Little Big Men (1998)

[Simon]

   

Two novellas back to back, both parodies of famous boys' books as only Chris Kent, the most noted boys-books authors of today, knows boys. "Coral Island Boys" after "The Coral Island" and "Little Big Men" after "Lord of the Flies."
I think you can have a liberal idea as to what constitutes a "Lord of the Flies" type story. "Atlantic Island" is one. My other favorite is "Nip The Buds, Shoot The Kids," which is about Japanese reformatory boys being evacuated to the countryside during WWII. I think it can be described as a society of young people [boys] which emulates adult society but exists outside of it. "The Outsiders" is a classic example. I don't much care for "Lord of the Flies" itself. Too stuffy and anglo.