"Tunes for Bears to Dance to" - Robert Cormier

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Entry #1

Henry Covassant is an 11 year old boy who works for a bitter old man, Mr. Hairston. Henry's older brother Eddie has just died, and the whole family is trying to cope. The father is having the hardest time with it. They had to move from their hometown of Frechtown, to Wickburg just because there was too many sad memories. So, with his mom usually working double shifts since his father still can't accept Eddies's death, all Henry has to lisen to now is just mean, old Mr. Hairston. But soon Henry meets another elderly old man who lives in the "crazy house" across the the street from their appartmen complex. Mr. Levine is not crazy though, he's actually a Holocaust survivor who's family was killed. Henry follows to him to this arts and crafts center, where Mr. Levine goes everyday and is watched over by George Graham a giant of a man. Mr. Levine is a skilled wood carver and he spends many hours re-creating the village where he grew up, which was turned into a concentration camp. Henry is amazed at how real it looks, and how patient Mr. Levine is to create such tiny replicas. Inaddtion, Mr. Levine doesn't speak any English but, Henry has a connection with him far greater than anyoneelse in Wickburg.