An Overpraised Season: 10 Stories of Youth

by Charlotte Zolotow

A short story collection dramatizing the problems, tribulations, and emotional confrontations that beset the young

188 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Charlotte Zolotow was a distinguished American writer, editor, and publisher who made a lasting mark on children's literature. Over her career, she authored around 70 picture book texts and edited works by prominent writers including Paul Zindel, Robert Lipsyte, and Francesca Lia Block. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, she studied writing at the University of Wisconsin Madison and later joined Harper & Bros in New York, where she worked her way up from secretary to publisher. Her own books were published by over 20 houses, and she became known for her poetic and emotionally insightful texts. Zolotow’s most celebrated works include When the Wind Stops, William’s Doll, and River Winding. Her story "Enemies" was featured in The Big Book for Peace alongside other notable authors. She lived for many years in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Her legacy endures not only through her own writing but also through the Charlotte Zolotow Award, established in 1998 to honor outstanding picture book texts. Her contributions helped shape modern children's literature with sensitivity, elegance, and enduring relevance.

Reviews

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a relatively quick read with instant ramifications on your life. I managed to pound it out in a couple hours, and that included pausing after a few stories just to think. It is not a particularly difficult book, although the authors take very different approaches to the idea of the separation of generations. My edition featured a summary before each of the stories inside, and if yours does as well, do not read them. I found that interpreting the stories for myself, as a young adult on the cusp of the next generation, was far more fun than someone else's views on the same thing. Still, I suppose that just gives the point of the book a more pointed example than even the fiction within.

[Rachael]

Mostly I thought the stories were sad. But, I liked the glimpses into life in the middle of the last century.