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The Things a Brother Knows

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 1,265 ratings · 281 reviews

The story of a young marine’s return from war in the Middle East and the psychological effects it has on his family.

Finally, Levi Katznelson’s older brother, Boaz, has returned. Boaz was a high school star who had it all and gave it up to serve in a war Levi can’t understand. Things have been on hold since Boaz left. With the help of his two best friends Levi has fumbled h...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published September 14th 2010 by Wendy Lamb Books

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Nov 12, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, male-protagonist, realistic-fiction, sibilings

I've always been interested in how the relationship between guys works, especially brothers. It's a relationship I can't experience myself, so my interest is peaked when I see a book about brothers.

In this story we have two brothers, Levi and Boaz. Boaz is the older brother who is perfect in every way, well at least in Levi's eyes. Their family is surprised by Boaz's decesion to join the Marines and fight in the Iraq war. They plead with him not to go, but his mind is set, he's going. It's been...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Riley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Riley by: Jennifer

I am currently on page 46 of 242 in The Things a Brother Knows. So far I have enjoyed the book since it fits my tastes and is a realistic fiction book. I will give a brief idea of the book so far without any spoilers. This book is about a boy whose intelligent and successful brother enlists in the marines rather than going to any high level college of his choice. The book doesn't show what happened durring the war, but what happened after. His brother won't leave his room and has changed a lot s...more

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May 13, 2013 Lo♪ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

I very much wanted to give this book a higher rating, but I think couldn't because some parts of it annoyed me.

I've read Dana Reinhardt's other books and thought they were really good (of course, I read them back when my taste wasn't so good, so you never know), and already got used to the author's strong female main characters. I feel like because this book was narrated by a guy main character, Reinhardt changed up her style to "fit a guy's point of view." While I'm okay with the change, I didn...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Christie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

When 17-year-old Levi Katznelson’s brother, Boaz, returns from his stint as a marine in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, he’s a changed man. This relationship between the brothers is what propels The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt along.

When Levi was a kid, he adored Boaz.

I used to worship him too. All little brothers worship their big brothers, I guess. It sort of goes with the job description. Think about it. Your brother’s face is one of the first you ever see. His hands are among...more When 17-year-old Levi Katznelson’s brother, Boaz, returns from his stint as a marine in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, he’s a changed man. This relationship between the brothers is what propels The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt along.

When Levi was a kid, he adored Boaz.

I used to worship him too. All little brothers worship their big brothers, I guess. It sort of goes with the job description. Think about it. Your brother’s face is one of the first you ever see. His hands are among the first to ever touch you. You crawl only to catch him. You want nothing but to walk like he does, talk like he does, draw a picture throw a ball, tell a joke like he does, let loose one of those crazy whistles with four fingers jammed in your mouth or burp the ABCs just like he does. To your mind, he’s got the whole of the world all figured out.

Levi didn’t really understand why Boaz, a popular high school athlete went off to war anyway. So his homecoming is a complicated thing. The Boaz who returns to Levi and his parents is withdrawn, rarely speaks and won’t get in a car. He spends hours and hours in his bedroom studying maps and doing stuff on the computer. It frustrates Levi because he doesn’t understand and Bo doesn’t seem willing to explain.

Then Boaz announces that he’s going to walk the Appalachian Trail. Levi is suspicious and does a little snooping and discovers a map that reveals a different route altogether. That’s when he makes the decision to abandon his summer job and go after Boaz.

Although Levi’s figurative journey is quite a bit different from his brother’s, that summer is pivotal on his journey to adulthood. And while it’s true that The Things a Brother Knows is a “road-trip” book of sorts, the real story here is one of understanding. Understanding each other, sure, but also understanding ourselves. What do we believe in? What matters to us? I think Reinhardt manages this without coming off too preachy.

Levi is a great character and so is his best friend, Pearl. an out-spoken Chinese girl Levi met in Hebrew school. Levi’s grandfather, Dov, is also memorable. Spending time with these characters is no hardship.

At the end of the day, though, The Things a Brother Knows was just okay for me. The writing is fine. (There’s some swearing, for those concerned with that in a YA book.) The story moves a long, but I just felt it was sort of superficial and that, ultimately, the bow was tied a little too neatly. Still, it’s a book worth having in my classroom library.
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Sep 09, 2012 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-person-narrator-all-ages, gms-fall, guys-read, high-school-and-beyond, high-school-fairs, iraq-war-homefront, realistic-fiction, war

Levi Katznelson tells us about his brother Boaz's return from Iraq. Filling in with back story as he sorts out the puzzle Boaz presents when he comes back.
Senior year, with college acceptances, scholarships and a lovely girlfriend, Boaz announces his decision to become a Marine and do the right thing by joining the war effort in the mid-east. The family is shocked- no one is on board.

Now, years later Boaz returns silent and clearly damaged, and with a clean bill of health. Once again no one kn...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“The Things a Brother Knows” tells the story of two brothers, Levi and Boaz. Boaz is the older brother, and he has just returned home from 4 years at war in the Middle East. Levi has always lived in Boaz’s shadow – Boaz was bigger, stronger, smarter, more athletic, more handsome… he did everything first. Since Boaz has been gone, things at home have been… different. But now, Boaz is coming home, in one piece, and everyone is ecstatic… except Levi. He’s still harboring some confusion and hurt fee...more “The Things a Brother Knows” tells the story of two brothers, Levi and Boaz. Boaz is the older brother, and he has just returned home from 4 years at war in the Middle East. Levi has always lived in Boaz’s shadow – Boaz was bigger, stronger, smarter, more athletic, more handsome… he did everything first. Since Boaz has been gone, things at home have been… different. But now, Boaz is coming home, in one piece, and everyone is ecstatic… except Levi. He’s still harboring some confusion and hurt feelings about Boaz’s choice to join the military. However, Levi quickly realizes that while Boaz’s body is home, Boaz himself really hasn’t returned. Boaz stays in his room all day, sleeps, prints maps off the internet, or listens to static on the radio; he seems to want nothing to do with the family that has missed him and worried about him for four years. What the…?!? Then, suddenly, Boaz announces that he is leaving again to “hike the Appalachian Trail.” Levi has his doubts, though. So, he decides he going to find Boaz (or Bo as he now prefers to be called) and go on this journey to… wherever… with him and try to bring home the brother that left all those years ago.

I have to say, the characters in this book were out of this world!!! Levi’s character was a completely believable younger sibling of a soldier. He felt abandoned, but proud, but worried, but left out, but relieved, but concerned, but grateful. Really, when it came down to it, he wanted his brother home… and he would go to great lengths to make that happen. Zim (Richard) and Pearl were unbelievable best friends. They stood by Levi through thick and thin, pushing and prodding when needed, and just stepping back and being quiet when necessary. Oh, if only everyone could have even one friend like them. And Dov, Levi’s grandfather… he might have been my favorite character. He seemed to be what so many grandfathers are – stoic and traditional and unforgiving until that moment… the moment when you really need an understanding, supportive, caring adult and then there Grandpa is. That was Dov in this book. I LOVED him. The characters in this book will most certainly stick with me for a long time to come.

“The Things a Brother Knows” by Dana Reinhardt may be one of my favorite books so far this summer!!! While it is obviously about the relationship between two brothers, it is fundamentally about the relationship between any two siblings… and about the ties between ALL members of a family. It is a book about the lasting impact of war, but it is about so much more. If you have read “Purple Heart” by Patricia McCormick and liked it, then you have to pick up “The Things a Brother Knows.” You’ll love it, too!(less)

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Mar 10, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an EXCELLENT book -- I read it on Adobe ePub (Maine InfoNet Download Library) which was a bit weird, but it's in our library too and I encourage everybody to check it out. I don't know how I feel about war, about it in general or about the ones we are currently involved in. I know that when I hear about injustice and suffering, I feel helpless and frustrated, wishing there was something I could do. On that level, I understand why people join the military -- but then, I think of the sens...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, loss, realistic-fiction, war

Dana Reinhardt effectively explores the effects of war on returning soldiers and their families in this very readable book. The story focuses on the relationship between high school student Levi and his older brother Boaz who has finally come home after serving several years as a Marine in a war somewhere in the Middle East. Boaz is reclusive and uncommunicative once he is home and Levi wants desperately to reach him in some way. The walking journey from Boston to Washington, D.C. they take toge...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading Level: Grade 7-9

Boaz Katznelson was a great athlete, talented student and all round high school golden boy. He was accepted to Cornell, Berkley, Tufts and Columbia Universities. His family was stunned when he announced he wasn’t going to college, he was enlisting in the Marines. Soon Boaz was overseas…after a few months, he stopped writing home. When Boaz finally came home, he walked straight upstairs and shut the door. He hasn’t been out in three weeks. Levi and his parents have waited...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Beverly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 14-16 year olds

Recommended to Beverly by: indiebound.org/next list

Shelves: young-adult-books

The Things a Brother Knows is more of a coming of age novel than a realistic novel about a marine returning home from the war. Fourteen year old Levi idolized his charming and talented older brother, but didn't really know him when he chose the marines over a scholarship to an ivy league college. When Boaz returns from the war, Levi is seventeen and expecting the family to return to what it was before Bo enlisted. But Boaz is isolating himself and ignoring everyone, yet Levi's parents are preten...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Jillian Roth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, families, military

The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt tells the story of seventeen-year-old Levi, who is grappling with what the war has done to his family. Levi had always looked up to his brother Boaz. He was smart, athletic, and popular. Levi always assumed that one day he would be like his big brother. But then, Boaz made a choice that no one expected. He was joining the marines after high school, and no one would be able to convince him otherwise. Boaz left, for three years, and Levi needed to proce...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Johnp rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I am a BIG Dana Reinhardt fan and had very high expectations for this book. I think back to the personal drama in A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life or the amazing story telling in How To Build A House and I was really looking forward to this one. However, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

Boaz Katznelson returns home from ‘the war’, but the triumphant return his family anticpiated never happens. Boaz immediately hides away in his room for days and days. He’s sullen and almost mute. His y...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Riley Conway rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Dana Reinhardt’s The Things a Brother Knows, Boaz returns to his family’s home outside of Boston after three years in the military, including a long tour in Iraq. The community regards him a hero. But his younger brother Levi, now 17, doesn’t know what to think or feel about him. Levi has never felt close to his brother, and Boaz’s decision to join the Marines when he graduated from high school further separates them. Most of Levi’s family is opposed to the war. Levi isn't all that interested...more In Dana Reinhardt’s The Things a Brother Knows, Boaz returns to his family’s home outside of Boston after three years in the military, including a long tour in Iraq. The community regards him a hero. But his younger brother Levi, now 17, doesn’t know what to think or feel about him. Levi has never felt close to his brother, and Boaz’s decision to join the Marines when he graduated from high school further separates them. Most of Levi’s family is opposed to the war. Levi isn't all that interested in the politics of it; he’s just mad at his brother for leaving. For ditching out on Christina, his girlfriend. For torturing their poor mother. For delaying—perhaps forfeiting—the promising future he had (and all of the hopes and dreams his parents had for him to go to a great college and have a long and prosperous career). And for bringing three years of worry to their home.

So when Boaz gets back, Levi expects—or at least hopes—things will be better. Hopes to have his brother back. Hopes life will return to normal for the family, like it was before Boaz left. And I think maybe he hopes to feel connected to his brother (even if he doesn’t know it right away).

But Boaz has changed. Other than to emerge for meals, he spends all hours sequestered in his room. He won’t ride in any kind of car, truck, or bus—he even walked home from the airport. And Levi can hear him screaming softly (yes, softly) from his room in the middle of the night. But when Boaz’s computer breaks down and he borrows Levi’s laptop, Levi is able to snoop through his brother's internet doings and learn Boaz has been frequenting military message boards and blogs, watching videos, and downloading maps.

So when Boaz announces to the family that he plans to hike the Appalachian Trail—alone—Levi knows it’s a lie. The maps Boaz downloaded were not of the Appalachian Trail. So he’s even more mad at Boaz. For lying. For delaying the return to normalcy. For putting his family through hell again.

For leaving part of himself in Iraq.

After Boaz departs, Levi tracks him down using the little evidence he left behind. At first Levi tries to get him to come home, to give up whatever crazy mission he’s on and get started on his recovery. But Boaz won't budge, and the best Levi can do is join him on the hike (which Boaz reluctantly agrees to). Along the way, Levi begins to realize that maybe this long walk is just the opportunity he’s been waiting for—a chance to get to know his brother.

The Things a Brother Knows is pitch-perfectly narrated by Levi. It's often funny. Always interesting. Brutally honest. It's a fascinating examination of the effects of war on the family members of those serving on active duty. Levi is angry at his brother for the way he's been acting—and for leaving in the first place—but he's plagued by guilt for having those feelings.

And what's most remarkable about this novel, I think, is the hashing out of the relationship between the estranged brothers. I’m convinced that the handling of emotional relationships between male characters is integral to how boys—especially reluctant male readers—receive literature (and whether or not they will be lifelong readers). So convinced, in fact, that I wrote a critical thesis on the subject, focusing on the role of emotional conversations between boys. You see, if a novel is completely devoid of emotionality, it will not resonate with any reader. That’s not to say it wouldn’t be a pleasant read, but it certainly wouldn’t leave a lasting impression, wouldn’t make you want to go out and read another book. Or another. Or another after that. But if a story is overtly emotional (or inappropriately emotional), readers—especially male readers—will likely dismiss it as unrealistic and shy away from the book altogether. But Reinhardt, in this novel, provides the perfect example of how to handle such crucial conversations.

An example: With one sentence, Reinhardt has Levi (likely unbeknownst to him) set the stage for an important talk with his brother: “One of the things about walking I always appreciated is the way you don’t have to look someone in the eye.” By hiking together, Levi and Boaz are moving, being active. The physicality of it tempers the emotional acuteness that might keep either or both from talking. They loosen up, let their guards down. There’s something about activity that makes many young men feel okay to talk—on the basketball court, during a run, while wrestling or fighting. Plus, as Levi notes, they don’t have to look at each other. You know that saying, “the eyes are the window to the soul?” Well, if you don’t feel like you’re peering into someone’s soul (or worse—someone’s peering into yours), you might be willing to say some personal things without feeling too vulnerable (or feeling you seem to vulnerable).

The novel sneaks up on you. Levi’s narration is quick, funny, and spirited, and the characters (especially Levi’s friends Pearl and Zim and his grandfather Dov) are quirky and amusing. But all of that serves as a balance to the levity of the situation with Boaz. And when the brothers finally reach the end of their hike—their destination—you feel like you’ve gone the distance with them.

Highly recommended for ages 14-17. (less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Fictitious Delicious rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-jen

Review originally posted on http://www.fictitiousdelicious.com on July 23, 2011.

I read a lot of books. And there are a lot of characters is those books that I wish I could be. This may be the first book in which I've been afraid to finish because I felt like I WAS the main character. Let me explain...

At first glance, Levi Katznelson and I have nothing in common. Levi is a 17 year old jewish boy who is still trying to find his place in the world. I am a thirtysomething year old woman who identifi...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: family-issues, reality, war, young-adult, favorites

This was a different kind of story, and I loved it. The main character, Levi, is the younger brother of Boaz, a marine who is just returning from his tour in the Middle East. Before Boaz left, he was handsome, a sports star, a guy with a perfect girlfriend, and the idol of his younger brother. When he returns, he's different. He doesn't talk. He doesn't come out of his room. He screams silently in the night. He won't ride in a car. The family is trying to give him time. 17-year-old Levi knows so...more

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May 20, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, teen, war, families, fiction, realistic-fiction

4.5 stars
Levi's older brother, Boaz, shocked everyone when he joined the marines after high school rather than heading off to an elite college. When the book opens Boaz has just returned from 3 years at war and is a changed person. He won't talk to anyone, won't ride in a car, spends his days locked in his bedroom and his nights listening to static on the radio and suffering through nightmares--obviously traumatized. Levi, now 17, is completely perplexed by his older brother's behavior, but trul...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Augusta Scattergood added it · review of another edition

The Things a Brother Knows

By Dana Reinhardt

This book came to me via the publisher, not recently. As newer books arrived, it got lost in the morass of books waiting to be read. But recently I was without internet, TV or even a decent radio and I reached for this book, chosen completely from the cover art.

(Which is appealing, poignant and well designed by Stephanie Moss. I am learning how important cover art can be.)

Although the topic isn’t one I usually pick up for leisure reading –a war vet com...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This deeply touching portrayal of the relationship between two brothers felt very real to me, because I have two sons myself, and over the years I've watched them become men and walk their own paths together and separately. And all that walking felt real, and healing, and right. After reading this I'm thanking God that neither of them went into the military.

However, I'm a woman, and the author is a woman, and how do we know if we really know these relationships from the inside? I'd like to know...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Ilsa Bick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The premise here is pretty interesting: older brother goes off to war; comes back to his family; acts pretty weird and withdrawn, leaving his younger brother to wonder whatever happened to the guy he admired. Now, this is a setup for a descent into caricature. It’s to Reinhardt’s credit that this book doesn’t–and what makes it a standout is the added twist that the dad in this story is Israeli. The grand-dad’s Israeli. Mom’s American but would happily have stayed in Israel for the duration, but...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Glee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a very well done young adult novel about two brothers, both of whom have been profoundly affected by the older brother unexpectedly joining the Marines after graduating from high school. The prose is uncomplicated and straightforward, with a good ear for dialogue. The book begins as the older brother returns home after three years of service in the military, a good deal of which was spent in combat. While unspecified, the desert played a large part, so you can infer where the combat occu...more This is a very well done young adult novel about two brothers, both of whom have been profoundly affected by the older brother unexpectedly joining the Marines after graduating from high school. The prose is uncomplicated and straightforward, with a good ear for dialogue. The book begins as the older brother returns home after three years of service in the military, a good deal of which was spent in combat. While unspecified, the desert played a large part, so you can infer where the combat occurred. And you realize it doesn’t matter. Combat changes people forever, whenever and wherever experienced. The characters are well developed, especially the younger brother and his two best friends.

As the older brother struggles to come to terms with his experiences, he isolates himself from the world, locking himself in his room for days, refusing to ride in cars (or buses or taxis or trains), and rejecting overtures from his family and old girlfriend. The younger brother desperately wants things to be as they were “before”. The journey (literally and figuratively) to connect with his brother leads to his growing understanding, and finally acceptance, that the past is not recoverable. And the end of the younger brother’s journey provides for the beginning of the older brother’s journey to recovery.

Another interesting point of contrast in the book is between this generation's experience of military service and the experience of the parents (and even grandparents) of the brothers. The brothers are modern day young adults, so military service is unevenly distributed across the population, and is very unusual in their middle class suburban existence. When the older brother made the decision to join the Marines, his family and friends were horrified...after all, he had been accepted at Cornell, Columbia and Berkeley. So why was it he joined the Marines? In contrast, the father and grandfather of the brothers were Israeli, and their military experience was culturally universal, one that everyone they knew had experienced. Nonetheless, after emigrating to America and raising a family, they were still dismayed that their older son decided to join the military rather than going off to the university of his choice. But the father and the sons actually talked about the differences in expectations and experiences and how that affected their re-entry (or difficulty in re-entry) into "normal" society.

Finally, like many YA novels, it is also a quick read, and that helped me like it even more….
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Feb 12, 2011 Karen Ball rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-challenge

Levi's brother Bo is a Marine fighting in a war halfway around the world, in a desert Levi can only imagine. Getting through high school is tough enough for him, especially because he is always in the shadow of his brother the hero. His best friends Pearl and Zim are always there for him, but when Bo comes home to the Boston area, even they can't help Levi understand what's wrong. Bo sleeps more than he's awake, screams in the night, rarely talks, won't ride in cars, and dives for cover at inexp...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am generally skeptical when reading books that have to do with the military and the current on-going conflicts. As an Army wife, I'm usually appalled by the lack of understanding that seems to be rampant in many of the books or I'm put off by the fact the many of the books on this theme seem to be written for the single purpose of protesting the war without any thought to actually writing a good story. So, I was a little wary of reading The Things A Brother Knows.

I'm happy to say that I was pl...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Kerri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boy-books

Before I started reading a bunch of YA novels, I used to enjoy books that I called "slice of life" books. There wasn't a huge, overbearing plot - just a slice of ordinary life with a voyouristic look at how people handle ordinary situations. I don't think the situation in this book is ordinary, but I do think it is becoming more of a norm around the country.

This book moves rather slow, and when I first started it, I went back to my old reading habits of just reading it when there was nothing el...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teenbooks

Summary: Levi’s older brother Boaz has returned from a tour of duty in the “war on terror.” Levi and his family are puzzled by his behavior; he is remote and uncommunicative, shutting himself up in his room all day and refusing to rejoin family life. Levi is frustrated with his brother and feels anger and dislike towards him for acting this way. Luckily he has the support of his friends Pearl and Zim. Levi sneaks into his brother’s room and finds maps with mysterious markings. When Boaz announce...more Summary: Levi’s older brother Boaz has returned from a tour of duty in the “war on terror.” Levi and his family are puzzled by his behavior; he is remote and uncommunicative, shutting himself up in his room all day and refusing to rejoin family life. Levi is frustrated with his brother and feels anger and dislike towards him for acting this way. Luckily he has the support of his friends Pearl and Zim. Levi sneaks into his brother’s room and finds maps with mysterious markings. When Boaz announces that he is planning to hike the Appalachian Trail, Levi decided to take a road trip and see if he can catch up with Boaz at one of the locations marked on the map. When Levi meets Boaz, he decides to follow him to his destination, Washington D. C. But he has no idea what Boaz wants to do there. As they journey together, Levi comes to a new understanding of what his brother has been through and re-connects with his love for his big brother.
Plot/Setting: The plot is well crafted. The reader is eager to find out what is going on with Boaz, particularly in light of a mysterious object that he won’t let anyone touch. The road trip contains surprising and unexpected romance for Levi. The “soldier returning home” theme is very relevant, especially to today’s teens who may end up fighting in it. The romantic aspect adds to the appeal. Road trips seem to be the coming of age ritual in contemporary YA novels and this one is a great journey of discovery for the characters. It was interesting to me that Levi’s family had emigrated from Israel, as it added an interesting twist.
Characters: I liked the complexity of the characterizations. Levi is disgusted with his older brother for falling off the pedestal. Boaz is an enigma at first, but as the road trip progresses, we (and Levi) gradually begin to understand him a bit better, although there are still many unanswered questions. It was a realistic depiction of an older/younger brother relationship. The sassiness of Pearl makes her very likable.
Style: The writing is first person narrative and effectively conveys the tension of Boaz’s return and how Levi’s anxious cynicism evolves towards a more positive, hopeful understanding of his brother and family.
This is an accomplished novel that addresses the relevant issue of soldiers returning from a war that is increasingly murky in its goals and objectives. How do they assimilate back into ordinary family life? Levi’s initial reaction to his brother is one that teens will understand. Levi’s journey of discovery and new acceptance is satisfying to the reader.
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Jan 10, 2011 Brian Kelley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A moving tribute to family. A moving tribute to the people who serve in the military. A moving tribute to being human. Dana Reinhardt's YA novel The Things a Brother Knows reveals the story of a family waiting for their son and brother to return home from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boaz does indeed make it physically home early in the novel--and for that his mother, father, brother, and uncle are relieved. But the son and brother they knew before he was a Marine has not come home. Even by...more

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May 24, 2011 Jjarndt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Things a Brother Knows, by Dana Reinhardt, is about a brother that goes off into the marines during the Iraqi war. Boaz decides to leave his family behind, going off to fight a war no one really understands. When Boaz finally returns, Levi, the main character, and Boaz's younger brother is worried about Boaz. Boaz is now distant from everyone, stuck in his room, only coming out to eat. When Boaz finally leaves his room he tells his family he is going to travel the Appalacian trail. Levi, how...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a fantastic read! I savor books that move me emotionally - and at the end of this one I was sobbing. On many "Best Books" lists for 2010, "The Things a Brother Knows" is a character driven story. As a result, the plot moves a bit slowly at times but, as is often the case in character centered books, the patient reader will be rewarded.

Told by the younger brother (Levi Katznelson) of a soldier returning from a contemporary war (Boaz), the story focuses on family relationships in the wak...more This was a fantastic read! I savor books that move me emotionally - and at the end of this one I was sobbing. On many "Best Books" lists for 2010, "The Things a Brother Knows" is a character driven story. As a result, the plot moves a bit slowly at times but, as is often the case in character centered books, the patient reader will be rewarded.

Told by the younger brother (Levi Katznelson) of a soldier returning from a contemporary war (Boaz), the story focuses on family relationships in the wake of their brother's/son's/grandson's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Levi's father, Abba, is a Jew who immigrated from Israel and is married to an American woman. His grandfather, Dov, moved to the United States after the death of his wife. Both served in the military in Israel. The family's background adds an interesting dimension to the story. Levi's brother returns from war silent, sullen, and shattered. Torn between giving Boaz his space and the time he needs to deal with his issues, Levi watches and waits, looking for clues as to who his brother is now. When his brother suddenly announces that he is leaving to hike the Appalachian Trail, Levi suspects that this isn't really his intended destination, so he decides to follow him as he walks from a suburb of Boston to Washington D.C.. His actual destination comes as a complete surprise to both the people who care about Boaz and to the reader.

"The Things a Brother Knows" is filled with wonderful, diverse characters - some of whom could have been flushed out a bit more. Levi has close relationships with his two best friends - Pearl Goldblatt, an adopted Chinese Jewish American girl who goes to a Catholic school (and what a mouth on that girl) and Zim/Richard who shares a birthday with Levi.They are like family to him. Levi's grandfather, Dov, is brusque and a teaser, but as the story progresses we see his love and concern. Along the way, we meet several minor characters, including Celine, the girl who Levi falls for and the sister to a fellow soldier stationed in Iraq.

This story is definitely about the journey. And this journey does lead to a satisfying destination, where we learn that for Boaz this journey has just begun. We know, however, that with his many loving supporters he will be get there. Highly recommended!(less)

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Nov 10, 2010 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Levi is a junior in high school, and as the novel opens, his older brother, Boaz, is returning home from his tour of duty with the marines, in Iraq. Boaz has been gone for a long time (after enlisting right after high school), and has effectively cut off communication with his family. Upon his return home, those communication lines are still cut. Boaz spends all his time in his room, and Levi knows that he's working on a plan involving the computer and maps, but has no idea what it could be.

When...more

Levi is a junior in high school, and as the novel opens, his older brother, Boaz, is returning home from his tour of duty with the marines, in Iraq. Boaz has been gone for a long time (after enlisting right after high school), and has effectively cut off communication with his family. Upon his return home, those communication lines are still cut. Boaz spends all his time in his room, and Levi knows that he's working on a plan involving the computer and maps, but has no idea what it could be.

When Boaz announces that he's going to leave home for a while, to hike the Appalachian Trail, Levi knows it's a cover for some other journey. Levi, with the help of his friends, begins to follow Boaz, to try to discover what his final destination is, and what happened to the older brother who left home years before, if he still exists at all.

I have never found a Dana Reinhardt book that I didn't like. No, love. She is, for me, one of the best YA authors out there, and her work consistently wows me for the same reasons. She is a master with dialogue; the words on the page play in my head as I read, and it's as if I'm there in the middle of the conversation. Her stories are built around relatively simple plots, that reveal incredible complexity and interwoven relationships as the book progresses. And every couple of pages, she writes a sentence or phrase that makes me go back, read it again, and marvel at her craft.

There are a number of good YA books being written about the war in Iraq/Afghanistan (Myers' Sunrise Over Fallujah comes to mind immediately), but this one wrestles with the complicated issue of a soldier coming home. Perhaps I appreciate a book like Reinhardt's more, because I have a soldier in my family, who I've seen leave, return home, and leave again, like so many other families have done with their own sons and daughters. I've seen the changes that occur, and the way the notion of "home" is forever altered by that person's absence, and then their presence. This is a beautifully-written book, as all of Reinhardt's are, and I think teachers would be wise to read it, and consider how it can be used to discuss themes of family, or personal journeys; a cross-curricular unit with social studies could also benefit greatly from a book like this. (less)

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Aug 19, 2010 Inge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

"So what's it like having him back?" she asks.
"I don't know yet. He wasn't really back long before he left again...and I guess I'm still sort of trying to figure out who he is, like who he is now, and if that's going to be who he'll always be, and if that means we'll all always be different, and if that's the case, can that be okay" (p. 179).
Levi's brother Boaz has come back from the Marines, only, he's come back as person no one in the family really recognizes. Though the Marines have given him...more "So what's it like having him back?" she asks.
"I don't know yet. He wasn't really back long before he left again...and I guess I'm still sort of trying to figure out who he is, like who he is now, and if that's going to be who he'll always be, and if that means we'll all always be different, and if that's the case, can that be okay" (p. 179).
Levi's brother Boaz has come back from the Marines, only, he's come back as person no one in the family really recognizes. Though the Marines have given him a clean bill of mental health, Boaz holes himself up in his room, barely talks, and has become very secretive. Levi knows there's more to Boaz than what's being revealed. Rather than just blindly accepting Boaz's condition or turning his back on him, Levi goes the distance to try to understand what has happened to his brother. By checking his brother's computer activity and talking to his fellow Marines and ex-girlfriend, Levi very slowly starts to put the pieces back together.
The Things a Brother Knows deals with the issues of a Marine's life after he returns home from the war, as well as the feelings of the family members who were left behind. One of the most gut-wrenching scenes deals with the guilt Levi's mother feels when Boaz returns. She knows she's lucky that Boaz is alive, especially when so many families lost sons and daughters, but she is disraught about his mental suffering: "I know I should be happy. I should feel relieved... We *are* lucky...I know that. I know there are mothers everywhere, all over this country, all over this world, who would give anything to trade places with me. Who would love the chance to cry because they're worried about their sons. There are mothers lost in the wilds of their own grief, who miss the days of worrying...I know worrying is far better than grieving. But, God help me, sometimes I don't know the difference. I can't separate the grief from the worry" (p. 109).
This is a loving and realistic story of the power of love and family. While there are still missing pieces of the puzzle at the end of the novel, it's a hopeful novel. While it's unclear as to what extent Boaz will return to his former self, you can be sure that Levi will never turn his back on him.(less)

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Oct 04, 2010 Abby Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Levi's brother Boaz joined the Marines after high school and spent three years fighting overseas. Now he's home, but everything has changed. Levi has become a mini-celebrity because of his brother's return - girls notice him at school, he gets the job at the video store that everybody wants. But inside, Levi wonders... if people knew how it really was at the Katznelson house now, would they still be so excited? Because Boaz went straight to his room and didn't come out for three days. Even now,...more

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About Dana Reinhardt

Why don't you have a bio section?

Because I hate writing about myself.

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Maybe. Probably. Go on...

So where are you from?

I'm from Los Angeles, but now I live in San Francisco. Except for the summers where I go back to Los Angeles in search of the sun.

What are you doing when you aren't writing?

Laundry, usually. Sometimes dishes. And I re...more

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“Don't worry about the finish line. Don't question what you're doing. Just quiet your mind and keep up the pace.” — 3 people liked it

“My brother, he says. My brother is dead.
"And again he asks me to kill him. One more time before he falls to his knees and sobs. And i get it. I do. Because i have a brother too.” — 2 people liked it

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