(3) YA After a long absence from "B-town" (first introduced in 1986's shared universe anthology Borderlands), authors revisit this magical metropolis straddling our world and Faerie with twenty-two short stories and poems. Contributors include Cory Doctorow, Charles de Lint, editors Black and Kushner, and series creator Terri Windling. Readers unfamiliar with the quirky, ever-evolving city will appreciate the mock info pamphlet "Bordertown Basics."

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Twelve short stories by authors including Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Libba Bray seek to settle an ostensibly age-old debate. Humorous commentary by the editors introduces the stories, which are funny, disgusting, touching, and frightening--and sometimes all of the above. Icons ensure "no unwary zombie fan [accidentally reads] a unicorn story or vice versa," but fantasy fans will eagerly devour them all.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(2) YA Illustrated by Hope Larson & Bryan Lee O'Malley. This short story collection celebrates all things nerd, capturing the obsession, alienation, anachronism, and intellectualism of what it means to embrace geekdom. M. T. Anderson's contemplative "The King of Pelinesse" and Scott Westerfeld's hard-boiled "Definitional Chaos" are standouts; one-page "How to..." comics separate each story. Exploration of universal themes in original settings brings infectious enthusiasm to what is obviously a cherished topic.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009