Free Novel Read

Strikeout of the Bleacher Weenies Page 16


  7. “Strikeout of the Bleacher Weenies” pokes some creepy fun at over-obsessed sports parents. What other stories in the collection feature indulgent, weak or angry parents? How are the kid narrators of these stories affected by their parents’ imperfections? Why do you think the author chose this story with which to title this collection?

  8. “The Principle of Discipline” offers a scary and thought-provoking perspective on the issue of bullies. Do you think the narrator’s fate was fair or unfair? Has this story, along with the story “Easy Targets,” affected your thoughts about the issue of bullies? Explain your answer.

  9. Throughout the collection, many characters come to bad ends as a result of their own greed, laziness, and lies. Could you argue that “Bangs in Your Eyes” is the story that best exemplifies this phenomenon? Do you think that this story collection can be read as a warning against selfishness? Explain your answers.

  Supports Common Core State Standards: RL.4.1–4, 5.1–4, 6.1–4, 7.1–4; RL. 4.6, 5.6, 6.6, 7.6; SL.4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1; SL.4.4, 5.4, 6.4, 7.4.

  STARSCAPE BOOKS BY DAVID LUBAR

  Flip

  Hidden Talents

  True Talents

  Monsterrific Tales

  The Bully Bug

  The Gloomy Ghost

  Hyde and Shriek

  The Vanishing Vampire

  The Unwilling Witch

  The Wavering Werewolf

  Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie

  My Rotten Life

  Dead Guy Spy

  Goop Soup

  The Big Stink

  Enter the Zombie

  Weenies Stories

  Attack of the Vampire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  Beware the Ninja Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  In the Land of the Lawn Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  Invasion of the Road Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  David Lubar grew up in Morristown, New Jersey. His books include the acclaimed novels Hidden Talents, True Talents, and Flip; the popular Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series; and the bestselling Weenies short-story collections. He lives in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. You can visit him on the Web at www.davidlubar.com. Or sign up for email updates here.

  Thank you for buying this

  Tom Doherty Associates ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Easy Targets

  Parasites

  Frozen in Time

  In Warm Blood

  The Duggly Uckling

  Spell Binding

  Strikeout of the Bleacher Weenies

  Camping Out

  Dominant Species

  Swing Round

  All the Tricks

  enDANGERed

  Two Timers

  Tanks for Your Contribution

  The Girl Who Covered Her Face

  Lucidity

  Bangs in Your Eyes

  The Talk

  Same Bird

  Haunting Your Thoughts

  Differnet Explorer

  Healed

  Stunt Your Growth

  Urban Girl

  The Principle of Discipline

  Fwosty

  Serves You Right

  Blood Donors

  Abra-ca-Deborah

  The Quilty Clown

  A Word or Two About These Stories

  Reader’s Guide

  Starscape Books by David Lubar

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  STRIKEOUT OF THE BLEACHER WEENIES AND OTHER WARPED AND CREEPY TALES

  Copyright © 2016 by David Lubar

  Reader’s guide copyright © 2016 by Tor Books

  “Abra-ca-Deborah” originally appeared in Dreams and Visions: Fourteen Flights of Fantasy, edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss. Story © 2007 by David Lubar

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art by Bill Mayer

  A Starscape Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

  The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  ISBN 978-0-7653-7726-5 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-4668-5463-5 (e-book)

  e-ISBN 9781466854635

  Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.

  First Edition: September 2016