Friday, November 15, 2002

Mazer, Anne, Ed. Working Days: Short Stories About Teenagers at Work. 1997. 202p. Persea. $18.95 (0-89255-223-9).

Gr. 6-up. Getting a job is one of the milestones of growing up. In this collection Anne Mazer has pulled together a strong group of stories from different cultures. From dishing out fast food to picking peppers to working at a hotel, these authors show that part time jobs are anything but boring. Whether the job is for pocket money or to help make ends meet, the protagonists of these stories learn a lot about themselves and the world. The engaging prose deals with simple as well as complex issues with an eye for realism. Even though the culture may be different, the lessons learned are the same: working is a part of life that is not always fun but is always there. While most of the authors are obscure, their writing is good and makes the reader want to read more.

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