David and Max [Paperback]

Gary Provost (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

While spending the summer with his grandfather Max and helping him search for a friend believed to have perished in the Holocaust, twelve-year-old David discovers many things about Max's terrible years during World War II and subsequent family relationships.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7 The underlying themes of this book are memory and the Holocaust. However, unlike many recent books where the emphasis is on keeping the memory alive, this one has as its key the fading memory of an old man. When David's grandfather, Max, thinks that he has seen an old friend who was thought to have been killed during the war, everyone except David thinks that the old man's mind is playing tricks on him. David is convinced that Max is right, and he begins a quest to find Max' friend. He also, for the first time in his life, begins to learn about the Holocaust, and about his grandfather's experiences. When Max has a heart attack, David is more determined than ever to find Bernie Bauer, Max' old friend, but the man he finds denies knowing anything about Max. Only after Max' funeral does Bernie finally admit his identity to David. This novel operates on many levels; the Holocaust is an obvious theme, but the book also shows the close relationship between a young boy and his grandparents. The characters are, on the whole, believable, but Bernie is irritating. Although he tries to explain why he waffled about his identity, it just doesn't ring true. That's a shame, because it does a disservice to an otherwise good book. Susan M. Harding, Mesquite Public Library, Tex.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A good book for all children . . . to gain more understanding of the Holocaust and how it affected their grandparents'' generation,"—Philadelphia Inquirer

(Philadelphia Inquirer )

"Intriguing . . . humorous and lively."—ALA Booklist

(ALA Booklist )

"This beautiful book, originally published in 1988, has been newly updated and revised. None of the compelling style of the original edition has been lost . . . . This book is replete with wonderful values of friendship and family and honesty."—Jewish Book World

(Jewish Book World )

"David and Max sets a new standard for young fiction. A charming and funny story of a grandfather and grandson woven deftly around a deeper and darker tale . . . sensitive, honest, and all the more powerful for its brave simplicity. This book is a treasure for any middle grade. . . English, social studies or civics classes. Its treatment of poignant and topical issues such as homelessness, divorce, and especially the Holocaust is unparalleled in its age group."—Mary R. Motew, Adjunct Professor, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA;

(Mary R. Motew ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society; 1st edition (1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827603150
• ISBN-13: 978-0827603158
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,975,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Because of his entertaining style, the late Gary Provost was one of the nations leading and most beloved writing instructors. A sought-after speaker, consultant, and celebrity biographer, Provost the writers writer authored thousands of articles and columns, and dozens of books covering most every genre. His highly acclaimed Writers Retreat Workshop, and video and audio courses remain available through writersretreatworkshop.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David & Max, August 6, 2007

By 

Jewish Book World Magazine (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: David and Max (Paperback)

This beautiful book, originally published in 1988, has been newly updated and revised. None of the compelling style of the original edition has been lost. On the surface, this is a story of a special relationship between a 12-year old boy that loves basketball and his grandfather, Max. The two share many experiences together. In reality, it is also an opportunity, through Max and David's shared experiences, to make the Holocaust real and to create real people living rich and full lives prior to the coming of the Nazis. On a vacation to coastal Massachusetts, Max thinks he has seen an old friend who he thought had been killed during World War Two. David is the only one who believes that Max may be correct, and attempts to help him find this friend, whose art is exhibited in a local gallery. While they are attempting to locate his grandfather's old friend, David begins to learn about the Holocaust and about his grandfather's background for the first time. This book is replete with wonderful values of friendship and family and honesty, and serves as an introduction for preteens to this horrific period in Jewish history. The revised edition has several updates, which succeed in making the story more appealing to contemporary readers. For instance, David has seen the documentary, Paper Clips, which had not been created twenty years ago. Highly recommended for ages 10-13.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, October 11, 2009

By 

Steven Friedman (San Rafael, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: David and Max (Paperback)

Great and moving book about family and legacies and friendship. And it was delivered very promptly.