, who grapples with unanswerable questions, to Matt Kaizer, dared to be good, and Eve, haunted by her pets, each narrative offers a distinct emotional and psychological journey. The book explores themes of identity, curiosity, moral choices, and even a touch of the supernatural, making it ideal for sparking discussions about growing up and understanding oneself. It's best suited for readers aged 8-11, or as a read-aloud for slightly younger children who are ready for more nuanced storytelling.

Avi charts the turning points in seven young lives in this extraordinary collection of short stories. In the overlapping years when childhood and adolescence blend and shift like waves and sand, nothing is certain and everything is changing. Now award-winning author Avi creates seven astonishing portraits of life in the middle-school years. In these stories you will meet, among others, William, of "What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?" who wonders why he shouldn't ask questions that have no answers. Is it because he might discover the truth? A minister's son, the baddest of the bad, is dared to be good in "The Goodness of Matt Kaizer." And in the chilling tale, "Pets," Eve is haunted by the ghosts of her cats. Always with a surprise built in, an angle unseen, these are stories that step just beyond the edge of the everyday.