What do you think?
Rate this book
The Anything Box
Don't open The Anything Box unless you're prepared for the unexpected.
The Grunder, a thing of horror which, if defeated, restores love...
The Noise-Eater, created by a child out of his fevered imagination, gobbles up anything--or anyone--that makes a sound...
The Coveti, residents of an alien world poisoned by the intrusion of the stranger from Earth...
The Beast Hill, an ordinary mound of earth, except that its grass resembles fur, and--doesn't it move?
The Grunder, a thing of horror which, if defeated, restores love...
The Noise-Eater, created by a child out of his fevered imagination, gobbles up anything--or anyone--that makes a sound...
The Coveti, residents of an alien world poisoned by the intrusion of the stranger from Earth...
The Beast Hill, an ordinary mound of earth, except that its grass resembles fur, and--doesn't it move?
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1956
19 people are currently reading
773 people want to read
About the author
Zenna Henderson
124 books93 followersZenna Chlarson Henderson was born on November 1, 1917 in the Tucson, Arizona area. She graduated from Arizona State in 1940 with a Bachelors degree in education and worked as a teacher in Arizona throughout her life. She died on May 11, 1983, at the age of 65, in Tucson.
Henderson is known almost entirely for short stories about "The People." The People are a race of sensitive, human-looking aliens with psychic abilities who are separated after crash-landing on Earth but come to find each other over a period of many years.
Publishing her "People" stories in the leading science fiction magazines of the 50's, 60's and 70's, Henderson became a pioneer in many areas of science fiction literature. She was one of the first female science fiction writers, and was one of an even smaller number who wrote openly as a woman, without using male-sounding pseudonyms or initials (James Tiptree, Jr.; C.L. Moore; etc.).
Henderson was one of the first in science fiction to truly take young people seriously and write expressive, mature stories from their point of view. She drew on her experience as a teacher of young people, and was able to bring a rare level of insight to her use of young characters. Henderson's youthful protagonists are neither adults forced into young bodies, nor are they frivolous caricatures. They are very human, complete souls, yet marked by authentic signs of youth and innocence. Interestingly enough, Lois McMaster Bujold and Orson Scott Card, both of whom mention Henderson as an important early influence, have also been among the most successful chroniclers of young people, with such Hugo- and Nebula-award winning novels as Falling Free and Ender's Game.
Her books and stories about The People were the basis for the movie
The People, 1972, starring William Shatner and Kim Darby. Despite similarities, both Escape to Witch Mountain, 1975, and Return to Witch Mountain, 1978, were a result of books by Alexander Key.
Henderson is known almost entirely for short stories about "The People." The People are a race of sensitive, human-looking aliens with psychic abilities who are separated after crash-landing on Earth but come to find each other over a period of many years.
Publishing her "People" stories in the leading science fiction magazines of the 50's, 60's and 70's, Henderson became a pioneer in many areas of science fiction literature. She was one of the first female science fiction writers, and was one of an even smaller number who wrote openly as a woman, without using male-sounding pseudonyms or initials (James Tiptree, Jr.; C.L. Moore; etc.).
Henderson was one of the first in science fiction to truly take young people seriously and write expressive, mature stories from their point of view. She drew on her experience as a teacher of young people, and was able to bring a rare level of insight to her use of young characters. Henderson's youthful protagonists are neither adults forced into young bodies, nor are they frivolous caricatures. They are very human, complete souls, yet marked by authentic signs of youth and innocence. Interestingly enough, Lois McMaster Bujold and Orson Scott Card, both of whom mention Henderson as an important early influence, have also been among the most successful chroniclers of young people, with such Hugo- and Nebula-award winning novels as Falling Free and Ender's Game.
Her books and stories about The People were the basis for the movie
The People, 1972, starring William Shatner and Kim Darby. Despite similarities, both Escape to Witch Mountain, 1975, and Return to Witch Mountain, 1978, were a result of books by Alexander Key.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
September 26, 2019
The Anything Box is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. I don't even like short story collections, but this one was so perfect. If I could, I'd give it ten stars. Fifty.
I had, in fact, drafted a lot of my review just as I started reading it. But I wasn't home when I did and I sadly lost the paper. It was a good review full of emotion and ideas and I was so distraught at having lost it that I even stopped reading the book. For a year.
But I finally picked it back up, and although I can't tell you exactly what I thought of those stories a year ago, I can say that they completely blew my mind. This is one of the best collections of SFF I have ever had the pleasure to read. It just doesn't get better. And I wish Zenna Henderson was better known because she was a one of a kind writer.
I had, in fact, drafted a lot of my review just as I started reading it. But I wasn't home when I did and I sadly lost the paper. It was a good review full of emotion and ideas and I was so distraught at having lost it that I even stopped reading the book. For a year.
But I finally picked it back up, and although I can't tell you exactly what I thought of those stories a year ago, I can say that they completely blew my mind. This is one of the best collections of SFF I have ever had the pleasure to read. It just doesn't get better. And I wish Zenna Henderson was better known because she was a one of a kind writer.
March 28, 2013
3/2013 I read Walking Aunt Daid through tears, oh, who am I kidding- through sobs, the other night to a teenaged boy. If I never do another thing in my life, it's okay. Henderson's that good. I've dipped and supped throughout the book in the days since I read that story and as always I marvel that Henderson isn't more revered, isn't celebrated with parades and sparklers on her birthday. There are so many brilliant stories in this collection alone. Seriously, READ ZENNA HENDERSON. Read her right now.
2008 Henderson was brilliant. I was looking in the mirror the other day, and the plethora of wrinkles got me thinking of her short story "Walking Aunt Daid", which had a profound effect on my teenaged self. I wondered what it would be like to read from middle age. I like to play with fire, you see.
And I read it, I did, and it tore great heaving sobs from me. The bitterness at the heart of it is so hurtful, so bruised and ultimately so universal. And one feels for the boys, generation upon generation of them.
I can't read this very often. Then again, I don't need to because I carry it with me every step of the way.
2008 Henderson was brilliant. I was looking in the mirror the other day, and the plethora of wrinkles got me thinking of her short story "Walking Aunt Daid", which had a profound effect on my teenaged self. I wondered what it would be like to read from middle age. I like to play with fire, you see.
And I read it, I did, and it tore great heaving sobs from me. The bitterness at the heart of it is so hurtful, so bruised and ultimately so universal. And one feels for the boys, generation upon generation of them.
I can't read this very often. Then again, I don't need to because I carry it with me every step of the way.
January 31, 2025
I've been wanting to read this for a long time and now have finally gotten it from ILL, from Eastern New Mexico University. Def. worth the wait, but maybe I should've bought it for rereads. The language & style sometimes remind me of Ray Bradbury ("blare of light"), as does the focus on children, their worlds & their perspectives. The themes and 'plots' are moving, thoughtful, & thought-provoking. Some would make excellent Twilight Zone episodes. I'm not surprised to learn that she was a teacher; she knows how to connect with an audience whilst also exploring or sharing something worth the reader's time.
---
Not perfect, not for everybody. But yes I do believe that everyone who reads classic sff should read at least some stories by Henderson. I wish that she had been more influential. I would love more like these. So much wisdom, so much heart. I'm closely skimming it again before sending it back. And somehow or another I've got to get more by her.
"Behind Mom's eyes, was there a corridor leading back to youth and sparkle?"
---
Not perfect, not for everybody. But yes I do believe that everyone who reads classic sff should read at least some stories by Henderson. I wish that she had been more influential. I would love more like these. So much wisdom, so much heart. I'm closely skimming it again before sending it back. And somehow or another I've got to get more by her.
"Behind Mom's eyes, was there a corridor leading back to youth and sparkle?"
September 26, 2013
Zenna Henderson is probably the most underrated author in the SF&F field that I can think of. Although her stories are among my favorites, they are long out of print.
Why?
Well, she's deceased (died in 1983), was never very prolific, concentrated on short stories - and had her vision brought to the screen through a movie starring William Shatner, that, by all reports, was pretty bad. (I have avoided watching it.)
Some critics have said they find her work to be "too sentimental" - but I would say, rather, that it is emotionally powerful. She often deals with characters that feel 'different' or disenfranchised, and I have never encountered a writer who could better articulate the longing for something 'more' than this mundane existence... (a common feeling among sf&f fans, I'd say!). She also deals frequently with themes of youth and age, and mixes wistfulness and horror to wonderful effect.
I'd read several of the stories in this collection before, but not all of them. And hey, I have to say that any story that can make me cry not just on first reading - but the third time I've read it as well, has to be pretty effective...
• The Anything Box. 1956
• Subcommittee. 1962
• Something Bright. 1959
• Hush!. 1953
• Food to All Flesh. 1954
• Come On, Wagon!. 1951
• Walking Aunt Daid. 1955
• The Substitute. 1953
• The Grunder. 1953
• Things. 1960
• Turn the Page. 1957
• Stevie and the Dark. 1952
• And a Little Child -. 1959
• The Last Step. 1957
Why?
Well, she's deceased (died in 1983), was never very prolific, concentrated on short stories - and had her vision brought to the screen through a movie starring William Shatner, that, by all reports, was pretty bad. (I have avoided watching it.)
Some critics have said they find her work to be "too sentimental" - but I would say, rather, that it is emotionally powerful. She often deals with characters that feel 'different' or disenfranchised, and I have never encountered a writer who could better articulate the longing for something 'more' than this mundane existence... (a common feeling among sf&f fans, I'd say!). She also deals frequently with themes of youth and age, and mixes wistfulness and horror to wonderful effect.
I'd read several of the stories in this collection before, but not all of them. And hey, I have to say that any story that can make me cry not just on first reading - but the third time I've read it as well, has to be pretty effective...
• The Anything Box. 1956
• Subcommittee. 1962
• Something Bright. 1959
• Hush!. 1953
• Food to All Flesh. 1954
• Come On, Wagon!. 1951
• Walking Aunt Daid. 1955
• The Substitute. 1953
• The Grunder. 1953
• Things. 1960
• Turn the Page. 1957
• Stevie and the Dark. 1952
• And a Little Child -. 1959
• The Last Step. 1957
February 27, 2021
"The Anything Box" By Zenna Henderson is a marvelous collection of Sci-fi short stories that will leave you in awe. The first story "The Anything Box" is a wonderful story about the magic that only lives in the young. While it is very much a story about wonder it is also a sad story about loss.
The stories are all engaging and will hold your interest from start to finish.
This was a recommended read from one of my Facebook friends and it was a great surprise. A fast read that does not fail to entertain.
Well worth the time to find it (published in 1969) and a worthy addition to any readers collection.
The stories are all engaging and will hold your interest from start to finish.
This was a recommended read from one of my Facebook friends and it was a great surprise. A fast read that does not fail to entertain.
Well worth the time to find it (published in 1969) and a worthy addition to any readers collection.
December 16, 2021
I first read this book many years ago, the edition pictured in fact, and now I discover that old paperback edition has some value in the used book trade.
The book is worth more than dollars to me. I value Henderson as a woman writer of fantasy, and as a writer who chose, often, to write stories with children. Not everyone is interested in reading about children, but like stories without pets or people who seem to have no job, I often find myself reading novels and stories about people who do not live on my street. As if only children should read stories with children in them, or that having a dog in a story meant it had to be about dogs; as if everyone has a living not dependent on paychecks. (This last is awkward since I live in an area with a surprising population of entitled white people who do not actually need to work.)
These are charming, principled, startling, sweet, scary, amazing stories. I have shared the title story with high school students for years and it is a treasure—worth the price just for that one.
I have read that Orson Scott Card credits Henderson as one of the literary mentors leading to Ender's Game. I am not surprised.
The book is worth more than dollars to me. I value Henderson as a woman writer of fantasy, and as a writer who chose, often, to write stories with children. Not everyone is interested in reading about children, but like stories without pets or people who seem to have no job, I often find myself reading novels and stories about people who do not live on my street. As if only children should read stories with children in them, or that having a dog in a story meant it had to be about dogs; as if everyone has a living not dependent on paychecks. (This last is awkward since I live in an area with a surprising population of entitled white people who do not actually need to work.)
These are charming, principled, startling, sweet, scary, amazing stories. I have shared the title story with high school students for years and it is a treasure—worth the price just for that one.
I have read that Orson Scott Card credits Henderson as one of the literary mentors leading to Ender's Game. I am not surprised.
June 30, 2021
A whole bunch of good stories, and a few great ones.
TW: Many of the stories involve children. Nasty little things.
TW: Many of the stories involve children. Nasty little things.
September 22, 2016
"See my box, Teacher? It's my Anything Box."
"Oh, my!" I said. "May I hold it?"
After all, I have held - tenderly or apprehensively or bravely - tiger magic, live rattlesnakes, dragon's teeth, poor little dead butterflies and two ears and a nose that dropped off Sojie one cold morning - none of which I could see any more than I could the Anything Box. But I took the squareness from her carefully, my tenderness showing in my fingers and my face.
And I received weight and substance and actuality!
Almost I let it slip out of my surprised fingers, but Sue-lynn's apprehensive breath helped me catch it and I curved my fingers around the precious warmness and looked down, down, past a faint shimmering, down into Sue-lynn's Anything Box.
The stories in this book aren't about The People, but there are still children with strange powers, as well as several more obviously science fiction tales about first contact with aliens. Several of the stories feature teachers and most are about children, which isn't surprising since Zenna Henderson was a teacher herself. I have read some of her People stories before, and these were equally as heart-warming.
"Oh, my!" I said. "May I hold it?"
After all, I have held - tenderly or apprehensively or bravely - tiger magic, live rattlesnakes, dragon's teeth, poor little dead butterflies and two ears and a nose that dropped off Sojie one cold morning - none of which I could see any more than I could the Anything Box. But I took the squareness from her carefully, my tenderness showing in my fingers and my face.
And I received weight and substance and actuality!
Almost I let it slip out of my surprised fingers, but Sue-lynn's apprehensive breath helped me catch it and I curved my fingers around the precious warmness and looked down, down, past a faint shimmering, down into Sue-lynn's Anything Box.
The stories in this book aren't about The People, but there are still children with strange powers, as well as several more obviously science fiction tales about first contact with aliens. Several of the stories feature teachers and most are about children, which isn't surprising since Zenna Henderson was a teacher herself. I have read some of her People stories before, and these were equally as heart-warming.
August 25, 2010
Actually, her married name was Zenna Chlarson. My great Aunt.
October 12, 2007
A collection of short stories unrelated to "The People". Zenna's short stories are completely and horribly wonderful. What I mean is she writes in such a way that you feel the wonder you once felt as a child. And, in her darker stories like the one with the Sound Eater, she out-horrors Steven King! Her other collection of short stories is "Holding Wonder" and it is not to be missed. In fact, nothing Zenna wrote is anything you would want to miss. Search them out! You won't be sorry.
November 19, 2022
These fourteen stories can be evenly divided into science fiction, fantasy, and horror. A majority of them are about children who see things the adults cannot see, or who have special powers. Many of them are set in classrooms or schools. They are creepy, sad, and generally weird.
My favorites are "Walking Aunt Daid," "Stevie and the Dark," "Turn the Page," and "The Anything Box."
My favorites are "Walking Aunt Daid," "Stevie and the Dark," "Turn the Page," and "The Anything Box."
September 16, 2021
3.5 stars.
ENGLISH: A collection of 14 short stories of fantasy and science fiction, 8 to 21 pages long. Just 5 of them are science fiction, and all five deal with extraterrestrial intelligence. Four of the stories deal with the interaction between teachers and little children in the school, one of Henderson's favorite themes. One of them, in fact, is a school story in a different planet! Those I liked most were:
"Food to All Flesh," mentioned by C.S.Lewis in his recorded interview "Unreal States," published in the collection "Of This and Other Worlds." He gives this story as an example of the following: Some science fiction really does deal with issues far more serious than those realistic fiction deals with; real problems about human destiny and so on. Then comes a summary of the plot of this story, which Lewis ends thus: You could not have a more serious theme than that. What is a footling story about some pair of human lovers compared with that?
"The Grunder" is a fantasy story about jealousy. In my opinion, it makes a good illustration to C.S.Lewis's article "On Obstinacy in Belief," published in the collection "The World's Last Night and other essays."
"Turn the Page" is one example of Zenna Henderson's stories about school. In this case, it deals with Fairy Stories and their good impact on the education of little children, summarized in the words: "Turn the page. Everyone will finally live happily ever after, because that's the way it’s written!," a phrase with clear Scriptural connotations.
"The Last Step" is everything at the same time, a kind of summary of the whole book. It's science fiction, as the plot takes place in another planet with extraterrestrial intelligence; it's fantasy, as the plot hinges on a strong fantastic element; and it's a school story. I think this is my best-beloved story in this book.
ESPAÑOL: Colección de 14 cuentos de fantasía y ciencia-ficción, de 8 a 21 páginas. Sólo 5 son de ciencia-ficción, y los cinco tratan sobre inteligencia extraterrestre. Cuatro tratan sobre la interacción entre maestros y niños pequeños en la escuela, uno de los temas favoritos de Henderson. ¡Uno de ellos, de hecho, es una historia escolar en un planeta diferente! Los que más me gustaron fueron estos:
"Food to All Flesh", mencionado por C.S.Lewis en su entrevista grabada "Unreal States", que se publicó en la colección "Of This and Other Worlds". Lewis pone esta historia como ejemplo de lo siguiente: Alguna ciencia-ficción trata realmente temas mucho más serios que los de la ficción realista; problemas reales sobre el destino humano y todo eso. Luego viene un resumen de la trama de esta historia, que Lewis termina así: No podría haber un tema más serio que ese. En comparación con esto, ¿qué nos puede decir una historia trivial sobre un par de amantes humanos?
"The Grunder" es una historia de fantasía sobre los celos. En mi opinión, es un buen ejemplo del artículo de C.S.Lewis "On Obstinacy in Belief", que se publicó en la colección "The World's Last Night and other essays".
"Turn the Page" es una de las historias de Zenna Henderson sobre la escuela. Esta trata sobre los cuentos de hadas y su impacto favorable sobre la educación de los niños, que resume en estas palabras: "Pasa la página. Al final, todos vivirán felices para siempre, porque ¡así está escrito!", una frase con claras connotaciones bíblicas.
"The Last Step" es una especie de resumen de todo el libro. Es ciencia-ficción, ya que la trama se desarrolla en otro planeta donde hay una inteligencia extraterrestre; es fantasía, ya que la trama depende de un elemento fuertemente fantástico; y es una historia escolar. Creo que esta es la historia que más me ha gustado.
ENGLISH: A collection of 14 short stories of fantasy and science fiction, 8 to 21 pages long. Just 5 of them are science fiction, and all five deal with extraterrestrial intelligence. Four of the stories deal with the interaction between teachers and little children in the school, one of Henderson's favorite themes. One of them, in fact, is a school story in a different planet! Those I liked most were:
"Food to All Flesh," mentioned by C.S.Lewis in his recorded interview "Unreal States," published in the collection "Of This and Other Worlds." He gives this story as an example of the following: Some science fiction really does deal with issues far more serious than those realistic fiction deals with; real problems about human destiny and so on. Then comes a summary of the plot of this story, which Lewis ends thus: You could not have a more serious theme than that. What is a footling story about some pair of human lovers compared with that?
"The Grunder" is a fantasy story about jealousy. In my opinion, it makes a good illustration to C.S.Lewis's article "On Obstinacy in Belief," published in the collection "The World's Last Night and other essays."
"Turn the Page" is one example of Zenna Henderson's stories about school. In this case, it deals with Fairy Stories and their good impact on the education of little children, summarized in the words: "Turn the page. Everyone will finally live happily ever after, because that's the way it’s written!," a phrase with clear Scriptural connotations.
"The Last Step" is everything at the same time, a kind of summary of the whole book. It's science fiction, as the plot takes place in another planet with extraterrestrial intelligence; it's fantasy, as the plot hinges on a strong fantastic element; and it's a school story. I think this is my best-beloved story in this book.
ESPAÑOL: Colección de 14 cuentos de fantasía y ciencia-ficción, de 8 a 21 páginas. Sólo 5 son de ciencia-ficción, y los cinco tratan sobre inteligencia extraterrestre. Cuatro tratan sobre la interacción entre maestros y niños pequeños en la escuela, uno de los temas favoritos de Henderson. ¡Uno de ellos, de hecho, es una historia escolar en un planeta diferente! Los que más me gustaron fueron estos:
"Food to All Flesh", mencionado por C.S.Lewis en su entrevista grabada "Unreal States", que se publicó en la colección "Of This and Other Worlds". Lewis pone esta historia como ejemplo de lo siguiente: Alguna ciencia-ficción trata realmente temas mucho más serios que los de la ficción realista; problemas reales sobre el destino humano y todo eso. Luego viene un resumen de la trama de esta historia, que Lewis termina así: No podría haber un tema más serio que ese. En comparación con esto, ¿qué nos puede decir una historia trivial sobre un par de amantes humanos?
"The Grunder" es una historia de fantasía sobre los celos. En mi opinión, es un buen ejemplo del artículo de C.S.Lewis "On Obstinacy in Belief", que se publicó en la colección "The World's Last Night and other essays".
"Turn the Page" es una de las historias de Zenna Henderson sobre la escuela. Esta trata sobre los cuentos de hadas y su impacto favorable sobre la educación de los niños, que resume en estas palabras: "Pasa la página. Al final, todos vivirán felices para siempre, porque ¡así está escrito!", una frase con claras connotaciones bíblicas.
"The Last Step" es una especie de resumen de todo el libro. Es ciencia-ficción, ya que la trama se desarrolla en otro planeta donde hay una inteligencia extraterrestre; es fantasía, ya que la trama depende de un elemento fuertemente fantástico; y es una historia escolar. Creo que esta es la historia que más me ha gustado.
December 19, 2008
I was inspired to re-read (for the umpteenth time) my battered, tattered, faded and falling-apart copy of this book, and it is just as much of a jewel as I remember it being.
Her stories are firmly set in the real world, even when that real world contains (as it so often does) the marvellous, the extraordinary and the miraculous.
Her stories are firmly set in the real world, even when that real world contains (as it so often does) the marvellous, the extraordinary and the miraculous.
July 1, 2025
I've been reading this book for most of my life. My adult life, certainly. Zenna Henderson is best known for her 'The People' stories, but this collection shows that there is a great range to her stories.
There isn't a dud in the collection. It mostly focuses on children, or adult / child interactions, although my favourite is a story about an old lady who is so ancient she's become something of a family heirloom. 'Walking Aunt Daid' is one of those stories that I've read so many times it's become a part of me.
I'd forgotten how truly terrifying some of these tales are. I'm fairly sure I've seen 'Hush', or at least the idea behind it, adapted for film or TV, but I may be wrong. Maybe it just summoned such strong visuals that I think I've seen it ...
OK, I have a little more time now, so I'll do a deeper dive. This book deserves it. The title story 'The Anything Box' is about imagination, its value, and how easily it can be quashed ... but also, how it can be shared. 'Subcommittee' is a delight of a story, very much of its time, with ideas that have been well explored but are still very valid. Whilst the menfolk of two different species try to make a peace deal during a horrific war, the women and children secretly swap knitting patterns and learn each others' games. Yes, it's stereotypical, but the ideas are still there ... ordinary people need to meet and learn that they have something in common. 'Something Bright' could be a People story, and is a companion piece to 'Walking Aunt Daid'. There is such longing in this story, to leave a body that isn't the right one and to escape to a real, brighter, life. I've already mentioned 'Hush', and the next story 'Food to all Flesh' is truly one of the saddest stories ever written. A man befriends an alien that lands near his home, and together they try out every possible foodstuff and non foodstuff in an attempt to nourish the alien. Eventually, the alien reveals that they have babies to feed ... and one of the babies finds the one food that can nourish them.
'Come on, Wagon' again focuses on children, and how their talents are overlooked, how they grow up and turn their backs on their unique specialness.
And back to 'Walking Aunt Daid', which is hitting hard because you know, my copy of this book is old and waterstained and not very pretty. I was thinking of putting it in the recycling, because nobody else would want it ... and then ... 'Why do we keep her?' asked Ma. 'She doesn't die. She's alive. What should we do? She's no trouble. Not much, anyway.' 'Put her in a home somewhere.' I suggested. 'She's in a home now,' said Ma. So yeah. this books stays on the shelves. It convinced me all by itself.
Moving on - 'The Substitute' is about a boy with all his defences up, and the teacher who gets past them. Of course, this being Zenna Henderson, there's a lot more to it. 'The Grunder' is way ahead of its time, tackling a toxic relationship from the point of view of the abusive partner, who so, so, wants to change his ways. It's partly a shaggy dog story, partly folk magic, but it's all feeling.
'Things' isn't subtle at all, it's too angry to be subtle. It's about the destruction of lives and cultures by the obsessive need for, and addiction to, consumerism. It was written 65 years ago, that's three generations ago ...
'Turn the Page' is a story about stories, about what we tell ourselves about other people, and what we learn from the earliest tales that we are told. It's very sad, but also very lovely.
'Stevie and the Dark' is a straight up horror story that King himself would be happy to claim. The power of a child's belief is a wonderful thing.
'And a Little Child' in comparison, is pure sf. Every so often there's a child with the clearness of sight to perceive what others merely glance at and accept.
'The Last Step' is the final story in the book, and is a perfect little sf / horror story.
In conclusion, fans of horror / sf / fantasy should all read this book. Repeatedly.
PS, my copy is staying here. It has a home.
There isn't a dud in the collection. It mostly focuses on children, or adult / child interactions, although my favourite is a story about an old lady who is so ancient she's become something of a family heirloom. 'Walking Aunt Daid' is one of those stories that I've read so many times it's become a part of me.
I'd forgotten how truly terrifying some of these tales are. I'm fairly sure I've seen 'Hush', or at least the idea behind it, adapted for film or TV, but I may be wrong. Maybe it just summoned such strong visuals that I think I've seen it ...
OK, I have a little more time now, so I'll do a deeper dive. This book deserves it. The title story 'The Anything Box' is about imagination, its value, and how easily it can be quashed ... but also, how it can be shared. 'Subcommittee' is a delight of a story, very much of its time, with ideas that have been well explored but are still very valid. Whilst the menfolk of two different species try to make a peace deal during a horrific war, the women and children secretly swap knitting patterns and learn each others' games. Yes, it's stereotypical, but the ideas are still there ... ordinary people need to meet and learn that they have something in common. 'Something Bright' could be a People story, and is a companion piece to 'Walking Aunt Daid'. There is such longing in this story, to leave a body that isn't the right one and to escape to a real, brighter, life. I've already mentioned 'Hush', and the next story 'Food to all Flesh' is truly one of the saddest stories ever written. A man befriends an alien that lands near his home, and together they try out every possible foodstuff and non foodstuff in an attempt to nourish the alien. Eventually, the alien reveals that they have babies to feed ... and one of the babies finds the one food that can nourish them.
'Come on, Wagon' again focuses on children, and how their talents are overlooked, how they grow up and turn their backs on their unique specialness.
And back to 'Walking Aunt Daid', which is hitting hard because you know, my copy of this book is old and waterstained and not very pretty. I was thinking of putting it in the recycling, because nobody else would want it ... and then ... 'Why do we keep her?' asked Ma. 'She doesn't die. She's alive. What should we do? She's no trouble. Not much, anyway.' 'Put her in a home somewhere.' I suggested. 'She's in a home now,' said Ma. So yeah. this books stays on the shelves. It convinced me all by itself.
Moving on - 'The Substitute' is about a boy with all his defences up, and the teacher who gets past them. Of course, this being Zenna Henderson, there's a lot more to it. 'The Grunder' is way ahead of its time, tackling a toxic relationship from the point of view of the abusive partner, who so, so, wants to change his ways. It's partly a shaggy dog story, partly folk magic, but it's all feeling.
'Things' isn't subtle at all, it's too angry to be subtle. It's about the destruction of lives and cultures by the obsessive need for, and addiction to, consumerism. It was written 65 years ago, that's three generations ago ...
'Turn the Page' is a story about stories, about what we tell ourselves about other people, and what we learn from the earliest tales that we are told. It's very sad, but also very lovely.
'Stevie and the Dark' is a straight up horror story that King himself would be happy to claim. The power of a child's belief is a wonderful thing.
'And a Little Child' in comparison, is pure sf. Every so often there's a child with the clearness of sight to perceive what others merely glance at and accept.
'The Last Step' is the final story in the book, and is a perfect little sf / horror story.
In conclusion, fans of horror / sf / fantasy should all read this book. Repeatedly.
PS, my copy is staying here. It has a home.
Read
April 22, 2015As with any writing by Zenna Henderson, these short stories need to be read when the reader is able to devote full attention to them. Henderson's writing was dense and poetic. Is it worth the effort? If you find a paperback copy in a used bookstore (good luck with that!), you'll easily be able to answer the question--these editions are always dogeared, and many have pages falling out.
CONTENTS
I THE ANYTHING BOX (1956): Sue-lynn comes from a troubled family (her parents frequently quarrel, and her father often goes off on his own afterward). So her teacher is naturally worried about her. When Sue-lynn creates an 'anything box', in which she can see her heart's desire, the teacher isn't inclined to interfere--at first. But when Sue-lynn tries to get INTO the anything box... This is a story of adjustment rather than renunciation, however. Sue-lynn is not deprived of her crutch--just taught how to use it. NB: the dedication is about this story: "To all my friends who have spoken up for an Anything Box, but especially for R. G., who has no need of his now".
II SUBCOMMITTEE (1962): One peace advocate once spoke in favor of an unorthodox plan: the next time a peace negotiation is held, the negotiators should be required to negotiate with children on their laps, so that they'll be painfully reminded of the consequences of failure.
The 'subcommittee' in this story are Splinter, Doovie, and their mothers.
III HUSH! (1953): (WARNING: This is a TERRIFYING story) The ailing Dubby creates a Noise-Eater to try to control his tendency to play loudly. But breathing makes noise... Every time I read this story I think of looking up the shrimp boat song Dubby is singing in the beginning--and then by the end I'm so distracted by fear I forget to do it.
IV FOOD TO ALL FLESH (1954): A First Contact situation between a mission school padre and an alien seeking food for her babies after a food synthesizer failure. When the solution is discovered (and I should say that it's something of a non sequitur), the ethical alien considerately retreats to look elsewhere.
V COME ON, WAGON! (1951): The narrator of this story is a disabled vet who very much dislikes children, especially what Henderson calls in another story 'the believing kind'. He dislikes them because they're too small to know what's impossible, so they do impossible things--such as, in this story, getting their wagons to follow them by saying "Come on, wagon!". But the worst part, to the narrator's mind, is that they grow out of their credulity--often at very dangerous times...
IV WALKING AUNT DAID (1955): The young men who have the hereditary job of 'walking Aunt Daid' (whose very great age never has been accurately determined) don't ever try to explain what they experience, because they argue that it's inenarrable. Well, maybe. Seems to me Henderson manages famously. I should say, by the way, that part of the shivers this story raises in me is tremulous sympathy for Aunt Daid. Just imagine being trapped in HER situation!
V THE SUBSTITUTE (1953): The frustration felt by teachers in seeing schools (and Society as a whole) fail impoverished special needs students is predominant in this story. The proposed solution may be a little untenable--but at least he offers SOME hope.
VI THE GRUNDER (1953): The protagonist in this story is sane enough to know that his extreme jealousy is pathological (if not quite sane enough to know that ALL jealousy is)--but mad enough to believe that there may be a supernatural solution. It works--but is it a matter of placebo effect? And really, does it matter, if he's really cured?
VII THINGS (1960): To the Coveti, the arrival of humans on their planet is more a matter of terror than of promise--or to most of them, anyway. The conceit in this story is that the Coveti are right, and the dissidents pretty clearly deluded--and the story is told from the point of view of the Coveti.
VIII TURN THE PAGE (1957): I have to say I don't like this story. It's a sort of 'Uses of Enchantment' story which argues that folktales represent literal (emotional) truths...so long as you remember the happy ending. But not only do some fairy tales end badly; they also sometimes represent drastic oversimplifications of real animals.
IX STEVIE AND THE DARK (1952) Little Stevie uses magic stones and his most magic 'pocket piece' to try to contain a 'Dark' which inhabits a little cave in an arroyo. The landscape of these stories is very credible, because Henderson was a Southwestern writer, who wrote very well in the terrain of her native habitat. This, by the way, may be one of the reasons that people found the movie The People so disturbing. The stories of aridity and barrenness Henderson wrote don't really translate to the lush conifer rainforests of Northern Alta California very well.
X AND A LITTLE CHILD-- (1959): The 'them' whom the little child leads are called by her 'beast hills'. They're from another dimension, and, being children themselves, have forgotten the way to the portal to home. The human little child, by the way, is a war orphan, adopted by a family who are camping in a national park for the first time with their adopted child.
XI THE LAST STEP (1957): Another story of an adult who doesn't like children--in this case, a teacher. On playground duty (on an alien planet), she comes across children playing a multi-day role-playing game they call 'fairing-the-coorze', The teacher is irritated and intrigued by the game, and alternately helps and hinders play. But then the game becomes ENTIRELY too real when the order comes in for noncombatants to evacuate--and events that happened in the game start to happen in real life. And the 'last step' was the teacher trampling on the car that contains her...
CONTENTS
I THE ANYTHING BOX (1956): Sue-lynn comes from a troubled family (her parents frequently quarrel, and her father often goes off on his own afterward). So her teacher is naturally worried about her. When Sue-lynn creates an 'anything box', in which she can see her heart's desire, the teacher isn't inclined to interfere--at first. But when Sue-lynn tries to get INTO the anything box... This is a story of adjustment rather than renunciation, however. Sue-lynn is not deprived of her crutch--just taught how to use it. NB: the dedication is about this story: "To all my friends who have spoken up for an Anything Box, but especially for R. G., who has no need of his now".
II SUBCOMMITTEE (1962): One peace advocate once spoke in favor of an unorthodox plan: the next time a peace negotiation is held, the negotiators should be required to negotiate with children on their laps, so that they'll be painfully reminded of the consequences of failure.
The 'subcommittee' in this story are Splinter, Doovie, and their mothers.
III HUSH! (1953): (WARNING: This is a TERRIFYING story) The ailing Dubby creates a Noise-Eater to try to control his tendency to play loudly. But breathing makes noise... Every time I read this story I think of looking up the shrimp boat song Dubby is singing in the beginning--and then by the end I'm so distracted by fear I forget to do it.
IV FOOD TO ALL FLESH (1954): A First Contact situation between a mission school padre and an alien seeking food for her babies after a food synthesizer failure. When the solution is discovered (and I should say that it's something of a non sequitur), the ethical alien considerately retreats to look elsewhere.
V COME ON, WAGON! (1951): The narrator of this story is a disabled vet who very much dislikes children, especially what Henderson calls in another story 'the believing kind'. He dislikes them because they're too small to know what's impossible, so they do impossible things--such as, in this story, getting their wagons to follow them by saying "Come on, wagon!". But the worst part, to the narrator's mind, is that they grow out of their credulity--often at very dangerous times...
IV WALKING AUNT DAID (1955): The young men who have the hereditary job of 'walking Aunt Daid' (whose very great age never has been accurately determined) don't ever try to explain what they experience, because they argue that it's inenarrable. Well, maybe. Seems to me Henderson manages famously. I should say, by the way, that part of the shivers this story raises in me is tremulous sympathy for Aunt Daid. Just imagine being trapped in HER situation!
V THE SUBSTITUTE (1953): The frustration felt by teachers in seeing schools (and Society as a whole) fail impoverished special needs students is predominant in this story. The proposed solution may be a little untenable--but at least he offers SOME hope.
VI THE GRUNDER (1953): The protagonist in this story is sane enough to know that his extreme jealousy is pathological (if not quite sane enough to know that ALL jealousy is)--but mad enough to believe that there may be a supernatural solution. It works--but is it a matter of placebo effect? And really, does it matter, if he's really cured?
VII THINGS (1960): To the Coveti, the arrival of humans on their planet is more a matter of terror than of promise--or to most of them, anyway. The conceit in this story is that the Coveti are right, and the dissidents pretty clearly deluded--and the story is told from the point of view of the Coveti.
VIII TURN THE PAGE (1957): I have to say I don't like this story. It's a sort of 'Uses of Enchantment' story which argues that folktales represent literal (emotional) truths...so long as you remember the happy ending. But not only do some fairy tales end badly; they also sometimes represent drastic oversimplifications of real animals.
IX STEVIE AND THE DARK (1952) Little Stevie uses magic stones and his most magic 'pocket piece' to try to contain a 'Dark' which inhabits a little cave in an arroyo. The landscape of these stories is very credible, because Henderson was a Southwestern writer, who wrote very well in the terrain of her native habitat. This, by the way, may be one of the reasons that people found the movie The People so disturbing. The stories of aridity and barrenness Henderson wrote don't really translate to the lush conifer rainforests of Northern Alta California very well.
X AND A LITTLE CHILD-- (1959): The 'them' whom the little child leads are called by her 'beast hills'. They're from another dimension, and, being children themselves, have forgotten the way to the portal to home. The human little child, by the way, is a war orphan, adopted by a family who are camping in a national park for the first time with their adopted child.
XI THE LAST STEP (1957): Another story of an adult who doesn't like children--in this case, a teacher. On playground duty (on an alien planet), she comes across children playing a multi-day role-playing game they call 'fairing-the-coorze', The teacher is irritated and intrigued by the game, and alternately helps and hinders play. But then the game becomes ENTIRELY too real when the order comes in for noncombatants to evacuate--and events that happened in the game start to happen in real life. And the 'last step' was the teacher trampling on the car that contains her...
July 12, 2019
Before coming across this collection, I'd only read one of Zenna Henderson's short stories, "Come On Wagon." That story had stuck with me, however, for its haunting tone and resolution. And after reading more of her stories via this collection, I have to wonder why she never enjoyed the same fame and popularity of other sci-fi short story writers, such as Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov. Her stories are often haunting, often heartfelt, often horrific... but always deeply memorable and powerful.
The title story of this collection, "The Anything Box," features a teacher who isn't sure whether to worry or not about a girl claiming to possess the titular box... a box of wonders. Other stories feature a boy accidentally creating a creature that devours anything that makes sound; a priest trying to feed an alien visitor only to be horrified by what said alien actually eats; a monstrous fish that, if caught, could restore a couple's failing marriage; a boy and his alien best friend who accidentally stumble on the key to a truce between their species; and a cynical teacher who discovers to her horror that a schoolyard game foretells her own doom...
These stories run the gamut between fantasy, hard sci-fi, and horror, but have some common threads. Children feature in almost all of them, and school teachers show up in quite a few of them. There are also recurring themes of the power of childhood innocence and imagination, the destructive nature of cynicism, and the terrifying but not actually malicious nature of the universe beyond our own. And while not every story ends happily, there's a note of hope in many of them.
There's a thoughtfulness to these stories, a gentle tone that nonetheless can convey great wonder and horror. The stories are unique, vividly imagined, and somehow manage to establish memorable and three-dimensional characters despite their short length. That takes a great deal of talent.
It's a shame that Henderson never enjoyed the popularity of other sci-fi writers of her day. She was every bit as talented as masters of the genre like Bradbury and Asimov, and deserves more attention. I'm glad I happened upon this collection, and it will stay with me for a long time.
The title story of this collection, "The Anything Box," features a teacher who isn't sure whether to worry or not about a girl claiming to possess the titular box... a box of wonders. Other stories feature a boy accidentally creating a creature that devours anything that makes sound; a priest trying to feed an alien visitor only to be horrified by what said alien actually eats; a monstrous fish that, if caught, could restore a couple's failing marriage; a boy and his alien best friend who accidentally stumble on the key to a truce between their species; and a cynical teacher who discovers to her horror that a schoolyard game foretells her own doom...
These stories run the gamut between fantasy, hard sci-fi, and horror, but have some common threads. Children feature in almost all of them, and school teachers show up in quite a few of them. There are also recurring themes of the power of childhood innocence and imagination, the destructive nature of cynicism, and the terrifying but not actually malicious nature of the universe beyond our own. And while not every story ends happily, there's a note of hope in many of them.
There's a thoughtfulness to these stories, a gentle tone that nonetheless can convey great wonder and horror. The stories are unique, vividly imagined, and somehow manage to establish memorable and three-dimensional characters despite their short length. That takes a great deal of talent.
It's a shame that Henderson never enjoyed the popularity of other sci-fi writers of her day. She was every bit as talented as masters of the genre like Bradbury and Asimov, and deserves more attention. I'm glad I happened upon this collection, and it will stay with me for a long time.
July 10, 2023
Not gonna lie, I bought and read this because it's where the band Anything Box got their name (because a synthesizer is, in fact, an "anything box").
But the book holds up great on its own. There aren't many sci-fi books by women from this era, much less ones by school teachers who bend the genre to their world (most of the protagonists in these stories are teachers or small children).
As a result, the stories aren't like typical sci-fi. There aren't any supermen, barbarians, ray-gun battles or that kind of thing. It often borders more on horror, or at least a creeping suspicion that something isn't quite right with that teacher or that child, or something more sinister overall.
The stories are a lot of fun because they're so far from the norm of that era (or any era, really). Henderson gets some criticism for dealing so much with domestic affairs, but if you are woman in 1950s America, that's probably what you know (for most women) and her take on such things is never dull (all that creeping suspicion of weirdness).
I highly recommend this book as a historical document of the era, and how atypical sci-fi can be every bit as fun and interesting to read as the typical stuff, maybe moreso, because you haven't read many stories like this, in all likelihood.
Also, the band Anything Box is awesome, so you should check them out too, especially the album/CD "Hope."
But the book holds up great on its own. There aren't many sci-fi books by women from this era, much less ones by school teachers who bend the genre to their world (most of the protagonists in these stories are teachers or small children).
As a result, the stories aren't like typical sci-fi. There aren't any supermen, barbarians, ray-gun battles or that kind of thing. It often borders more on horror, or at least a creeping suspicion that something isn't quite right with that teacher or that child, or something more sinister overall.
The stories are a lot of fun because they're so far from the norm of that era (or any era, really). Henderson gets some criticism for dealing so much with domestic affairs, but if you are woman in 1950s America, that's probably what you know (for most women) and her take on such things is never dull (all that creeping suspicion of weirdness).
I highly recommend this book as a historical document of the era, and how atypical sci-fi can be every bit as fun and interesting to read as the typical stuff, maybe moreso, because you haven't read many stories like this, in all likelihood.
Also, the band Anything Box is awesome, so you should check them out too, especially the album/CD "Hope."
March 10, 2018
Brilliant collection of polished little SF/F gems with a thread of the strange moving through most of them. Some signature tropes like the teacher / student relationship and the limitless imagination of children, bordering onto the purely magical, repeat, though with enough subtle variations to keep the entire book engaging through to the end. If you can find this collection somewhere grab it, it’s out of print and not commonly found at the secondhand stores. Highly recommended to fans of classic SF/F with a dash of some quiet horror, a bit of the weird and pinch of the strange all in the mix.
December 19, 2015
Good dang gosh this is one of the best (and weirdest) little collections of perfect sci-fi short stories EVER. Hauntingly beautiful, or sometimes just haunting, they pack a punch and leave you totally immersed in such little time spent. I'd recommend it to anyone who liked Ender's Game or The Martian Chronicles.
March 27, 2016
I will read and reread Zenna Henderson probably for the rest of my life. This is one of the set of short stories that I don't like as much as her others, but I will read it and some of the stories are great. I just wish she had written more.
March 10, 2015
creepily brilliant short stories from one of SF's lost masters.
March 30, 2022
Wow, a fantastic short fiction collection! Started this one with no expectations and was blown away. I randomly picked it up at a local used bookstore, having never heard of the author, and thought I would give it a shot. Well worth it! Very reminiscent of the works of Ray Bradbury but with a little more bite. Mostly sci-fi but with some horror mixed in, plus a touch of cosmic horror. My favorites include the title story ("The Anything Box"), "Walking Aunt Daid", "The Grunder", "Turn the Page", and "Stevie and The Dark". Recommended!
July 29, 2025
The Anything Box is a stunning collection that blends childlike imagination with adult understanding in stories that are as magical as they are unsettling. Zenna Henderson writes with deep empathy and a gentle touch, exploring themes of loneliness, hope, fear and the strange.
Some stories feel warm and comforting, while others leave a haunting impression. There’s subtle horror too, the kind that creeps in softly and stays with you. I found it beautiful, thoughtful and completely absorbing.
Some stories feel warm and comforting, while others leave a haunting impression. There’s subtle horror too, the kind that creeps in softly and stays with you. I found it beautiful, thoughtful and completely absorbing.
February 5, 2018
Можете да видите всичко, което поискате. Очарователна новела.
December 13, 2009
The first story in this volume "put me in mind" of a quote from God in the Dock by C. S. Lewis:
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” - C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock
The fantasy flight of this story and the child in it....the one who thinks it's there "duty' to protect her from her delusionional hallucinations.
I have little patience with an insistence that books or stories are only worth reading if they have an "unhappy' ending. Yes, sometimes a story won't be the same if it dosen't end saddly, but a knee jerk downer ending is no better and may be worse than a forced happy ending. I live in the real world (as I suspect most of you do) and I won't buy a book if there is a forced unhappy ending to force "thoughtfulness".(I hope it dosen't require a sad story to force you to be thoughtful, that would in itself be sad.) Let the story flow. I will live with a natural unhappy ending, but hate the volume that insists on all the stories being "belly drops".
This volume doesn't suffer from that I don't believe. I am not a big fan of short stories, but now and again they are good. A story "can" prevoke thought no matter the ending, if the story itself says something or can move the reader.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” - C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock
The fantasy flight of this story and the child in it....the one who thinks it's there "duty' to protect her from her delusionional hallucinations.
I have little patience with an insistence that books or stories are only worth reading if they have an "unhappy' ending. Yes, sometimes a story won't be the same if it dosen't end saddly, but a knee jerk downer ending is no better and may be worse than a forced happy ending. I live in the real world (as I suspect most of you do) and I won't buy a book if there is a forced unhappy ending to force "thoughtfulness".(I hope it dosen't require a sad story to force you to be thoughtful, that would in itself be sad.) Let the story flow. I will live with a natural unhappy ending, but hate the volume that insists on all the stories being "belly drops".
This volume doesn't suffer from that I don't believe. I am not a big fan of short stories, but now and again they are good. A story "can" prevoke thought no matter the ending, if the story itself says something or can move the reader.
June 18, 2010
I often find short story collections unsatisfactory, but Zenna Henderson has created a collection of short stories that have a linking theme to them, well a similar timbre and threads that run from one story to the other - alien worlds, familiar emotions, dislike of small children, the clarity of vision of children untainted by adult preconceptions and limitations. About half of the stories have sad or terrifying stings in the tail, and as many have optimistic or warm-feeling inducing endings. Some leave one in some suspense, but all have a satisfactory rounded feeling to them.
One always knows what to expect in her writing, but also she is also always capable of exciting and surprising the reader.
One always knows what to expect in her writing, but also she is also always capable of exciting and surprising the reader.
January 21, 2012
When I first started this book, I was confused--nothing on the outside or on the first few pages of the book mentioned anything about short stories, so if you pick this book up: it is a book of short stories. The stories are Sci-fi based, and WONDERFULLY written. Generally, I'm not a fan of short stories: they're either mind-blowingly good or absolute sh*t, just because of the length (you only have so much room to pack a punch, so if you can't do it in the frame allowed...it becomes icky). The same could be said about the Sci-fi genre: if you can't keep it interesting, yet understandable...ick. I would recommend this book to lovers of short stories, Sci-fi, or those who are looking at writing their own short stories or sci-fi--this book is a great example of both. :) LOVED IT.
July 22, 2012
This is one of my all-time favorite collections of short stories. In fact it was the first short story collection (other than the Brothers Grimm) to teach me that I NEEDED to seek & find other short story collections. Before that I had thought short stories to be well.. far to short!
Once I started to read this one, I was done for. This along with the stories of the People became some of my most prized books. I have packed them for travel, thru every move, taken them to the dorm and home again. It is a book I will never be parted with.
The Grunder and The Noise Eater were tales to haunt my nights. Be prepared when you open the Anything Box it will take you places you only dream of.
PS - warning, there are horrors also to be found in the Anything Box, be prepared
Once I started to read this one, I was done for. This along with the stories of the People became some of my most prized books. I have packed them for travel, thru every move, taken them to the dorm and home again. It is a book I will never be parted with.
The Grunder and The Noise Eater were tales to haunt my nights. Be prepared when you open the Anything Box it will take you places you only dream of.
PS - warning, there are horrors also to be found in the Anything Box, be prepared
July 30, 2014
A sweet and beautiful story of a child and her teacher, about the magic and necessity of imagination and hope - for both children and adults. Delicate, yet powerful. [A re-read; this story can be found in the collection of the same title, and in several different anthologies.]
Publication History for the short story, 'The Anything Box':
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Oct 1956
SF:'57, 1957
The Anything Box, 1965
SF: The Best of the Best, 1967
Science Fiction I, 1973
The Golden Road, 1973
Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy #7: Magical Wishes, 1986
The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women, 1995
Women of Wonder: The Classic Years, 1995
A Magic-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic, 1998
The Prentice-Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2001
Publication History for the short story, 'The Anything Box':
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Oct 1956
SF:'57, 1957
The Anything Box, 1965
SF: The Best of the Best, 1967
Science Fiction I, 1973
The Golden Road, 1973
Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy #7: Magical Wishes, 1986
The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women, 1995
Women of Wonder: The Classic Years, 1995
A Magic-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic, 1998
The Prentice-Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2001
February 18, 2016
I was introduced to Zenna Henderson by my husband-to-be when we were in college, so you can't say she's a sci-fi writer for women. But her stories and books, few though they are, do have a "female" slant to them, as she often writes about children, mothers, teachers and families. For me the stories in this book are uneven, as I love a few of them and find at least one trite. Still, the title story alone is worth reading, and after a few days with this book you'll look at your world differently. These books are hard to find but worth searching out for readers who like non-traditional sci-fi.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews