Parent Guide
Inspired by her own father’s childhood experiences, Gail Carson Levine (author of Ella Enchanted) gets her young hero’s spunky voice exactly right. At the tender age of eleven, a tragic accident orphans Dave Caros, and he is sent by relatives to live at the HHB (Hebrew Home for Boys). Challenged by poor conditions, bullies, and a terrifying headmaster, Dave manages to foster friendships both inside and outside the orphanage walls. When Dave befriends an African-American girl and a colorful Yiddish-speaking con artist, he discovers that true family is not limited to actual relations. This fascinating and original story is set against the historical backdrop of the Harlem jazz age.
Parent Guide
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Imaging facing life's challenges when you are only 11!
It is the 1920s and Dave Caros lives at the HHB, the Hebrew Home for Boys, in New York City, because he is an orphan. At the HHB the teachers are annoying, and the bullies eat Dave's food every day. One night, Dave sneaks out of the HHB and goes into the city. There he meets Solly, an old man who tells people their fortunes for money, and who just might be the person that could get Dave out of the HHB. Will Dave get in trouble? Will he escape the HHB forever? Read this book to find out! Reading this book made me realize that I am very fortunate to have a family that loves me and a safe home. I thought this book was very interesting because Dave Caros certainly does not have this. Instead, he has to face life's challenges all on his own, which is a hard thing to do when you're only 11!