Fractures: Family Stories By Budge Wilson

by Budge Wilson

Fractures is a collection of twelve deeply affecting stories that address contemporary family relationships and dynamics through a child's or teenager's eyes. Although these stories (most of which are new to this collection) deal with difficult issues and themes—sibling rivalry, alcoholism, illness, child abuse and neglect—each offers powerful moments of revelation, even of redemption, as its protagonists seek out and connect with others. In "Like a Water Lily,"the neglected daughter of an alcoholic parent is offered the chance to see herself through different, and more caring, eyes; in "My War,"a girl cannot understand her fatherÕs refusal to talk about his experiences as a soldier until a pivotal event occurs in her own life; in "Fathers,"a teacher's challenge allows two boys to acknowledge very different truths about their dads as well as themselves; while in "The Metaphor,"a girl's connection to a teacher sharply and revealingly contrasts her relationship with her mother. These are haunting and entrancing stories that are immensely readable and satisfying.

Genres: Young Adult, Short Stories, Canada

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2002

About the author

Budge was educated in Halifax schools and at Dalhousie University (degree in Philosophy and Psychology, Diploma in Education, Physical Education teaching certificate). She did two years of graduate work in English at the University of Toronto, and worked at the Institute of Child Study (U. of T.) for four years--filing, illustrating, editing, writing. She illustrated three books for the University of Toronto Press, worked for several years as a freelance commercial artist and child photographer, and was a fitness instructor from 1968 to 1989. She has been writing juvenile and adult fiction since 1978, with her first book published in 1984. Her work has been published in ten countries and in seven languages.

After living in Ontario for over twenty-five years, Budge and Alan returned to Nova Scotia in 1989, and live in a small fishing village on the South Shore of the province.

Reviews

[Miss Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've been rereading this regularly for ten years and it never fails to touch me. 5 stars

[Carolyn Janzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book of short stories. Love it!

[Suzy Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a teenager for school and it was nice to see a collection of stories form many different teenagers from all kinds of situations. I think I may re read it at some point.