The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers

Entries in this collection range from brief, cleverly written exchanges of letters between student and administrator in "Expulsion" to a more expansive story of a teen tortured by paralyzing shyness in "The Kissing Game." Some of the teens confront mystifying events, such as the ancient tower that only Martin can see in "The Tower" and a naive young man's unexpected exposure to the sex trade in "Sanctuary." Chambers can sketch a character (or a lack of character) with a few lines of dialog in "Something to Tell You" and "up For It." Some of his stories show the humor in everyday exchanges and life's random events, while others leave the reader incredibly sad. Overall, this is a very satisfying read.