Equally talented as a writer and an editor, Cart (Necessary Noise
; Tomorrowland
) unveils the first volume of a new venture: a "cutting-edge literary journal of contemporary voices" that will be published twice each year, each issue centering on a single theme. Here, stories, essays, black-and-white drawings and excerpts from forthcoming novels examine the topic of sin, usually from a young adult's point of view. Some selections are deeply personal. In her intimate poem, "Massage," Sonya Sones explores how lust turns to unfulfilled desire in an instant. An excerpt from Chris Lynch's next novel tests the fine line between innocence and guilt in describing how an ordinary boy becomes "unfairly famous" after accidentally crippling a football player. Marc Aronson and Hazel Rochman consider sin in broader terms as each interprets, respectively, social forces affecting the Salem witch hunts and the Holocaust. Other writers represented include Brock Cole, Joan Bauer and Nikki Grimes; artists include Mark Podwal, Martin Matje and Tom Feelings. Aimed for a mature teen audience, this anthology sheds light on harsher corners of history and takes readers to uncomfortable places in the soul. Offering few glimpses of redemption, the entries are sure to provoke thought. Final art not seen by PW
. Ages 14-up. (Apr.)
