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Donald R. Gallo has compiled a series of short stories in Destination Unexpected that speak of journeys of some kind.
They could be literal journeys or metaphorical journeys; journeys that involve only the mind or journeys that literally take
us somewhere. The importance of a journey is important to most readers, and perhaps in particular young adults.
Reading itself is a journey we embark on when we open a novel. For the young adult, a journey is an enticing word that
represents freedom, independence, and even growth.
This collection includes the work of many prominent writers for young adults. They are: Joyce Sweeney, Ron
Koertge, David Lubar, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Will Weaver, Alex Flinn, Kimberley Willis Holt, Richard Peck, Graham Salisbury
and Ellen Wittlinger.
Each story included represents a journey in some way. In "August Lights" by Kimberly Willis Holt, Mick and his
younger sister Franny only "journey" to the golf course behind their house and back, but along the way Mick learns a valuable
lesson from his little sister about his family. In "Tourist Trapped" by Ellen Wittlinger, Helene imagines a wonderful
summer on the beach in Cape Cod with her aunt. She works long and hard to afford the trip, but when she gets there,
her aunt is pregnant and on bed rest and Helene feels like a hired hand. In the whimsical "The Kiss in the Carryon Bag"
by Richard Peck, Aly has no idea that on her trip to Europe she'd meet the Prince of a (fictional) country in a coffeehouse
and he'd blow her a kiss the next day during a parade for his grandmother, the Queen Mother.
According to a Kirkus Review, "These offerings may well inspire readers to look at their own journeys and find something
new about themselves" (2003).
Gallo, Donald R., editor. Destination Unexpected: Short Stories. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press,
2003. ISBN0763617644.
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