Readathon: The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

Chris Van Allsburg

[here there'll be a cover]

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick is a collection of short stories based on the drawings of Harris Burdick, who left them with someone else saying 'I'll come back tomorrow with the stories' and then disappeared in the air. The thing all these 14 stories have in common is that they're magical and misteryous and often dreamy.

Archie Smith, Boy Wonder by Tabitha King is... meh. I don't really know what else to say about it. There's a boy. Something happens (I think?) and the story ends. 

Under the Rug by John Scieszka reminds me of Goosebumps, even though it's obviously way shorter. It's creepy but not in a creepy way... I mean... it's creepy because in the story what happens doesn't appear like it's as strange and creepy as it really is. 

A strange day in July by Sherman Alexie keeps on going with the Goosebumps tradition, and I really appreciate it. It was also funny, and I laughed a couple of time - the characters were very interesting.

Missing in Venice by Gregory Maguire is soo nice! It's magical and cute and I liked it a lot. It's very different from Under and A strange day because it lacks the creepy factor, but I liked it so much.

Another Place, Another Time by Cory Doctorow was perfect. I cried a little bit (but you'll notice is not uncommon for me). There are stories that stay with you even if they're not the Best Story Ever, if they don't have a deep meaning, if they're not written by a Nobel winner. This is one of those, for me. I'll forget it, but it'll stay with me the same.

Uninvited Guests by Jules Feiffer was very nonsensical and I didn't really appreciate it. I guess if you like the genre it's good, it's well written and it's interesting; but it's not really my cup of tea.

The Harp by Linda Sue Park is the sweetest thing ever. It's a true fable, even though it's set in modern times, and it's surely something I'd read to children. It's sweet and lovely.

Mr. Linden's Library by Walter Dean Myers is nice and mysterious, but the ending left me confused. I'm not sure if he wanted to have a creepy ending and failed at it or... or it just failed at having an ending? I don't know. I liked the story, but I wish it hadn't ended, I swear. It's... confusing.

The Seven Chairs by Lois Lowry. My dad has decided that 2.00 a.m. is the Best Time Ever to listen to all the music he has on his laptop, and a friend of mine that is the Best Time Ever to talk to me about every single problem of hers. So... I had some problems concentrate. But the story was nice. I would have preferred something more at the end, just a couple of sentences, because it ended a little abruptly. But it was nice.

The Third-Floor Bedroom by Kate DiCamillo was a bittersweet story that left me tear-eyed (but not crying!) and warm in the heart. I want more about Pearlie, I want a world, I want her life and her dreams, I want everything. But still, this story is perfect the way it is. It's one of those stories of which you want more but you know having more would ruin them. [please, correct the grammar in your mind, I'm waaay to tired to make sense in another language].

Just Desert by M. T. Anderson is awesome!! Goosebumps comes back with a vegeance and I was grinning like a maniac while reading the ending. Awesome, awesome, awesome! Good work, mr. Anderson, you deserve a gold star because this story was sooo coooool.

Captain Tony by Louis Sachar. I was worried about this one because it came just after Just Desert so I was already bummed... but it was nice. It's a story that doesn't take itself too seriously, just a sweet little thing, so it was perfect after the more heavy Just Desert. 

Oscar and Alphonse by Chris Van Allsburs was... uh... okay, I guess. I mean, it was... I dunno. I read it and I was like '??????' but not in a good way. So... yeah. Let's go on.

The House on Maple Street by Stephen King was not the best story in the collection, but it was a good story to conclude it. I've never read a lot of Stephen King, but I found his short stories alway interesting and readable. This one is not an exception. It's more sci-fi than all the others, but it fits well in the overall atmosphere. I liked it.

Quote: "Why can we move in almost every direction in space, but time goes just in one direction and at one speed? Why can't we go faster? Or slower? Or backwards?" "Or sideways?" said Neils. He didn't talk much, but when he did, he always said something suprising. "And what does 'sideways' mean in time?" asked his twin. Neils shrugged. "Sideways means sideways."

Ssele P.