7. Tunes for Bears to Dance to

Tunes for Bears to Dance To by Robert Cormier (Delacorte Press, 1992) 

Genre

Historical, Alegorical

Review  

11-year-old Henry’s family moved away from their neighborhood after the death of his brother Eddie.  Henry is intrigued by the old man who walks each day from the institution for the insane.  Following him one day, Henry finds that the man – Mr. Levine – is a Holocaust survivor and artist who goes each day to a local crafts organization where he is carving his old village and its inhabitants out of balsa wood.  Henry, who’s family is struggling to get by, wants to erect a gravestone for his brother.  His boss Mr. Hairston promises to help Henry if he’ll smash Mr. Levine’s village.

Opinion

The book is a remarkable allegory to help explain the participation of everyday Germans in the Holocaust while also providing lessons about redemption and grief.

Ideas

The book would be appropriate for including in school units on the Holocaust to help students understand the human emotions of the event.  The book might also be appropriate for explaining grief and learning to live with the loss of loved ones.