VOYA - Jennifer Fakolt
With Mindtwisters: Stories to Shred Your Head, Shusterman extends an invitation into the unknown. The stories challenge readers' imaginations, posing scenarios that are rooted in everyday reality but which take a turn into the twilight. One will find in this slim but potent volume, tales of a boy who keeps a tornado in a paper bag; a tormented statue who seeks to have its fortune read; and a roadside restaurant that serves pea soup so delicious those who taste it cannot leave and instead become servants to the soup. Meet a boy who absorbs everyone he gets close to, visit a very hungry bowling lane or the new store in the mall that offers alternate universes in bottles. Each story sweeps the everyday life of a contemporary youth into the weird, the uncanny that is lurking just behind the curtain of reality. The stories range from creepy to poignant. All are decidedly eerie. Shusterman varies third-person narration with first and makes dynamic use of present tense. He skillfully builds both character and suspense within each tight framework. The tales are more than just unnerving, however. Reminiscent of old Night Gallery or Twilight Zone episodes, Shusterman serves up unease with clever wit and conclusions that leave one questioning, speculating. The endings of most of the stories are concrete, yet there is the sense that they continue beyond the page...in readers' minds. In a few brief pages at the end of the collection, Shusterman explains where he got the ideas for the stories, offering an intriguing glimpse into his creative processes. Mindtwisters is a great choice for reluctant readers and a thought-provoking alternative to wean some fans off of Goosebumps.

School Library Journal
Gr 6-9--Eight short stories that deal with the bizarre and the supernatural. Strange things begin to happen at a bowling alley when the ball is not returned, but a white cylinder with no holes comes out of the ball return. Alana can not get close to people, but anyone getting too close to Garrett disappears. Pizza that is delivered to a place down under; a shop that sells "what might have been"; and a restaurant that attracts clients with pea soup that is too good to pass up are some of the topics included in these compelling selections. All of them are sure to capture the interest of those who like Twilight Zone-like weirdness. Notes explain where the author got the inspiration for each story. Quick reading for fans of the genre.--Debbie Feulner, Northwest Middle School, Greensboro, NC

Genre: Fantasy