Broken strings

First Title Value for Searching:

Broken strings

Personal Author:

Walters, Eric, 1957-

Physical Description:

282 pages ; 22 cm.

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Summary:

It's 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers -- and the death of her beloved grandmother -- Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof, but is crushed to learn that she's been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her "husband" is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school. Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather's attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner -- strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.

Subject Term:

Middle school students -- Juvenile fiction.

Family secrets -- Juvenile fiction.

Musicals -- Juvenile fiction.

Acting -- Juvenile fiction.

Secrecy -- Juvenile fiction.

Holocaust survivors' families -- Juvenile fiction.

Violin -- Juvenile fiction.

Jews -- United States -- Juvenile fiction

Teenage girls -- Juvenile fiction

Actors and actresses -- Juvenile fiction.

Additional Credits:

Kacer, Kathy, 1954-

Audience/Lexile:

5-9.

700 L

Publication Info:

Toronto : Puffin Books, 2019.

Subject:

Middle school students -- Juvenile fiction.

Family secrets -- Juvenile fiction.

Musicals -- Juvenile fiction.

Acting -- Juvenile fiction.

Secrecy -- Juvenile fiction.

Holocaust survivors' families -- Juvenile fiction.

Violin -- Juvenile fiction.

Jews -- United States -- Juvenile fiction

Teenage girls -- Juvenile fiction

Actors and actresses -- Juvenile fiction.

Historical fiction.

Secrets, Family

Musical comedies

Musical plays

Musical revues, comedies, etc.

Musical shows

Operettas

Shows, Musical

Histrionics

Stage

Concealment

Fiddle

Actors

Actresses

Male actors

Motion picture actors and actresses

Movie stars

Television actors and actresses

SAILS ISBN:

9780735266247

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Mansfield Public Library	Y FIC WALTERS	YOUTH-FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Attleboro Public Library	MR WALTERS,E	MIDDLE READER	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Dartmouth - Southworth	YA WAL	YOUNG ADULT FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Middleborough Public Library	JF WAL	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... New Bedford Bookmobile	J FIC WALTERS	BOOKMOBILE	Searching... Unknown
Searching... New Bedford Free Public Library	J FIC WALTERS	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... New Bedford Wilks Branch	J FIC WALTERS	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Norfolk Public Library	JF WALT	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Plainville Public Library	J WAL	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Somerset Public Library	Y WALTERS, ERIC	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A violin and a middle-school musical unleash a dark family secret in this moving story by an award-winning author duo. For fans of The Devil's Arithmetic and Hana's Suitcase .

It's 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers -- and the death of her beloved grandmother -- Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof , but is crushed to learn that she's been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her "husband" is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school.
Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather's attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner -- strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5 Up--Shirli was born with music in her blood, so landing a lead role in her middle school's production of Fiddler on the Roof is an amazing opportunity. Unfortunately, she isn't given the role of one of the sisters as she was expecting, but the role of the mother. Disappointed at first, Shirli tries to embrace the role and its benefits, including spending time with her stage husband and crush Ben Morgan. On a quest to prepare for her performance, Shirli asks her grandfather for props from the old clothes and furniture in his attic. There she discovers an old violin and poster for her grandfather and his family's band. When Shirli asks her grandfather, who never listens to music or seems to have any musical talent, about the violin, he tells her of the time he spent playing in a concentration camp during World War II. As her grandfather slowly recounts bits of his and his family's stories, she begins to feel a new closeness to him, as well as to her role in the musical. Taking place in the year after 9/11, the novel weaves the uncertainty and discrimination felt during the time following the terrorist attacks with Shirli's grandfather's experience during World War II. VERDICT A tale that teaches both history and compassion; a great choice for middle grade readers.--Jayna Ramsey, Douglas County Libraries in Parker, CO

Kirkus Review

Zayde's memories profoundly affect his young granddaughter.In the aftermath of 9/11, the school's annual musical is to be Fiddler on the Roof, because its themes resonate. Eighth grader Shirli is a very talented singer and actor who is disappointed to be given the lead part of Tevye's wife, Golde, who has no solo. She believes that her beloved grandfather can help her research background for the play, although she knows almost nothing of his past. Zayde has never allowed any form of music in his home, and when Shirli finds an old, damaged violin in the attic, it causes him great pain. As the play begins to take over Shirli's life, she shares it all with Zayde, who finds he is able to recount bits of their family history. His mother barely survived the pogroms in Russia. When he was a child, he played violin in his family's klezmer band. And then came the Holocaust and the hell that was Auschwitz, where he lost them all and was forced to play music as his fellow Jews went to the gas chambers. Shirli's voice is true and strong as she narrates her own tale of rehearsals, her very ethnically diverse friendships, her deep distress as she witnesses Zayde's pain, and her joy as he reconnects with his music.A beautiful, painful, heartfelt reminder that the past is with us still. (authors' note, acknowledgements) (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

It's 2002 and seventh grader Shirli Berman is disappointed to have been cast as the mother (rather than the ingénue daughter) in her school production of Fiddler on the Roof. While searching her grandfather Zayde's attic for costumes and props, she discovers an old violin, somewhat surprising since Zayde has never shown any interest in music. Gradually, the play begins to coalesce, Shirli's friendship with her crush/stage husband Ben develops, and Zayde opens up about his past as a violinist and prisoner at Auschwitz. Walters and Kacer's richly emotional text manages to feel both contemporary and historic. Set in New Jersey in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the authors successfully connect 9/11 and the Holocaust in terms of persecution, intolerance, and loss. At the same time, lighter scenes featuring junior high school lunchroom banter, rehearsal drama, and does-he-like-me uncertainty ensure that younger readers, who are perhaps less aware of the Holocaust, will stay engaged. When the play's sponsor is sidelined, Zayde steps in as director, successfully resolving the story's many threads.--Kay Weisman Copyright 2019 Booklist

Excerpts

The bell sounded. People jumped to their feet and gathered their things. "And don't forget there's a unit test on Friday!" Mr. Herman, our math teacher, called out over the noise. A collective groan rose up from the class. Some people started to argue for a postponement till Monday to give them more time to study. On any other day I would have stuck around and joined in the argument. But not today. Today I needed to get out of the classroom as fast as I could. I had something more important to think about than a math test. I threw my books into my bag and joined the crowd funneling out of the room. I'd gone only a few steps when I almost bumped into Natasha, my best friend. She flashed me a big smile. Smiling was the last thing on my mind. "Are you ready, Shirli?" Natasha asked. "No!" "We don't have to go," she said. "We could go to the mall, get a soda instead, maybe buy something." "And just not look at the cast list?" I asked. "It'll still be there tomorrow." "Tash, I've waited all week. Do you really think I can wait another day?" She flashed that smile again. "Patience is a virtue." "This coming from you, the least patient person I know?" I asked. "Okay, you're right, and I was just joking. Let's go and look." The hallway was packed, and it felt as if we were salmon fighting our way upstream. We were the largest junior high in New Jersey, but the building didn't seem big enough to hold all 1,600 of us who called this place our home away from home. We squirmed and shuffled our way forward. "You know you have nothing to worry about," Natasha said. "Thanks. Neither do you." "Oh, I'm not worried, Shirli. You know that." Natasha and I had been friends, and pretty much inseparable, since third grade--like two peas in a pod, or peanut butter and jam. But there was a big difference between us. Natasha had never been in a school show before. In fact, she had only tried out this time because I'd practically dragged her to the auditions. It really didn't matter to her whether she got a part or not. The problem was that for me it mattered way too much. "Ms. Ramsey really likes you," she pointed out. I knew she was trying to reassure me. "She likes everybody," I said. "It's more than that. I think she sees herself when she looks at you." I laughed. "Like she's looking in some sort of fun-house mirror?" Ms. Ramsey was our drama teacher. She was in her early thirties but looked a lot younger. She was blond and slim and moved in this slinky, smooth way like someone who'd had years of dance training. We couldn't have been more different in appearance, but I guess I had the same way of moving, thanks to my own dance classes. "I didn't mean the way you two look," Natasha continued. "Ms. Ramsey is so beautiful." "Gee, thanks." "Come on, you know what I mean. You're really pretty, but not like her. You look more like me!" Well, true, we did look a lot alike, even though my family was eastern European and Jewish, and Natasha's was Portuguese and Catholic. But where the heck was this going? "I mean she sees you as being talented like her." "Thanks, Tash." Now that was a compliment. Excerpted from Broken Strings by Eric Walters, Kathy Kacer All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.