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Half-Human
Like us, but not quite...
A girl who hears the sea amongst the busy streets of Manhattan. A princess born with the strength to clutch a sword hilt. A winged boy who cannot fly. In these stories, the kind where trees can become men and girls wake up with snakes for hair, people are not always what they seem. But they still must discover who they are.
Compiled and edited by Bruce Coville, with contributions by Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire, Jane Yolen, Nancy Springer, D.J Malcolm, Janni Lee Simner, Jude Mandell, Tim Waggoner, and Lawrence Schimel.
A girl who hears the sea amongst the busy streets of Manhattan. A princess born with the strength to clutch a sword hilt. A winged boy who cannot fly. In these stories, the kind where trees can become men and girls wake up with snakes for hair, people are not always what they seem. But they still must discover who they are.
Compiled and edited by Bruce Coville, with contributions by Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire, Jane Yolen, Nancy Springer, D.J Malcolm, Janni Lee Simner, Jude Mandell, Tim Waggoner, and Lawrence Schimel.
212 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
November 19, 2009
In the introduction, Coville says he was interested in half-human creatures and beings and asked for short stories. He was surprised, but pleased, I think, at the variance of stories he got. He got some stories that weren't about the typical part/half-human creatures.
"Becoming" by Nancy Springer -- This story I really liked. I thought it was believable in the young girl's reaction to her fate. (I forgot her name and I had already returned the book.)
"Linnea" by D.J. Malcom -- Meh. This story I did not particularly like. It seemed too...shallow and the writing style turned me off somehow.
"Water's Edge" by Janni Lee Sinner -- selkie story, 'nuff said.
"Elder Brother" by Tamora Pierce -- The reason why I found the book. It's about the tree who gets turned into a man because of Numair's magic in Wolf Speaker. Interesting path to Qiom's path of learning to act like a man, and possibly become a man (with some tree abilities).
"How to Make a Human" by Lawrence Schimel -- An absolutely beautifully written poem.
"Scarecrow" by Gregory Maguire -- Apparently Maguire had written Wicked with the thought of writing a sequel and this short story was a scene from that sequel. I thought this was a really good story, and I liked the way the scarecrow tried to learn the various meanings and uses of the word "after." I also liked the build-up of what happened to the farmer who owned the corn crop the scarecrow came alive into.
"Centaur Field" by Jane Yolen -- This was an okay story. The solution at the end was fitting.
"Princess Dragonblood" by Jude Mandell -- Some parts of this short story felt really trite and cliche. Some of the dialogue, especially. But the ending was...kind of clever.
"Soaring" by Tim Waggoner -- I liked this story about Icarus. The myth was especially nice to read.
"The Hardest, Kindest Gift" by Bruce Coville -- This story reminded me bits of a book by Catherynne Valente. Nonethless, I really enjoyed it. (Not like how I sometimes get exasperated when re-tellings of fairy tales like "Beauty and the Beast."
"Becoming" by Nancy Springer -- This story I really liked. I thought it was believable in the young girl's reaction to her fate. (I forgot her name and I had already returned the book.)
"Linnea" by D.J. Malcom -- Meh. This story I did not particularly like. It seemed too...shallow and the writing style turned me off somehow.
"Water's Edge" by Janni Lee Sinner -- selkie story, 'nuff said.
"Elder Brother" by Tamora Pierce -- The reason why I found the book. It's about the tree who gets turned into a man because of Numair's magic in Wolf Speaker. Interesting path to Qiom's path of learning to act like a man, and possibly become a man (with some tree abilities).
"How to Make a Human" by Lawrence Schimel -- An absolutely beautifully written poem.
"Scarecrow" by Gregory Maguire -- Apparently Maguire had written Wicked with the thought of writing a sequel and this short story was a scene from that sequel. I thought this was a really good story, and I liked the way the scarecrow tried to learn the various meanings and uses of the word "after." I also liked the build-up of what happened to the farmer who owned the corn crop the scarecrow came alive into.
"Centaur Field" by Jane Yolen -- This was an okay story. The solution at the end was fitting.
"Princess Dragonblood" by Jude Mandell -- Some parts of this short story felt really trite and cliche. Some of the dialogue, especially. But the ending was...kind of clever.
"Soaring" by Tim Waggoner -- I liked this story about Icarus. The myth was especially nice to read.
"The Hardest, Kindest Gift" by Bruce Coville -- This story reminded me bits of a book by Catherynne Valente. Nonethless, I really enjoyed it. (Not like how I sometimes get exasperated when re-tellings of fairy tales like "Beauty and the Beast."
July 7, 2010
Actually a very decent anthology. I wish this system had half stars, because it really deserves 4 and a half as a whole. I will revise this review including the names of the short stories and possibly a short synopsis, but overall a decent collection. Very short book, I would have liked more, so it's recommended you buy this in paperback because unless you find a hardback used like I did, it isn't worth the hardback new price.
Stories:
Becoming by Nancy Springer (Medusa)
Linnea by D.J. Malcolm (Mermaid)
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner (Selkie)
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce(Tree-people)
How to Make a Human by Lawrence Schimel(A poem, miscellaneous)
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire (Scarecrow man)
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen (Centaur)
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell(Dragon girl)
Soaring by Tim Waggoner (Winged boy)
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Coville (Moth woman)
Stories:
Becoming by Nancy Springer (Medusa)
Linnea by D.J. Malcolm (Mermaid)
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner (Selkie)
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce(Tree-people)
How to Make a Human by Lawrence Schimel(A poem, miscellaneous)
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire (Scarecrow man)
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen (Centaur)
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell(Dragon girl)
Soaring by Tim Waggoner (Winged boy)
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Coville (Moth woman)
August 19, 2011
A collection of tales that include centaurs, selkies, mermaids and the like—loosely based on mythology of the mix of human and animal—many taking place in modern times, though not all. Included is Gregory Maguire’s Scarecrow—an excellent piece that begins with the birth of the Scarecrow of Oz.
July 3, 2015
Can't beleive I didn't already review this...
Anywho, I love this book. All the stories were awesome, and the concept is a favorite of mine anyway, so yeah, really, really good.
Anywho, I love this book. All the stories were awesome, and the concept is a favorite of mine anyway, so yeah, really, really good.
September 17, 2022
“Man, a creature divorced from nature, who’s forgotten where he came from”.
Fun theme for an anthology idea, filled with touching stories from a well curated variety of voices. Lots of big name authors (Jane Yolan, Tamora Pierce, Gregory McGuire) and it was fun seeing them play around with fairy tales and mythology vibes and sometimes borrowing side characters to expand on from their own universes.
Definitely YA to possibly even late elementary school reading levels. I appreciated the ways the stories approached more mature themes (sexual assault, nudity, parental abandonment, fatal birth defects) from a kids perspective, keeping a degree of innocence in the telling of facts. For short stories they packed a lot of emotional depth.
I wasn’t a fan of the scarecrow story, but I enjoyed the medusa, centaur, tree, Icarus, and dragon stories all for different reasons, with my favorite offering being the poem “How to Make a Human”
Fun theme for an anthology idea, filled with touching stories from a well curated variety of voices. Lots of big name authors (Jane Yolan, Tamora Pierce, Gregory McGuire) and it was fun seeing them play around with fairy tales and mythology vibes and sometimes borrowing side characters to expand on from their own universes.
Definitely YA to possibly even late elementary school reading levels. I appreciated the ways the stories approached more mature themes (sexual assault, nudity, parental abandonment, fatal birth defects) from a kids perspective, keeping a degree of innocence in the telling of facts. For short stories they packed a lot of emotional depth.
I wasn’t a fan of the scarecrow story, but I enjoyed the medusa, centaur, tree, Icarus, and dragon stories all for different reasons, with my favorite offering being the poem “How to Make a Human”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2011
I shall review each story as I go through when it's fresh in my mind:
Becoming by Nancy Springer
Unfortunately I can't say that I liked this one at all. It feels like a gimmiky idea, poorly executed. One thing I really can't stand is when serious things happen in young adult stories and they're just brushed off.
The twist was ok, but it felt forced. And the back story that made the twist possible wasn't believable at all. Just disappointing. 1 grudging star.
Linnea by D.J. Malcolm
While I can't say I fell in love with this story, I didn't hate it either. I thought that both the concept and the style of writing was much more developed than Becoming and I enjoyed reading it. The ending was fairly obvious, but that's ok because it fits in nicely. Not every short story has to have a shocking twist. I didn't really feel the characters very deeply, which I know is hard to achieve in a short story but I felt that could have been done better.
The only glaring annoyance about this story was the girl's name. Linnea is too much like 'linear' which spoiled the magic for me a bit. I think it's important that writers really think about their character's names and how they might relate to the modern world, as it's minds from the modern world that will be reading them. Two stars. Almost 2.5.
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner
I didn't believe this one. For one thing I found it very doubtful that someone so desperate to be alone would find it so hard to escape a loud noisy family when they had a whole beach to use. For one thing, quite people are normally overlooked by an extroverted family, not followed around.
I also find it a bit suss when kids books show such extreme emotions... the idea that, having just had a near death experience Laura would want to go back into the water again EVEN if it meant drowning... is disturbing. She seems to have no emotional connection of any value to any family, she doesn't have any friends. I'm not sure that it creates a very helpful message to young people who feel like they don't fit. It's almost like saying, no, you don't. you belong somewhere else Two stars.
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce
Finally, the story I bought this book for. I can't fault it. It's interesting, it has depth. The character's are tangible and you can feel their pain and frustration. It is both an interesting and unique concept, thought provoking and well executed. Though, if this turns out to be the only good story in here I would just buy Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales. Five stars.
How to Make a Human by Lawrence Schimel
I don't read a lot of poetry as I find it difficult to sift through and find what I really like. I like poetry to have deep meaning as well as cleverness that really speaks to you. I found I appreciated the sentiments in this poem, even though I didn't agree with them. I got what the writer was trying to say, and I liked that. Four stars.
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire
What a relief. Two solid short stories. I found this one especially interesting. It was nice to read something by this author that wasn't filled with strange smuttiness (I never got all the way through Wicked because of this). I love a story that makes you go, oo, I'd love to sit down with this author and talk about what they were thinking when they wrote this The big question I was left with at the end was one that the scarecrow had: how important is who are creator is? And does it make a difference if we believe a lie?
Five Stars. A++
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen
Meh. I feel super critical of these short stories... I know they're geared at kids but I still think that kids deserve something better. I would say that this one has the feel of something written by a twelve year old... and if it was I'd be very impressed. But as it is it's just strange. The reactions of all the people in the story seem very unrealistic to what would actually happen if a shetland pony gave birth to a centaur. The story felt shallow. It's a mistake to think that you can't have a short story with some depth to the plot or characters.
Two stars.
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell
This is more the sort of story I would expect to find in a kids anthology. Good writing, epic adventure, somewhat thought provoking but not especially deep. The characters were particularly well developed but the fairy tale style of the story suited that anyway.
Three stars.
Soaring by Tim Waggoner
This story didn't really do much for me. I couldn't say it was 'bad' per-say, it just didn't reach out and grab me. It might appeal to a younger audience, but I felt it lacked adventure.
Two stars.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Colville
This one didn't do much for me either. It didn't grab my attention or fascinate me and the way in which the information was revealed kept me from enjoyed the story rather than adding to anticipation. I also found it very creepy when he mentioned his grandmother's bare breasts *shudder*.
Two stars.
Becoming by Nancy Springer
Unfortunately I can't say that I liked this one at all. It feels like a gimmiky idea, poorly executed. One thing I really can't stand is when serious things happen in young adult stories and they're just brushed off.
The twist was ok, but it felt forced. And the back story that made the twist possible wasn't believable at all. Just disappointing. 1 grudging star.
Linnea by D.J. Malcolm
While I can't say I fell in love with this story, I didn't hate it either. I thought that both the concept and the style of writing was much more developed than Becoming and I enjoyed reading it. The ending was fairly obvious, but that's ok because it fits in nicely. Not every short story has to have a shocking twist. I didn't really feel the characters very deeply, which I know is hard to achieve in a short story but I felt that could have been done better.
The only glaring annoyance about this story was the girl's name. Linnea is too much like 'linear' which spoiled the magic for me a bit. I think it's important that writers really think about their character's names and how they might relate to the modern world, as it's minds from the modern world that will be reading them. Two stars. Almost 2.5.
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner
I didn't believe this one. For one thing I found it very doubtful that someone so desperate to be alone would find it so hard to escape a loud noisy family when they had a whole beach to use. For one thing, quite people are normally overlooked by an extroverted family, not followed around.
I also find it a bit suss when kids books show such extreme emotions... the idea that, having just had a near death experience Laura would want to go back into the water again EVEN if it meant drowning... is disturbing. She seems to have no emotional connection of any value to any family, she doesn't have any friends. I'm not sure that it creates a very helpful message to young people who feel like they don't fit. It's almost like saying, no, you don't. you belong somewhere else Two stars.
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce
Finally, the story I bought this book for. I can't fault it. It's interesting, it has depth. The character's are tangible and you can feel their pain and frustration. It is both an interesting and unique concept, thought provoking and well executed. Though, if this turns out to be the only good story in here I would just buy Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales. Five stars.
How to Make a Human by Lawrence Schimel
I don't read a lot of poetry as I find it difficult to sift through and find what I really like. I like poetry to have deep meaning as well as cleverness that really speaks to you. I found I appreciated the sentiments in this poem, even though I didn't agree with them. I got what the writer was trying to say, and I liked that. Four stars.
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire
What a relief. Two solid short stories. I found this one especially interesting. It was nice to read something by this author that wasn't filled with strange smuttiness (I never got all the way through Wicked because of this). I love a story that makes you go, oo, I'd love to sit down with this author and talk about what they were thinking when they wrote this The big question I was left with at the end was one that the scarecrow had: how important is who are creator is? And does it make a difference if we believe a lie?
Five Stars. A++
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen
Meh. I feel super critical of these short stories... I know they're geared at kids but I still think that kids deserve something better. I would say that this one has the feel of something written by a twelve year old... and if it was I'd be very impressed. But as it is it's just strange. The reactions of all the people in the story seem very unrealistic to what would actually happen if a shetland pony gave birth to a centaur. The story felt shallow. It's a mistake to think that you can't have a short story with some depth to the plot or characters.
Two stars.
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell
This is more the sort of story I would expect to find in a kids anthology. Good writing, epic adventure, somewhat thought provoking but not especially deep. The characters were particularly well developed but the fairy tale style of the story suited that anyway.
Three stars.
Soaring by Tim Waggoner
This story didn't really do much for me. I couldn't say it was 'bad' per-say, it just didn't reach out and grab me. It might appeal to a younger audience, but I felt it lacked adventure.
Two stars.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Colville
This one didn't do much for me either. It didn't grab my attention or fascinate me and the way in which the information was revealed kept me from enjoyed the story rather than adding to anticipation. I also found it very creepy when he mentioned his grandmother's bare breasts *shudder*.
Two stars.
March 27, 2018
An amazing collection of quality short fantasy stories with a mythical twist.
Every character is half human in some way, mermaids, centaurs, medusa and many other mythical beings are included, some in their true mythical setting others in modern day situations and with up to date social issues.
But all with the recurrent theme running through them of what it feels like to be different or the odd one out.
A great read.
Every character is half human in some way, mermaids, centaurs, medusa and many other mythical beings are included, some in their true mythical setting others in modern day situations and with up to date social issues.
But all with the recurrent theme running through them of what it feels like to be different or the odd one out.
A great read.
June 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this collection. As always, some stories were better than others, however they each were quite unique! One of the first stories was about a mermaid, and another about a selkie...anyone who knows me knows this was a great way to start the collection in my opinion! Others I enjoyed included “soaring” and “the hardest kindest gift”
January 10, 2024
My inner child enjoyed! Some stories were more poetic than others...all possessed themes of identity and acceptance and duality (given). No shock factors but it wasn't that type of novel to begin with.
January 11, 2018
Magical brilliance that really makes you think.
January 24, 2018
This is a good anthology, but I do wish that the person who compiled it hadn’t included the picture of the horse with the baby body because that was unnecessary
October 22, 2025
Very interesting concept. Not all the stories are winners, but even the ones that I didn’t love were interesting reads. Very creative characters and backstories.
October 31, 2014
This is one of his many children's anthologies, and this particular book focuses on people who blend humanity with something more.
Becoming, by Nancy Springer, is a good choice for the lead story. Medusa wakes up one morning with snakes for hair... and no small amount of hysteria ensues as she tries to come to grips with exactly what has happened and what that means about who she is. A good story with a nice image of statues running through it, though I could see Troy coming from a mile away.
Linnea, by D.J. Malcom, follows Linnea after she's dragged into the sea and turned into a mermaid by a shark-shifting boy. A boy who demands she marry him. Despite the traditional formula, it has a very untraditional ending, which made me happy.
Water's Edge, by Janni Lee Simner, tells of a girl who has spent her whole life hearing the ocean. She's surrounded by a lot of family, but doesn't connect to any of them. When her grandfather dies, she discovers the magic in her own heritage. This should be a familiar legend to anyone who's read much mythology, but it's a good story all the same, and gets double bonus points for its modern setting.
Elder Brother, by Tamora Pierce, was one of the highlights in this book of gems. If you've read her Wild Magic quartet, you'll remember Numair's battle against another mage, during which he used a word of power to turn the man into a tree. This is the story about the consequences of that word: a tree is now a man. And very unhappy about it. People throw rocks at him when he tells them he's a tree. It's just one of those stories you put down howling at the author to write another one, or a novel, or a series of novels. So much potential. But for now, it's enough to have this one.
How to Make a Human, by Lawrence Schimal, is the only poem in this collection. I do not read much poetry, so take this for what it's worth. I think the last stanza should have been chopped off for being too bloody obvious, and although the overall images were nice, there wasn't much beyond face value. It could have pushed certain comparisons more and left a little more to poetic language. I don't really like or hate it. It's just there to read and move on.
Scarecrow, by Gregory Maguire, is about a scarecrow that comes into awareness one day and is trying to make sense of the world around him. He has a fascination with the notion of before and after and of the story of the farmer who created him. It's an amusing story, very thought-provoking, and although I guessed the end an instant before it was revealed, it is still a wonderful surprise. I think this is my other favorite story in the book.
Centaur Field, by Jane Yolen, held up very well until the end. One night a pony gives birth, but the foal has distinctly human-looking bits rather than a horse head. Nobody's real sure who (or what) the father is. Of course the barn tries to keep it secret. Equally inevitable is the world's discovery. I did not like how this was handled at all. It felt too cheap that people would give up so easily. Not that I relish yet another story about government goons making life miserable, but it just felt like there were a lot of real-life concerns that got glossed over.
Princess Dragonblood, by Jude Mandell, is another story about a girl waking up to find she's not quite as human as she thought she was. In this case, the mother's standard deal with a witch takes several very odd turns, and the end felt a bit cheesy, though I certainly enjoyed the headstrong princess. And the dragon wings.
Soaring, by Tim Waggoner, is about a boy born with wings. He can't fly. Being in a carnival as an attraction doesn't bother him as much as dreaming of flight and not being able to do it. I liked this story until the end. Until then I thought I'd found a decent story about a winged guy (very hard to find in the best of times; most stories feel the need to make them angels or somesuch). After that... it's not a bad story. It's just certainly not the way I would've ended it or wanted it to end. It ends the way these things always end: with the kid still not able to fly, only now that's okay.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift, by Bruce Coville, rounds out the collection. It mixes a man's journey with his father's journals, gradually revealing who this man is and why he is more than human. And what, exactly, is the gift he has spent so long obtaining. It's a good story, though I could wish Coville had simply switched back and forth between past and present rather than resorted to the cheap diary trick.
Overall this is an excellent collection, with Elder Brother and Scarecrow as the real standouts. Elder Brother in particular is good if you've read any of the Tortall books by Tamora Pierce and would like an additional piece of the story. Highly Recommended.
Becoming, by Nancy Springer, is a good choice for the lead story. Medusa wakes up one morning with snakes for hair... and no small amount of hysteria ensues as she tries to come to grips with exactly what has happened and what that means about who she is. A good story with a nice image of statues running through it, though I could see Troy coming from a mile away.
Linnea, by D.J. Malcom, follows Linnea after she's dragged into the sea and turned into a mermaid by a shark-shifting boy. A boy who demands she marry him. Despite the traditional formula, it has a very untraditional ending, which made me happy.
Water's Edge, by Janni Lee Simner, tells of a girl who has spent her whole life hearing the ocean. She's surrounded by a lot of family, but doesn't connect to any of them. When her grandfather dies, she discovers the magic in her own heritage. This should be a familiar legend to anyone who's read much mythology, but it's a good story all the same, and gets double bonus points for its modern setting.
Elder Brother, by Tamora Pierce, was one of the highlights in this book of gems. If you've read her Wild Magic quartet, you'll remember Numair's battle against another mage, during which he used a word of power to turn the man into a tree. This is the story about the consequences of that word: a tree is now a man. And very unhappy about it. People throw rocks at him when he tells them he's a tree. It's just one of those stories you put down howling at the author to write another one, or a novel, or a series of novels. So much potential. But for now, it's enough to have this one.
How to Make a Human, by Lawrence Schimal, is the only poem in this collection. I do not read much poetry, so take this for what it's worth. I think the last stanza should have been chopped off for being too bloody obvious, and although the overall images were nice, there wasn't much beyond face value. It could have pushed certain comparisons more and left a little more to poetic language. I don't really like or hate it. It's just there to read and move on.
Scarecrow, by Gregory Maguire, is about a scarecrow that comes into awareness one day and is trying to make sense of the world around him. He has a fascination with the notion of before and after and of the story of the farmer who created him. It's an amusing story, very thought-provoking, and although I guessed the end an instant before it was revealed, it is still a wonderful surprise. I think this is my other favorite story in the book.
Centaur Field, by Jane Yolen, held up very well until the end. One night a pony gives birth, but the foal has distinctly human-looking bits rather than a horse head. Nobody's real sure who (or what) the father is. Of course the barn tries to keep it secret. Equally inevitable is the world's discovery. I did not like how this was handled at all. It felt too cheap that people would give up so easily. Not that I relish yet another story about government goons making life miserable, but it just felt like there were a lot of real-life concerns that got glossed over.
Princess Dragonblood, by Jude Mandell, is another story about a girl waking up to find she's not quite as human as she thought she was. In this case, the mother's standard deal with a witch takes several very odd turns, and the end felt a bit cheesy, though I certainly enjoyed the headstrong princess. And the dragon wings.
Soaring, by Tim Waggoner, is about a boy born with wings. He can't fly. Being in a carnival as an attraction doesn't bother him as much as dreaming of flight and not being able to do it. I liked this story until the end. Until then I thought I'd found a decent story about a winged guy (very hard to find in the best of times; most stories feel the need to make them angels or somesuch). After that... it's not a bad story. It's just certainly not the way I would've ended it or wanted it to end. It ends the way these things always end: with the kid still not able to fly, only now that's okay.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift, by Bruce Coville, rounds out the collection. It mixes a man's journey with his father's journals, gradually revealing who this man is and why he is more than human. And what, exactly, is the gift he has spent so long obtaining. It's a good story, though I could wish Coville had simply switched back and forth between past and present rather than resorted to the cheap diary trick.
Overall this is an excellent collection, with Elder Brother and Scarecrow as the real standouts. Elder Brother in particular is good if you've read any of the Tortall books by Tamora Pierce and would like an additional piece of the story. Highly Recommended.
May 27, 2012
Becoming by Nancy Springer ****
This was an excellent short story to start the collection out with, and it was told from the point of view of a creature who is often only portrayed as en enemy in stories. I especially loved the ending, and how human a gorgon can really be.
Linnea by D. J. Malcolm ****
I enjoyed this story more than the first, with the greater sense of terror, of needing to find a way to escape, to become human again, only to realize that what she once thought of flaws are actually some of her greatest strengths.
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner ***
A good story, but I didn't feel like it was anything too special. There's no major flaws, but there were parts that I felt it became a little boring. Yet, at the same time, there were passages I really enjoyed.
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce **
She was one of my favorite authors growing up, and so I was excited for her story, though I actually ended up being almost disappointed by it. It does have ties to the Immortals series of hers, which made me even more excited for it, but... I felt as if it was the most boring of the lot. There were some very interesting aspects about it, and it was very unique, but I felt like it just dragged on and on, without much going on to keep me engaged.
How To Make A Human by Lawrence Schimel ***
The flow and rhymes of this poem were great, as were the descriptions, but yet I felt like it was comparing the best parts of mythical creatures with some of the not so great parts of man. Not at all a fair comparison.
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire ***
The very beginning was intriguing, but the further I got into the story, the more I became bored with it. However, once a certain young girl and her dog were introduced, I felt like the story picked back up, and the ending was especially well done.
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen **
Love the author and what I've read of her previous work, but I didn't really like this piece at all. I felt like the characters all acted as anyone else would under the circumstances, but the story just felt... boring to me. I couldn't get into it.
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell ***
I loved the beginning of this piece, but the further I grew into this story, the more I didn't like it as much. There is nothing really wrong with it, but I felt as if things were solved too easily in the end.
Soaring by Tim Waggoner ***
This story kept me engaged, and there were a few parts I really liked, but, overall, it just felt mediocre to me.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Coville ***
The first line immediately drew me into the story, but yet I think that this is the most unremarkable of them all, as, even though this is the last story I read, I don't remember much of it.
Overall, I think that there are some gem passages, but none of these short stories really captivated me.
This was an excellent short story to start the collection out with, and it was told from the point of view of a creature who is often only portrayed as en enemy in stories. I especially loved the ending, and how human a gorgon can really be.
Linnea by D. J. Malcolm ****
I enjoyed this story more than the first, with the greater sense of terror, of needing to find a way to escape, to become human again, only to realize that what she once thought of flaws are actually some of her greatest strengths.
Water's Edge by Janni Lee Simner ***
A good story, but I didn't feel like it was anything too special. There's no major flaws, but there were parts that I felt it became a little boring. Yet, at the same time, there were passages I really enjoyed.
Elder Brother by Tamora Pierce **
She was one of my favorite authors growing up, and so I was excited for her story, though I actually ended up being almost disappointed by it. It does have ties to the Immortals series of hers, which made me even more excited for it, but... I felt as if it was the most boring of the lot. There were some very interesting aspects about it, and it was very unique, but I felt like it just dragged on and on, without much going on to keep me engaged.
How To Make A Human by Lawrence Schimel ***
The flow and rhymes of this poem were great, as were the descriptions, but yet I felt like it was comparing the best parts of mythical creatures with some of the not so great parts of man. Not at all a fair comparison.
Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire ***
The very beginning was intriguing, but the further I got into the story, the more I became bored with it. However, once a certain young girl and her dog were introduced, I felt like the story picked back up, and the ending was especially well done.
Centaur Field by Jane Yolen **
Love the author and what I've read of her previous work, but I didn't really like this piece at all. I felt like the characters all acted as anyone else would under the circumstances, but the story just felt... boring to me. I couldn't get into it.
Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell ***
I loved the beginning of this piece, but the further I grew into this story, the more I didn't like it as much. There is nothing really wrong with it, but I felt as if things were solved too easily in the end.
Soaring by Tim Waggoner ***
This story kept me engaged, and there were a few parts I really liked, but, overall, it just felt mediocre to me.
The Hardest, Kindest Gift by Bruce Coville ***
The first line immediately drew me into the story, but yet I think that this is the most unremarkable of them all, as, even though this is the last story I read, I don't remember much of it.
Overall, I think that there are some gem passages, but none of these short stories really captivated me.
February 23, 2017
Solid 3 stars. Some stories were certainly better than others.
July 4, 2017
This is one book that I tripped upon in high school and absolutely fell in love wit since it reaches the young developing heart of a child. For the average teen or adolescent these stories ask questions that may be bothering them while giving wise answers but all within a story.
What makes these stories (and one poem) special is that there are a lot of famous authors who have contributed to this beautiful collection. Their writings, although separate, don't conflict but give weight to each other while still carrying a strong fantasy/mythological tone of their own. And even better is you don't need to read it in order but allow yourself to pick and choose such as in this case I read the Introduction and poem before randomly opening up.
But what makes this book a one-of-a-kind is its beautiful artwork at the beginning of each story. Although black and white there is a vitality as you look at the pictures of a girl with snakes in her hair while the lights of New York flicker behind, of a dragon princess whose uniqueness is shown in the dropped cloth from her back and a centaur colt with a quizzical face. The pictures will most definitely stir your mind.
Star-Ratings for the Stories:
Becoming - 5
Linnea - 2
Water's Edge - 5
Elder Brother - 2
How To Make A Human (Poem) -5
Scarecrow - 3
Centaur Field - 2
Princess Dragonblood - 4
Soaring - 5
The Hardest, Kindest Gift - 4
~A Book of Short Stories~
What makes these stories (and one poem) special is that there are a lot of famous authors who have contributed to this beautiful collection. Their writings, although separate, don't conflict but give weight to each other while still carrying a strong fantasy/mythological tone of their own. And even better is you don't need to read it in order but allow yourself to pick and choose such as in this case I read the Introduction and poem before randomly opening up.
But what makes this book a one-of-a-kind is its beautiful artwork at the beginning of each story. Although black and white there is a vitality as you look at the pictures of a girl with snakes in her hair while the lights of New York flicker behind, of a dragon princess whose uniqueness is shown in the dropped cloth from her back and a centaur colt with a quizzical face. The pictures will most definitely stir your mind.
Star-Ratings for the Stories:
Becoming - 5
Linnea - 2
Water's Edge - 5
Elder Brother - 2
How To Make A Human (Poem) -5
Scarecrow - 3
Centaur Field - 2
Princess Dragonblood - 4
Soaring - 5
The Hardest, Kindest Gift - 4
~A Book of Short Stories~
June 1, 2010
Bruce Coville has assembled the crème de la crème of children and 'tween fantasy authors in this anthology of short stories about mythological creatures in modern times. Nancy Springer introduces us to Medusa's family centuries after her death, Jane Yolen explores the early life of a centaur born on a farm, and Gregory Maguire fans will be delighted to learn about the creation of the Scarecrow from the Wicked series. Other authors include Tamora Pierce and her story of an ancient tree spirit, Jude Mandell's tale of a princess who is half dragon, and Tim Waggoner's story of a boy with wings. A great anthology for 'tween and teen readers, especially as an introduction to the fantasy genre; the book will be treasured by readers who are questioning what "humanity" really means. Best for 11-14 year olds.
August 25, 2011
This was a real treat. I had this collection of ten short stories by different fantasy authors lying around for quite a while now, having it originally bought for only one of the stories. Now I finally managed to read the whole collection and don't regret it.
The stories are all different in topic and style, naturally. But still the common theme suggested by the title can be found in all of them. Sometimes the characters are literally half-human, sometimes one has to look closer to "see" their other side.
Although these are fantasy stories they are also recommended reads for people who normally don't enjoy the genre in itself too much, because that isn't the point in the stories. It's friendship, discovering one's own merits and other important aspects of life. And because I can't find any fault with the collection or any of its stories, it deserves the highest rating.
The stories are all different in topic and style, naturally. But still the common theme suggested by the title can be found in all of them. Sometimes the characters are literally half-human, sometimes one has to look closer to "see" their other side.
Although these are fantasy stories they are also recommended reads for people who normally don't enjoy the genre in itself too much, because that isn't the point in the stories. It's friendship, discovering one's own merits and other important aspects of life. And because I can't find any fault with the collection or any of its stories, it deserves the highest rating.
July 7, 2014
This book of fantasy stories was a light, fast-evaporating treat. A couple of the stories stand out amongst the rest, particularly Mandell's and Coville's. Many of the stories, most notably Springer's intriguing first entry in the collection, feel dissatisfyingly like excerpts or preambles to aborted novels. This is an unfortunate risk in short story reading. Personally, I want to be left wanting more because the short narrative is so beautiful crafted, not because the author wanted more, or at least seemed to, enough to rush through the important points that must sustain a short story and only allow himself the luxury of wasting words on a description or dialogue that should only go in a longer form. Ultimately, this collection is worth checking out, but the writers could have used more direction.
November 29, 2008
It's funny actually. Reading the story about Medusa the second, it actually inspired me to surf the internet about these mythologies. I already knew the story about how Medusa came to be. She was the most beautiful creature who was also being loved by the god, Poseidon. But Poseidon already belonged to Athena. Athena was jealous and so she turned Medusa into a snake headed monster. They don't provide this in the book though. I felt Medusa II's pain though. She was just a regular girl in New York when suddenly her head's full of snakes. I would have probably chopped off all the snakes if it wasn't for the fact that they would grow back even bigger. However I would have thought that turning people into stone would be kind of cool, you know for self-defense.
August 1, 2022
There are some wonderful stories in this collection. Favourites include Tamora Pierce's wonderful "Elder Brother", Janni Lee Simner's "Water's Edge" (a selkie story), and Nancy Springer's "Becoming". I also really enjoyed Bruce Coville's introduction.
1. Nancy Springer - Becoming - 5 stars
2. D. J. Malcolm - Linnea - 3 stars
3. Janni Lee Simner - Water's Edge - 5 stars
4. Tamora Pierce - Elder Brother - 5 stars
5. Lawrence Schimel - How to Make a Human - 4 stars
6. Gregory Maguire - Scarecrow - 2 stars
7. Jane Yolen - Centaur Field - 3 stars
8. Jude Mandell - Princess Dragonblood - 3 stars
9. Tim Waggoner - Soaring - 3 stars
10. Bruce Coville - The Hardest, Kindest Gift - 3 stars
1. Nancy Springer - Becoming - 5 stars
2. D. J. Malcolm - Linnea - 3 stars
3. Janni Lee Simner - Water's Edge - 5 stars
4. Tamora Pierce - Elder Brother - 5 stars
5. Lawrence Schimel - How to Make a Human - 4 stars
6. Gregory Maguire - Scarecrow - 2 stars
7. Jane Yolen - Centaur Field - 3 stars
8. Jude Mandell - Princess Dragonblood - 3 stars
9. Tim Waggoner - Soaring - 3 stars
10. Bruce Coville - The Hardest, Kindest Gift - 3 stars
January 4, 2010
From the back cover: "A girl who hears the sea amongst the busy streets of Manhattan. A princess born with the strength to clutch a sword hilt. A winged boy who cannot fly. In these stories, the kind where trees can become men and girls wake up with snakes for hair, people are not always what they seem. But they still must discover who they are."
Once I got over the fact that it was a bunch of short stories, I paid attention to each short story. There were some good messages lined within the words of creativity. Each story had a certain message that spoke to the human in all of us.
Some of the stories were better written than others, but over all, the novel was good.
Once I got over the fact that it was a bunch of short stories, I paid attention to each short story. There were some good messages lined within the words of creativity. Each story had a certain message that spoke to the human in all of us.
Some of the stories were better written than others, but over all, the novel was good.
July 5, 2015
Okay, prepare for an unusually harsh review from me. I was excited for this book, I really was.
I found my hopes for this book quickly dashed. The outside of the book was pretty, and that's about where my excitement ended. The book itself is... childish. Maybe it was meant for a child, and I just wasn't aware of that fact. It would have changed my view of it from the start. But the stories feel like something written in a High-school creative writing class and the pictures are poorly done Photoshop that feel super fake. I couldn't even bring myself to read the last two stories.
The only bright spot in it is the story Linnea.
I found my hopes for this book quickly dashed. The outside of the book was pretty, and that's about where my excitement ended. The book itself is... childish. Maybe it was meant for a child, and I just wasn't aware of that fact. It would have changed my view of it from the start. But the stories feel like something written in a High-school creative writing class and the pictures are poorly done Photoshop that feel super fake. I couldn't even bring myself to read the last two stories.
The only bright spot in it is the story Linnea.
July 1, 2011
I purchased this book for my preteen aged daughter but I read it as well. I like to be aware of what she is reading even if I don't like it. With this book I really enjoyed reading the differing views on the main subject from each author. some of the story-lines were so intrigueing that I just kept reading when I should have put the book down for a little while. I know that this book will teach her even more tolerance of those who are different beccause it will give her some ideas of how differently she needs to think even when considering ordinary things.
June 25, 2012
This was a good collection. There were a lot of interpretations of mythology, which I wasn't necessarily expecting, but most were good. My particular favorites from this compilation were "Centaur Field" by Jane Yolen and "Soaring" by Tim Waggoner. Most of the rest were good. I don't care for Gregory Maguire - the more I read of him the more I realize I just don't like the way he thinks or something. And I didn't really like Bruce Coville's contribution, but I liked all the other things he chose for the book.
June 5, 2009
This is a VERY good book. I started reading it around 12:00pm on June 4th 2009, and finished at exactly 9:58pm that very same day.
Some of these stories are a bit disturbing, such as the baby centaur, and some of them are really quite interesting, captivating, and may bring tears to your eyes. My favorite of all the stories was the one at the end, the one by Bruce Coville. That one was the longest and the best in my view.
Some of these stories are a bit disturbing, such as the baby centaur, and some of them are really quite interesting, captivating, and may bring tears to your eyes. My favorite of all the stories was the one at the end, the one by Bruce Coville. That one was the longest and the best in my view.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2013
Interesting collection of people who are not quite human: selkies, mermaids, a centaur, a bird-boy, a tree-man, et al. Not great but pretty good.
Becoming by Nancy Springer; Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell; How to make a human by Lawrence Schimel; Linnea by D.J. Malcolm; Soaring by Tim Waggoner; Water's edge by Janni Lee Simner; Elder brother by Tamora Pierce; Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire; Centaur Field by Jane Yolen; The hardest, kindest gift by Bruce Coville.
Becoming by Nancy Springer; Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell; How to make a human by Lawrence Schimel; Linnea by D.J. Malcolm; Soaring by Tim Waggoner; Water's edge by Janni Lee Simner; Elder brother by Tamora Pierce; Scarecrow by Gregory Maguire; Centaur Field by Jane Yolen; The hardest, kindest gift by Bruce Coville.
December 27, 2015
Picked this up thinking it was YA. However, I think this is written more for pre-teens then actual teenagers. The quality of writing itself is disappointing. It might be okay for elementary kids, but I really wouldn't recommend it for anyone older. The stories themselves could be predictable or bland at times, with flat characters. I did enjoy the last story, but it's not enough to save the entire anthology.
January 31, 2009
Often with collections of short stories, it's hard to like all of them. With this collection, though, there's something in each of the stories that appeals to me. I certainly like some better than others (the one about the girl with snakes for hair, the one about Melusine, and the one about the boy with hawk's wings), but they all have their moments.
March 31, 2009
Really, I would give it a 2.5 because it's a book of many stories and I only liked a couple of them. But the ones I liked were great, and I really liked the poem "How to make a Human" by Lawrence Schimel. It's a very... realistic poem from some points of view and it's a poem that says something I think to be true.
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