A comeback for short stories

Writing a good short story is an art; reading one is a joy. Although the short story has always been part of children's literature, its popularity waxes and wanes. This year, the short story appears to be making a strong comeback. A substantial number of anthologies and original short-story collections have been published for readers from preschool to high school. During summer vacation, these collections are wonderful to have on hand; they are perfect to dip into when readers or listeners need something short and immediately gratifying. A wonderful short tale in a picture-book format is "The ...