Figure 1 

A storyteller is someone who meets roadblocks or overcomes challenges with bright ideas and clever strategies. A storyteller is someone who encourages readers to consider solutions and find surprising alternatives.
Stories resonate with us because they often involve familiar situations that have no easy answers. The problem might be as small as an argument between friends or as large as a war between nations. It might involve one person who faces a personal decision or many people who face a difficult situation.
The short story format is familiar, so it is easy to understand, and yet every story is unique. There is no end to the possibilities!

What is a short story? 

“She waited downtown.  He never showed.  She married his brother.” Halli Villegas

             Figure 2

A short story is a brief narrative written to entertain us and to broaden our understanding.

We read short stories to enjoy the events and the characters, but we also read them to understand the authors' purpose.  A short story helps us to make connections with the experiences of the characters and their decisions. Seeing problems forcing characters to grow helps us to understand our world better.

As you read each story in this unit, be sure to read the support material in your textbook.

1. Read the information about the author (in the grey box under the selection title and author's name) before you begin reading.
2. As well, read the Tips (usually in the sidebar) to help you understand the story better.
3. After you read the story, read “What Inspired Me to Write this Selection”.

Understand your purpose for reading.

• How many words does a story require?
• What are the necessary characteristics of a short story?

• What predictions can you make based on the title, images etc?
  
• Where and when does the action occur?  
  
• Who are the characters in the story? 
• When you read, do you sometimes have to supply more information than the author provided for the story to make sense?