Shelburne Public Library highlights the power of short stories, shares staff pick of the week

March 5, 2026 · 0 Comments

Do you ever read short stories?

Short stories possess a unique power through their brevity, delivering intense emotional experiences, profound insights, and focused narratives that can be consumed in a single sitting.

Immersive and accessible, short stories, like all great literature, encourage reflection, enhance empathy, and sharpen analytical skills.

This week’s staff pick comes from our CEO Shannon and is one of the best short stories she has read.

Staff pick of the week

Fox 8 by George Saunders, illustrated by Chelsea Cardinal, is the Shelburne Public Library’s staff pick of the week.

The book’s protagonist, Fox 8, has always been known as the daydreamer in his pack, the one his fellow foxes regard with a knowing snort and a roll of the eyes. That is until he develops a unique skill: He teaches himself to speak “Yuman” by hiding in the bushes outside a house and listening to children’s bedtime stories.

The power of language fuels his abundant curiosity about people — even after “danjer” arrives in the form of a new shopping mall that cuts off his food supply, sending Fox 8 on a harrowing quest to help save his pack.

Why Shannon recommends it: I read this powerful short story in one sitting, and I was fully immersed. In just fifty pages, Saunder’s had me laughing, tearing up, feeling angry, and then hopeful. His ability to invoke both humour and pathos, while illuminating the darker side of humanity (specifically our quest to tame nature) all from the unique yet somehow relatable perspective of a fox, left me in awe of his talent and creativity. Fox 8 is a great example of the power of a short story and the illustrations throughout are an extra special touch.

If you would like to read Fox 8, let your library know and we will borrow it via our Interlibrary Loan program.

This article was written by the Shelburne Public Library staff.