Dave at Night

Dave At NightIt was eleven o'clock. You could hear a pin drop. Dave tiptoed down the hallway. He opened the door. He's out of the home! He moves towards the gate. He grabs the handle. It's locked! This is just one of the parts in the great book Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine. First of all I would like to tell you why I liked this book so much. One of those reasons is that the genre was historical fiction and that genre is one of my all time favorite genres. Also I liked this book because everyone in the story was nice to each other except Mr. Bloom. The only reason I disliked the book was because of the beginning. The beginning is so boring because there was no action what so ever and I like books that jump right into the action. Now I'll give you a little teaser of a summary. In the beginning Dave's dad falls off the roof of a house he was building and dies. Then Dave's stepmom cannot and will not take care of Dave so he is sent to the H.H.B. or Hebrew Home for Boys (or as Dave calls it Hell Hole for Brats) in New York, New York. When Dave is there he discovers that eleven year old has his own "bully" who eats the eleven's food and bosses them around. Also he discovers that he can sneak out of the home every night he wants to. Then one time when Dave comes back from one of his adventures Mr. Bloom (or as Dave calls him Mr. Doom) is waiting for him. Then Mr. Doom brings Dave in to his office and starts to yell out questions. Then when Dave doesn't answer Mr. Doom starts to beat Dave and... To find out what happens to Dave and what he does when he sneaks out you'll have to read the book yourself.

Wonderful, compelling storytelling, with an *outstanding* narration. Usually I save audio books for commuting and dog walking. This one got listened to inside the house, because I HAD to know what was going to happen next!"Dave" is different than other Gail Carson Levine books. Though it can be hysterically funny and moving, it's more like a Charles Dickens novel than the lighthearted fairy tale retellings like "Ella Enchanted." There are no "mushy" love scenes to make my 8 year old daughter roll her eyes. Parents with sensitive children should be aware that there are some rough patches--uncaring relatives who abandon the newly-orphaned Dave, and a sadistic superintendent of the orphanage who I'd gladly strangle. The print version might feel less intense.

Dave by Night is a heartwarming story about an inquisitive Jewish boy who finds himself in an orphanage by day and out enjoying the scene of the Harlem Renaissance by night. Levine captures both the warmth and discord of the Hebrew Home for Boys (HHB takes on many monikers throughout the book) as Dave makes his plans for his great escape. But wait! Where will he go? Won't he miss his buddies and those special art lessons too much? Also, he cannot leave until he rescues his father's carving from the notoriously wicked (and truly vile) superintendent of the home, Mr. Doom. Among his new nightlife acquaintances, Dave befriends Irma Lee, a lonely African-American girl whose adopted mother throws the most talked about parties ("salons") in Harlem. Incorporating vivid descriptions of the salons into this novel provides a stark contrast between the wealthy and the poor of the 1920s, as it gives contemporary readers a chance to experience Harlem in its heyday. Hanging out with Dave around the clock gives readers a chance to learn more about how old cars ran, tricks "gonifs" play on the unsuspecting victims, lessons in sketching, and the joys of true friendship. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic-- Dave by Night is an adventure through times and cultures.

Dave an 11 year old rascal becomes an orphan when his father dies and his stepmother is unable to take care of him. Dave ends up at the Hebrew Home for Boys better known as the HHB, an orphanage for boys. Here he learns the true meaning of friendship, as well as the lesson that not all people are nice and trustworthy. The writing is somewhat dramatic. Dave vividly explains his feelings after losing his papa and the love for his newfound friends. However, the book is not written with a serious tone. There are numerous scenes that are comical and depict Dave for the pure rascal he is. The reader laughs and wonders how will Dave ever get out of each predicament, but some how Dave manages to get out of them only to get into another. Dave has many experiences at the orphanage and they change the way the he perceives people and life in general.

I think this book was fantastic. It was incredibly descriptive and wasn't sugar-coated. It had many suspenseful parts that were planned out very well. You got to know the character's personalities, and they were all very interesting. I would reccommend it to all ages who are looking for a light, fun read.