Ask Bookie
The Most Important Thing : Stories about Sons, Fathers, and Grandfathers
Other Available Formats
Overview
One of the most beloved writers of our time presents seven short stories exploring the vital ties between fathers and sons. Luke sees the ghost of his father but can't figure out what Dad wants him to do. Paul takes a camping trip with the grandfather he's just met and discovers what lies behind the man's erratic behavior. Ryan has some surprising questions when he interviews his prospective stepfather for the job. In a compellingly honest collection of stories, multiple-award-winning author Avi introduces seven boys -- boys with fathers at home and boys whose fathers have left, boys who spend most of their time with their grandfathers and boys who would rather spend time with anyone but the men in their lives. By turns heartbreaking, hopeful, and funny, the stories show us boys seeking acceptance, guidance, or just someone to look up to. Each one shines a different light on the question "What is the most important thing a father can do for his son?"
Customers Also Bought
- 1
Details
- ISBN-13: 9780763681111
- ISBN-10: 0763681113
- Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
- Publish Date: April 2016
- Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 0.7 pounds
- Page Count: 224
- Reading Level: Ages 10-UP
Related Categories
You May Also Like...
- 1
Different stories, different father-son dynamics
The bond between father and son carries heft and import—and also joy, contempt, resentment and much more. The relationship presents a challenging dynamic at any age, but the question of the most important thing a father can do for his son is answered in different ways by different people. In this collection of seven vignettes, Newbery Medal-winning author Avi returns to the short-story form to take on this weighty subject.
In one of the heavier stories, “Dream Catcher,” Paul is forced to meet the grandfather he never knew. Infused with sharp humor, “Tighty-Whities or Boxers” shows readers Ryan’s ingenious way of learning more about his potential stepfather. And in the more somber yet hopeful “Departed,” Luke arrives home to learn his father has died, and he continues to be haunted by his ghost.
The questions here are universal: Where is home? What is family? How should I feel? And the situations presented hit upon pertinent and relatable themes—acceptance (or lack thereof), respect, anger, uncertainty, death, change and dysfunction. But along with the harsh realities, Avi’s characters experience awakenings and life-changing interludes as they seek to answer the titular question: What is the most important thing for fathers and sons?
Avi is a master of just about anything he writes, and this collection is superbly crafted and ideal for discussions.
ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Avi for The Most Important Thing.
This article was originally published in the May 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
Different stories, different father-son dynamics
The bond between father and son carries heft and import—and also joy, contempt, resentment and much more. The relationship presents a challenging dynamic at any age, but the question of the most important thing a father can do for his son is answered in different ways by different people. In this collection of seven vignettes, Newbery Medal-winning author Avi returns to the short-story form to take on this weighty subject.
In one of the heavier stories, “Dream Catcher,” Paul is forced to meet the grandfather he never knew. Infused with sharp humor, “Tighty-Whities or Boxers” shows readers Ryan’s ingenious way of learning more about his potential stepfather. And in the more somber yet hopeful “Departed,” Luke arrives home to learn his father has died, and he continues to be haunted by his ghost.
The questions here are universal: Where is home? What is family? How should I feel? And the situations presented hit upon pertinent and relatable themes—acceptance (or lack thereof), respect, anger, uncertainty, death, change and dysfunction. But along with the harsh realities, Avi’s characters experience awakenings and life-changing interludes as they seek to answer the titular question: What is the most important thing for fathers and sons?
Avi is a master of just about anything he writes, and this collection is superbly crafted and ideal for discussions.
ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Avi for The Most Important Thing.
This article was originally published in the May 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.