I think maybe I would get them 9 stories JUST BECAUSE there are 9 of them (now there's an egregious use of capitalization if ever there was one). but what I mean to say is, if, say, teddy is too depressing, they can always move on to pretty mouth and green my eyes, etc etc -- they can't all be depressing. but i can easily see how f&z could, since it's all so much of a piece. just a thought. pauline