Booktalks Quick and Simple

	VanPelt, James. THE LAST OF THE O-FORMS New York : Fairwood, 2005 IL AD ISBN 0974657352
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	This is Van Pelt's second book of short stories, and his second nomination for the Blue Spruce YA Book Award. Some of these have been published before in magazines such as Analog, Alfred Hitchcock's, Talebones, and Realms of Fantasy. I'll tell you about just one of the 15 short stories that are all weird, realistically detailed, and compelling reads! "The Stars Underfoot" is about being a hero, and understanding that it's not about what happened, but what didn't happen. Dustin wanted to be the first this year to walk out onto the ice to the just barely frozen lake. Mike Liddle had already failed in his attempt. But Dustin would make it, and at night -- ;a first -- and have a photo to prove it. As he stood on the thin, very thin ice, he looked down and saw a million stars reflected in the ice beneath him. He was standing on the universe. Then he saw a beam of light, just like his flashlight's beam, coming up at him through the ice. A parallel boy, on a parallel challenge! Suddenly he felt the ice give way , felt the chill sucking him beneath the surface, and realized that the other boy was falling too, but following up across the ice membrane, and suffocating in the air. What could he do to save them both. To learn more, read this and other stories in James Van Pelt's new collection The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories. Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2006-2007
	SUBJECTS: Science fiction.

This is Van Pelt's second book of short stories, and his second nomination for the Blue Spruce YA Book Award. Some of these have been published before in magazines such as Analog, Alfred Hitchcock's, Talebones, and Realms of Fantasy.

I'll tell you about just one of the 15 short stories that are all weird, realistically detailed, and compelling reads!

"The Stars Underfoot" is about being a hero, and understanding that it's not about what happened, but what didn't happen.

Dustin wanted to be the first this year to walk out onto the ice to the just barely frozen lake. Mike Liddle had already failed in his attempt. But Dustin would make it, and at night -- ;a first -- and have a photo to prove it.

As he stood on the thin, very thin ice, he looked down and saw a million stars reflected in the ice beneath him. He was standing on the universe. Then he saw a beam of light, just like his flashlight's beam, coming up at him through the ice. A parallel boy, on a parallel challenge!

Suddenly he felt the ice give way , felt the chill sucking him beneath the surface, and realized that the other boy was falling too, but following up across the ice membrane, and suffocating in the air. What could he do to save them both.
To learn more, read this and other stories in James Van Pelt's new collection The Last of the O-Forms and Other Stories. Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2006-2007