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Just Some Stuff I Wrote
The award-winning author of Stones and Zack brings us a collection of original stories that will captivate teens as completely as his bestselling novels.
With these eight absorbing tales, acclaimed storyteller William Bell explores the highs and lows of characters struggling to belong.
In “Chumley,” a high school boy’s comical eccentricities mask his true, more complicated self.
Fourteen-year-old Albert’s sudden sense of shame at the grandfather he adores leads to a surprising realization in “Beer Can Man.”
In “The Staircase,” the aftermath of a horrible incident exposes an ugly reality at the heart of a high school.
In “Window Tree,” a girl grapples with her shattered expectations over a crush she felt certain was requited.
Bell’s protagonists are individuals and outsiders, often on the margin of their peers or their family. Finding their own place in the world takes them on journeys that are by turns funny, fantastical, and moving.
These perceptive, empathetic, and engaging stories show again why William Bell commands such a loyal readership among young adults, teachers, and parents.
With these eight absorbing tales, acclaimed storyteller William Bell explores the highs and lows of characters struggling to belong.
In “Chumley,” a high school boy’s comical eccentricities mask his true, more complicated self.
Fourteen-year-old Albert’s sudden sense of shame at the grandfather he adores leads to a surprising realization in “Beer Can Man.”
In “The Staircase,” the aftermath of a horrible incident exposes an ugly reality at the heart of a high school.
In “Window Tree,” a girl grapples with her shattered expectations over a crush she felt certain was requited.
Bell’s protagonists are individuals and outsiders, often on the margin of their peers or their family. Finding their own place in the world takes them on journeys that are by turns funny, fantastical, and moving.
These perceptive, empathetic, and engaging stories show again why William Bell commands such a loyal readership among young adults, teachers, and parents.
- GenresTeenShort Stories
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2005
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
William Bell
127 books54 followersWilliam Bell is an award-winning author of more than a dozen books for young adults.
Born in Toronto, Ontario in 1945, he has been a high school English teacher and department head, and an instructor at the Harbin University of Science and Technology, the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, and the University of British Columbia.
Born in Toronto, Ontario in 1945, he has been a high school English teacher and department head, and an instructor at the Harbin University of Science and Technology, the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, and the University of British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 24, 2017
I wasn't too impressed by the portrayal of female characters / how they were referred to or treated by the male characters in these stories. The stories themselves were fairly novel, and explored different narrative strategies which was fun to navigate. Themes of depression and internal struggles were surprisingly prevalent throughout.
July 22, 2011
1 star was for the story "Chumley", the other for "Apollo and Dionysus". They had decent storylines, and interesting characters. But even these two /good/ stories fell on their face near the end when the story seems to stop mid-breath.
The other stories unfortunately were barely stories at all.
Furthermore, William Bell doesn't seem to understand how police investigations, or emailing works at all. Unfortunately, he used both of them as a big part of a quarter of this book.
This collection of stories will not "captivate" teens like the cover suggests.
Instead the reader will be wishing that William Bell would learn the importance of actually having a good idea before writing instead of slapping a few writing exercises he did together.
The other stories unfortunately were barely stories at all.
Furthermore, William Bell doesn't seem to understand how police investigations, or emailing works at all. Unfortunately, he used both of them as a big part of a quarter of this book.
This collection of stories will not "captivate" teens like the cover suggests.
Instead the reader will be wishing that William Bell would learn the importance of actually having a good idea before writing instead of slapping a few writing exercises he did together.
August 20, 2010
Some people have really hard lives....
August 24, 2008
One of the shortlisted titles for the CLA Young Adult Book Award in 2006.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews