The Entertainer and the Dybbuk

Brings the horrors of WWII down to a level that kids/tweens can understand and accept without having to dive too deep into the uglyness of the war and death. The Story is about a Preteen Jewish boy and his need to bring his killer to light. Shows how his love for his sister and how he tried to keep her alive.

SId Fleishman is a supurb writer. This story obviously involved his emotions profoundly so it is not his usual light humor. I would have liked to know that it wasn't his usual genre. The story has a setting relating to the holocaust. Children need to know about this tragic part of our world history, but not at a young age, and many of Fleishman's readers are young because of his imaginative appeal. I have purchased multiple copies of many of his books for distribution to grandchildren. I have not done so with this book. Like Mark Twain's Joan Of Arc, the author intended it to be one of his best works. He addressed the issue well, and resolved it in an amazing way.

This book combines an American, a young Jewish teen, objective, unsentimental descriptions of what happened to children in WWII, a dose of modern Jewish slang, and an education about Jewish customs and culture all wrapped in a funny easy-to-read story. After reading over a dozen books on the Holocaust, I chose this one to teach to seventh graders. They loved the book and couldn't wait to continue reading. There were several lessons that I could construct from the book relevant to current youth including the practice of "passing" as someone you are not (racially or otherwise) to avoid ridicule or discrimination. The book is far more than a children's book on the Holocaust. It is an excellent, fun read and Sid Fleishman is to be applauded for his contribution to American literature.

This book is about a normal ventriloquist...not! He meets a Jewish demon called a Dybbuk. It helps him greatly with his act but it almost ruins his personal life. The Dybbuk was murdered in World War 2 by a general who is running lose in the world. Will they catch up with the general and convicted him on the crimes he committed?

This story is so well written that my 8-year-old son didn't want me to put the book down until all the facts and details were known. Sid Fleischman keeps you invested in finding out more about the plight and connection between an American ventriloquist and the spirit of a young Jewish boy. This is an astonishing story about differences and justice. A must read for young and old.