AUGIE MONROE EXPLAINS THE WORLD

Augie Monroe, a barroom philosopher, has an opinion about everything, the facts to back it up, and the will to share it with anyone in earshot. The more John Payne listens, the more relevant Augie's unwelcome discourse becomes to his own tawdry world. Just how much does Augie know, and, more importantly, why is he telling it to John? 8 pages, written by Justin Jordan, illustrated by Shawn Richter.

HALL OF THE BARBARIAN KING

Ken is at the top of the world--his editor is thrilled with his new novel, he's just signed a book deal, hes living the high life in Manhattan. So why is Ken unhappy? Well, for starters, Ken is a prisoner on death row in a Chinese prison... 8 pages, written by J. Marc Schmidt and illustrated by Yuriko Sekine.

ALL THE NAMES IN THE WORLD

Simon's a disturbed young boy. He speaks to the dead, and they speak back. Simon's a disturbed young boy, so the townspeople ask the cowboy to take him out into the woods and kill him. The cowboy knows that Simon is special, and other things besides... but what he doesn't know is just how special, and disturbed, Simon really is. 8 pages, written by Steven Mangold, Illustrated by Greg Vondruska.

HOW TO BE COOL

Franks is just starting to feel comfortable at his new school in his new country. He's 11 years old, he's just started Grade 6, and he's 60 pages into his first novel... but when Miss Perrin sets the class an assignment on How To Be Cool, Franks doesn't have a clue where to begin. 8 pages, written by Jason Franks, illustrated by Ed Siemienkowiscz.

CHAIN MAIL

His girlfriend isn't very impressed, but Jeremy is fascinated with the chain email that he receives while she's waiting for him to get ready for Date Night. This one doesn’t offer to save a dying orphan or to reward you with cash prizes, though; it just threatens a gruesome and unpleasant death if you don’t forward it —but that’s not the only thing that separates it from other chain letters. This one has pictures. 6 pages, written by John Cunningham, illustrated by Tim Twelves.

THE BOY WHO COULD TALK TO SEAGULLS

Once there was a boy who could talk to seagulls. His brothers and sisters could not talk to seagulls. The boy’s name was Sam. 1 page, written by J. Marc Schmidt and illustrated by Yuriko Sekine.