Take the Stairs

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Karen Krossing’s first young-adult book is an excellent collection of
13 linked short stories, which are all connected to their narrators’
living in The Monteray (aka The Building), a rundown 15–storey
apartment block in an unnamed city that is obviously Toronto. Each story
bears a title plus the name of the story’s central adolescent
character and his or her apartment number.

Though not absolutely chronological in order, the stories—some of
which take place over just a few days, while others consume several
months—span a year. They are tied together by Petra of Apt. 312, who,
in the introductory story, “Hide and Seek,” escapes her physically
abusive Caucasian father by running away, but in the final story,
“Take the Stairs (Tony, Apt. 818),” returns to rescue her Chinese
mother. In between, the six male and six remaining female central
characters, all 15 or older, deal with a variety of challenges. In
“Leg Fungus,” Tanya of Apt. 901 publicly rejects the “ideal
woman” myth, while Jennifer of Apt. 721 acknowledges her true sexual
preference in “Queen of Spades.” Domineering boyfriends feature in
“Grains of Sand (Magda, Apt. 220)” and “Stern Paddle (Sidney, Apt.
1219),” while “Night Watch (Allie, Apt. 412),” “The Many Faces
of Men, Boys, and Pigs (Cori, Apt. 111),” and “Stinks Like Flowers
(David, Apt. 1407)” reveal how parents’ actions can affect their
children. The difficulties of fitting in because of race or religion can
be found in “Off the Couch (Roger, Apt. 615)” and “Easy Target
(Asim, Apt. 1005).” Being “one of the guys” is important in
“Opportunity (Flynn, Apt. 606)” and “Tailwind (Louis, Apt.
1517).”

Not only does Krossing create a strong cast of players, but she
skilfully casts The Building as the 14th major character, one whose
stairs lead out as well as in. Highly recommended.