Chris Crutcher knows kids. For sixteen years, he's not only written some of the freshest (and, often, most controversial) young adult novels, he's also worked with hundreds of teens in crisis as a licensed family therapist.

His books have become educational staples for middle and high school educators. Most Crutcher fans agree that the primary appeal of his work lies in his ability to tell convincing stories and to create characters capable of giving voice to the truth.

ATHLETIC SHORTS, a collection of short stories requested and edited by Bantam Doubleday Dell, is Crutcher's chance to revisit some of the characters born in his previous books.

"In my travels around the country," Crutcher says, "I am constantly asked what happens to certain characters. The answer to all those questions is, 'I haven't the foggiest idea.' My stories don't stop because I stop writing them, but my participation in them does. However, at times, I find myself thinking about some of these folks on my own. So once in a while, I check in. ATHLETIC SHORTS provides me with a venue to do that --- short stories about characters from those books."

If you've read Chris Crutcher in the past, ATHLETIC SHORTS will be a pleasant reintroduction to his easy-to-read style and tender storytelling ability. If you're new to Chris Crutcher, it will undoubtedly clear the way to more rich reading experiences in the future.

  --- Reviewed by Kelly Milner Halls

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