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
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.
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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
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
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
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First Edition: September 2016