Tunes for Bears to dance to -

A short, subtle study of untimely death and its consequences, in which Cormier explores the nature of evil and the resilience of the human spirit. Henry's elder brother is killed by a hit-and-run driver; Mr Levine's family were murdered by the Nazis. Each has his own path to acceptance and forgiveness - Henry wants a monument for his brother's grave and Mr Levine carves his family and village in wood. Events come full circle when Henry destroys Mr Levine's model. He recognises the evil he's done and negates it by refusing his reward; thus the process of regeneration and regrowth begins. A small, profound book with a potent philosophical message for able and sensitive readers in Years 9 to 11.