Fire and Shadow

Gr 9 Up—In this collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories, Howson weaves some spellbinding tales that stretch from dystopian to the supernatural and even include a spin-off of Greek mythology. The characters in each story are well-developed and seamlessly inhabit each entry. "Fire and Shadow" is a terrifying tale about Fern, who discovers she is a firestarter. She must learn to control and use this gift to help those who cannot fend off the dreaded Shadows. "Frayed Tapestry" is an imaginative retelling of the abduction of Persephone. In the dystopian sci-fi story "Falling," Linnet falls for a winged boy named Gecko. The world-building in this short work is very well done, and teens will be rooting for the two main characters. In "Scented Danger," a futuristic retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood," Elli lives in a world where pollution and trash have taken over. She is sent to her grandmother, who runs a brothel in the city, to ask for money so they can repair their water recycler. This one concludes neatly but might be more suited to older readers. Each of these stories is well written and engaging.