The Entertainer & the Dybbuk (Youth)

By RJ McGill

Like so many things in life the story contains mystery, beauty, enchantment and horror. Dybbuk is Hebrew for "cleaving to" - and remains one of the most enduring beliefs in Jewish folklore. This is the basis for Sid Fleischman's new book which reveals age appropriate information about the harsh cruelty inflicted upon the Jewish people during the Holocaust in a highly entertaining and unique way.

When twelve year old Avrom Amos, a dybbuk takes up residence in the body of an American ventriloquist what ensues is an eye opening, educational journey presented through a victim's eyes... well, actually the voice is the conduit throughout the novel that allows the dybbuk to expose at least one Nazi SS commander. The "ghost or dybbuk" of young, Avrom Amos helps the fledgling Freddie to become a wildly popular one man show that defies the imagination.

Drinking a glass of water while talking is a crowd favorite. But, the Great Freddie soon realizes that while the dybbuk is most definitely hard headed, he is no dummy. Avrom has two items on his to-do list and he will not be denied. First, he is determined to complete his bar mitzva and then, see the SS commander that murdered his sister brought to justice. Of course, this leads to a laundry list of problems, the least of which, the ventriloquist is not Jewish.

Filled with compassion and thought provoking facts delivered by a sassy dybbuk that has more than one or two ghostly tricks planned makes "The Entertainer and the Dybbuk" a delightful read for all ages. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would recommend it highly and without hesitation!

Happy Reading!

Reviewed by RJ McGill, Real Reader Reviews