In this Author POV, we highlight a collection of imaginative short stories that reexamines familiar phrases, principles, and life lessons through humor, creativity, and unexpected perspectives. Written for readers making the transition from elementary to middle-grade fiction, the book encourages young people to think beyond the obvious, embrace curiosity, and discover that there is often more than one way to understand the world around them.
Each story begins with a recognizable saying or idea and unfolds into a unique narrative with its own moral, inviting readers to consider everyday situations from new angles. Blending slice-of-life storytelling with occasional touches of the absurd, the collection offers thoughtful, accessible reading for creative minds ready to explore stories with a little more complexity.
Can you introduce your book for librarians who may be discovering it for the first time?
It's a collection of short stories. Each story is based on a phrase or principle (ex: When Life Hands You Lemons...). The stories playout with a moral with the given phrase or principle in mind. The book is geared towards middle schoolers, or readers graduating from basic stories to stories with a tad-more complexity.
What inspired you to write this book, and what core themes do you hope readers take away from it?
After working many years as a journalist, I knew I had to start somewhere with my larger writing goals (books, novels, screenplays). So with this being my first book, I thought the short story/young reader avenue would be a good place to start.
What kind of readers or patrons do you see this book resonating with most?
Probably young people who will become writers - ha! No. I think perhaps grade school graduates who like to read, and are also somewhat creative and outside-the-box thinkers. I think this book would be a good summer read for them before middle school.
What themes or discussion topics do you hope librarians highlight when recommending the book?
That situations/phrases/principles/things in life aren't only one way. And that situations/phrases/principles/things are different depending on the light you look at them in. Also, maybe the idea to not take things to serious, and that there's humor in most things in life.
Are there any sensitive topics or content considerations librarians should be aware of?
One story alludes to the home lives of two young girls as not great. The parents argue and there is one portion of the story where the mother chases the girls (briefly) with a wooden spoon. In another story, a character is eaten by an alligator. The scene is alluded to, and NOT detailed vividly. Another story has mild adult themes like divorce, and a same-sex couple.
If your book were part of a library display, what topics, themes, or comparable titles would you pair it with?
Maybe something like easy read, summer read, short story collections. My thought in writing it was that the stories are a good way for a young reader to wrinkle their brain and think 'different' as they go from grade school to middle school. Maybe also like, 'intro (toe in the water) to the absurd. Though, only a few stories are absurd. The term 'slice of life' also comes to mind.
Which formats are currently available?
The book is currently only in ebook format. I did that to save trees. Recently I've considered to make this available as a hardcover and/or paperback in the future. But as of this writing, it's only available as an ebook.
How could this book be used in community events or themed programming throughout the year?
Is there a Shel Silverstein and/or Kurt Vonnegut month? The book is best for collections around being a hair silly, looking at things in a new light, using one's imagination beyond typical and logical constraints. Is there an 'absurd appreciation month?' Again, 'slice of life' comes to mind.
Do you offer author engagement options for schools or libraries?
I haven't in the past - or I've never been asked to - but I would LOVE to do this.
Is there anything else you would like librarians, teachers, or educators to know about your work?
Each story in this book is aimed at having a bit of a moral. And I'd like to think it illustrates the benefits of finding silver linings and humor in both the everyday occurrences of life, as well as the absurd.
To learn more about Jason T. Karpf and his work, visit his author website at https://jasontkarpf.wordpress.com/. Readers interested in his perspectives on film, storytelling, and popular culture can also explore his film blog at https://www.patreon.com/c/FeaturedInAmerica.
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