Monkey's Paw

by W. W. Jacobs

Overview

The Monkey's Paw
By W. W. Jacobs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780895986511
Publisher:	Perfection Learning Corporation
Publication date:	01/28/2000
Pages:	34
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

Editorial Reviews

This newly-expanded "Creative Short Stories" series includes sixteen classic short story titles often encountered in junior high curricula, each presented in individual hardcover books with period artwork and photographs. The large pages and double-spaced type make the text reader-friendly, although the font appears to be a standard 12-point type. Curiously the publisher chose to print most of the text in black but a few scattered lines on each page appear in shades of blue, green, red, or orange; this reader can neither discern a pattern to the colored text nor posit a rationale for why certain sentences were chosen over others for the colored type. Some colored lines seem pivotal to the stories while others do not. Each story is followed by a brief literary essay commenting on some aspect of the text and including quotes from the story (the lines for some of which are printed in color). The essay is followed by a biographical piece about the author. Illustrations complement the text and provide footholds for cross-curricular discussions. To a classroom teacher with a limited budget, purchasing class sets of any of the individual stories would seem extravagant; however, the hardcover presentation might make the text more enticing for reluctant readers and a few copies of a title could support small reading groups. The books are beautifully done and their unusual presentation could make them preferable for student readers over the tightly-packed text found in many standard short story anthologies. For schools, libraries, or parents with ample budgets, having these sixteen titles on the shelf would be an asset. Reviewer: Cynthia Winfield

VOYA - Cynthia Winfield

A monkey's paw is a talisman that grants its possessor wishes that come with horrific consequences. Mr. White wishes for two hundred pounds, which he receives as compensation when his son dies in a machinery accident at work. Mrs. White, grief stricken, wants to use the second wish for bringing her son back to life. But Mr. White, knowing that the son was horribly maimed in the accident, uses the third wish to prevent the second wish from coming true. This famous short story by Jacobs is full of sorrow and horror. This book is part of a "Creative Short Stories" collection of classic short stories read in many high school English classes. An essay at the end of the book gives readers an inside look at the historical context of the story and how Jacobs foreshadows the ending throughout the story. An author biography also accompanies the story. The story is lightly illustrated, which helps set the mood for the macabre. Recommended for high school English classrooms and high school libraries. Reviewer: Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Children's Literature - Marcie Flinchum Atkins