Tunes for Bears to Dance to

by Robert Cormier

One of a series offering classic and contemporary fiction for schools to suit a range of ages and tastes, this novel deals with prejudice and hatred in post-war America.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Holocaust, School, Read For School

90 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Edmund Cormier (January 17, 1925–November 2, 2000) was an American author, columnist and reporter, known for his deeply pessimistic, downbeat literature. His most popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War was challenged in multiple libraries. His books often are concerned with themes such as abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the protagonists do not win.

Reviews

[Maciek · Rating 3 out of 5]

The grocer smiled, not his inside-out sneer behind his customers' backs but a ghastly smile, like the smile on a Halloween mask.

After the tragic death of his brother, young Henry and his family move away to a new town. Henry's father is traumatized by his son's death, withdrawing deep into himself and ending up not being able to work. Despite working long hours as a waitress at the local restaurant, Henry's mother struggles to support the family; Henry takes a simple job for Mr. Hairston, a local grocer, in hope of helping her. Henry soon discovers that Mr. Hairston is a deeply unpleasant man, who finds an insult for almost every of the town's inhabitants, and is violent towards his wife and daughter; despite belittling his work performance, he takes a sort of a liking towards Henry, occasionally giving him candy and making him listen to his tirades about other people, even expressing interest in Henry's desire to buy a monument for his brother's grave.

Henry becomes fascinated by his strange neighbor - a curious old man, who acts strangely as he passes his street; one day he decides to follow him and learn more about him. He discovers that the man's name is Mr. Levine, and that he is a talented sculptor - who makes tiny wooden figures and buildings with great attention to detail. Despite Mr. Levine's fearful shyness and a tragic past, the two slowly become friends, and Mr. Levine even invites Henry to a ceremonial display of his masterpiece - an entire miniature village, handcrafted from wood. Henry accepts, but does not realize that he will soon be forced to make a terrible choice from which there is no escape.

Although shorter and ultimately slightly less powerful than other novels by Robert Cormier, Tunes for Bears to Dance to is a good exploration of morality and injustice, aimed towards younger readers. It is also one of the few of his novels which are not utterly hopeless; the finale is very tense, it ultimately allows for a glimmer of hope. I can see this book being good reading material for the classroom, and a source for discussion on prejudices, justice and the nature of morality.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears To Dance To by Robert Cormier

Eleven year old Henry Cassavant, with his father and mother, moves to a new town in Vermont after the sudden death of Henry’s much-loved older brother. They are poor, lonely, and grief-stricken. Henry takes a part time job at Mr. Hairston’s grocery store and also becomes friends with Jacob Levine, an elderly Holocaust survivor who works out his sorrows by carving a replica of his village which was destroyed by the Nazis. Mr. Hairston, a bigoted, abusive man, notes Henry’s friendship with Jacob and tries to blackmail the boy into destroying Mr. Levine’s woodcarving. Henry must make a wrenching moral choice which causes him a great deal of internal conflict.

This short (101 page) realistic novel is simply but beautifully written. Its strength lies in its sympathetic, inspirational characters who overcome loss, loneliness, and staggering evil by reaching out to other hurting people. These characters are so vividly drawn that I still remember them clearly eight months after reading this book. Especially memorable is Mr. Hairston, a terrifying personification of evil. Cormier does evil well; he presents an equally chilling Satanic antagonist in his novel The Chocolate War. Here Cormier takes on big ideas, (grief after the death of loved ones, the healing power of art, and the lack of real communication between human beings), and makes them understandable through the lives of these compelling characters. And he accomplishes this without any obvious “preaching.”

Tunes For Bears To Dance To is not a book to choose when you’re looking for belly laughs, but it is wonderful when you feel like reading something serious and reflective that also has a good plot. Ultimately, I don’t think it is a sad book. It ends happily because human goodness and compassion triumph over cruelty and hatred. (295 words)

[Miguel Damásio · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tunes For Bears To Dance To" consists of a narrative by Robert Cormier that tells the journey of a family recovering from the death of one of their children, Edward. The story focuses on Henry, Edward's brother, and we observe his journey understanding the world better and his path discovering new things. The story focuses mainly on moral and religious points, and how a child reacts and perceive these. Undoubtedly, "Tunes For Bears To Dance To" is one of the best and most interesting books I have read in my entire life, it is a book that has the power to bring up discussions and different points of view. One of the things that fascinated me most about this book, is that the moral of the story is very subjective, and makes this book even more interesting. Even if the book is short for some people, it will certainly pass a unique experience to the reader.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Cormier book is suited for a younger audience, from about age eight on up, and lacks the violence and sex that often appears in his other books. Just because it's not as explicit, however, does not mean it's a fluffy read: it tackles weighty issues of prejudice and the need to take a stand against evil. 11-year-old Henry's family has been torn apart by the sudden death of his brother, but he finds solace in his friendship with Mr. Levine, a Jewish Holocaust survivor. Then Henry's boss, a child-abusing bigot named Mr. Hairston, threatens to destroy Henry's relationship with Mr. Levine, and Henry must decide between what is easy and what is right. This would be a good book to use to introduce younger children to the Holocaust, and to teach them about prejudice.

[Moe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was extremely sad. What started off as a simple book, immediately plummeted into its own messed up macabre. I still think it was a good book with a ton of things to think about afterward, but it surely didn't make me feel good about the kind of people in this world. No, it wasn't gruesome or gory; although it was very emotional watching the main character go through such emotional trauma and having to make such a tough choice. I don't believe in spoilers, but I would really like to recommend this to you because I think you'll get a lot out of it.

[Akhila G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit short and it left me hanging. It seemed that the story wasn't really ended when I finished it, and I felt that there was some need of clarification. Nevertheless, it was a thrilling read, even if it was a bit sad at the end. This is one of Robert Cormier's best books!

[Liane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Realistic junior fiction.

Reading Level: Fluent

Topics & Themes: Good v evil.

Curricular Use: Independent reading or daily read alouds.

Social: Poverty. Abuse of power and wealth. Holocaust survivors. People with Mental disorders (and stigmas attached). Doing what is best for your family. Dealing with the after effects of a sibling dying.

Literary Elements: Conflict: Henry's internal conflict and Henry and the grocer, Mr. Hairston. Suspense. Symbolism.

Text & Pictures: The front cover does foreshadow one of the main conflicts in the book. No other illustrations in the book.

Additional Notes: I really enjoyed this book. Cormier creates characters that are really brought to life. The pain of the old man and the various conflicts are felt by the reader. I wanted to read on to find out what happened next (mainly to see if Henry was really going to destroy the old man's village).

[Sam Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to Dance to takes place during the Cold War in the late 20th century in a small town in America. The 3rd person narration follows the protagonist, Henry, as He befriends a Holocaust survivor, Mr. Levine, who is carving a replica of the village he lived in before the Holocaust. Eventually Henry is forced to make a terrible choice regarding Mr. Levine. This books explores themes such as death, choices, redemption, and Anti-Semitism. The plot is well constructed and takes natural twists and turns. The setting does not play a major role in the plot, but the time period does. The themes mesh masterfully in this short, haunting tale. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to leave a book thinking.

[Sonia ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The ending was disappointing and the book was just depressing. (it was a school book)

[Juxhin Deliu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dopo la scuola, Henry lavora in un negozio per arrotondare le già povere entrate, dato che il padre è ancora depresso per la morte di suo fratello maggiore Eddie e la madre arranca facendo la cameriera. Per un caso fortuito, il signor Hairston, il suo burbero datore di lavoro, gli intercede per un favore riguardante la lapide mancante del defunto parente. Nel frattempo, Henry nota un vecchio uscire tutti i giorni dal centro di cura mentale vicino a casa sua e dirigersi altrove, suscitando la sua curiosità. Man mano, scopre che costui s'incammina verso un'officina creativa per gente affetta da problemi psichici, in quanto l'anziano è un ebreo reduce dei campi di concentramento, il quale sta cercando di ricreare dal legno il suo vecchio villaggio distrutto. Lega con lui, mentre al lavoro, Hairston gli fa una proposta scioccante: non licenziarlo, garantirgli la lapide e un aiuto alla madre, se Henry distrugge l'opera del tanto odiato ebreo. Il ragazzo è combattuto e sembra farlo ma ci ripensa all'ultimo, compiendo però il misfatto per un incidente e svignandosela. In un atto di coraggio, rifiuta i favori e rinfaccia ad Hairston la sua viltà e debolezza. Il padre sembra essere guarito e la famiglia si trasferisce, non prima che il vecchio, ritornato al lavoro, gli regali una bambolina simile a lui. Mentre prega (da qui il titolo) per ogni suo conoscente, incluso Hairston, sistema da sé una "lapide" per il fratello nella notte, chiudendo la vicenda. Per quanto sia narrativa rivolta ai ragazzi, offre uno spunto di riflessione serio sulla comunanza del male e la vigliaccheria di chi, come gli aguzzini passati del vecchio, non si vuole sporcare le mani e ricatta i suoi inferiori, oltre alla possibilità di redenzione anche quando sembra tutto perso.

[Nate Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to dance to by Robert Cormier is the story of a young boy named henery and his strong relationship with holocaust survivor Mr. Leivne. Mr. Levine has lost his famiky and everything else that meant anything to him so he is carving the village he grew up in that was destroyed in the holocaust. This book accuratly describes the affects of the holocaust on people. As the book progresses henery is being persuaded into doing something that would hurt his relationship with Mr. levine. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very exiting for a shorter book. I would recomend this book to any one it was a really good book and didnt take long to read

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far this is making me very uneasy. I hope all ends well or I may not read Cormier again. I'm starting to think he's a bit of a misanthrope, or at least a hopeless pessimist.

(After finishing) Well, now I need to think about what Cormier chose to do with his characters. Are they metaphors for key players in WWII? I was surprised, not unpleasantly, to find that Cormier offered hope in the face of evil, faith in the face of... well, sadism. Or the destruction of innocence. It's a pretty good story, really, as was the much more depressing (ultimately) I Am the Cheese. Hmm.

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about good and evil, and also about bad things happening to good people. Henry is good and hard-working, he's 11-yrs old and and shares his earnings with his depressed parents who've just lost their eldest son Eddie to a hit-and-run driver. Henry's racist, abusive boss Mr Hairston is the evil, whose malevolent motivations are never explained. I found this to be a very ambiguous little book.

[Cam]

I'm not sure where I got the idea to read this book, I just added it to my list awhile ago and finally got around to reserving it at the library.
I was very touched by this story. It made me really sad.
It took no time to read, it's only 100 pages, and I thought the lessons you can take from it are very valuable. I recommend it.

[Chris - Quarter Press Editor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not one of Cormier's best. It lacks the ferocity and poetic nature of his other works, but it still manages to tackle complex themes in such a short space.

Fans will no doubt enjoy this enough, but there are MUCH better Cormier books to bring in the new fans.

[P3fabianj]

ok book

[Maureen Hershelman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm normally a fan of Robert Cormier's books, but this one missed the mark for me. I appreciate that it's a commentary on how prejudice can hide itself in plain sight, but:

*The death of Henry's older brother Eddie doesn't seem relevant to the book at times. (Though the effect it had on the parents was written very well). I think what would have anchored his passing to the story better would have been a scene where Henry wonders what Eddie would have done if he was in his situation--or just Henry yearning to have his brother to talk to. I think it would have provided context to the brothers' relationship while leaving an opening for further reinforcement of the book's themes.

*There's a line in the book about how ordinary Mr. Hairston looked for being someone so prejudiced, though Mr. Hairston seemed more like a caricature? I think if more time was spent developing his character's personality--maybe making him more charismatic (borderline likable) with his interactions with customers, Henry's parents, Henry himself, etc. while only allowing Henry to catch glimpses of this man's horrific beliefs could have had more if a thematic impact.

*Mr. Hairston's daughter, Doris, just seems kind of there? I get the impression that if her character was removed from the story, it wouldn't affect the plot.

*It seems like there aren't consequences to Henry's actions. Was he not worried Mr. Hairston would report/blame him for smashing the model town out of retaliation for Henry not accepting his 'rewards'? From a plot/character perspective, it seems plausible that an 11-year-old wouldn't want to confess to doing something that like that, regardless of it being an accident or any blackmail--but I'm not sure what the lesson is at the end?

[Cassity Oertle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to Dance to is about Henry, an 11-year boy whose family has just moved to a new city to try to heal after the sudden and tragic death of his older brother Eddy. His father has fallen into a depression and cannot work requiring his mother to work long days to provide for the family. Henry has also taken up work to help his mother. He works for a prejudiced and awful man, but Henry appreciates having a job. He soon befriends Mr. Levine, a Holocaust survivor who speaks very little English and is an excellent woodcarver. As the book goes on Henry must make a critical choice that will test his morals and his friendship. In the end, we see how his choice defines him.

Cormier does an excellent job addressing these complicated themes in a healthy and proactive way so that younger readers can begin to wrap their heads around them and not get stuck in the dilemmas themselves. Cormier describes depression as a sickness that should be treated as any other sickness or injury such as chickenpox or a broken bone in the sense that it should be treated and there are a few ways to do so. I thought he did a clever job of introducing a topic as heavy as depression without making the reader any more susceptible to it. This was a short good book and although its mood was overall sad and a bit gloomy, I really liked it and finished it feeling more optimistic than I did while reading it. I felt connected to the main character, Henry, even though he was an 11-year-old boy. I think this book is a good model for how its younger readers should act when put in difficult situations.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short little book, I started it and finished it this morning.

Robert Cormier's books gripped me in high school - they would sit on my "ideal shelf," their impact on me nearly as significant as those of John Christopher and Susan Cooper. By the time I was in high school, my love of reading was well established, but Cormier still stands out in my mind. His books were strange and disturbing and puzzling and shocking - shocking for their content, shocking for their ability to mesmerize, shocking for their near perfection in absorbing my attention, in creating worlds I wanted to inhabit. (Fade still stands strongly in my memory.)

This little one I randomly plucked out of nostalgia from the shelves of a wonderful little bookstore in Easton, MA (Paperback Junction).

"It was OK" is a honest review, though probably unfair. Maybe if I'd read it when I was younger?
Maybe it's a reminder that I actually prefer my stories a little longer? The story is meant to shock in it's abruptness I think, in its quick efficient handling of evil and loss of innocence. But the short development didn't allow us any time to really understand why Mr. Hairston would prompt Henry to do the Awful Thing. And for him to simply be a representation of evil, for this simply to be a parable about good and evil and innocence (I read some stuff on wiki), well, I guess I found it unsatisfying.

It's okay, they can't all be winners!

[Darien Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you do something evil just to benefit your family? Robert Cormier is the author of the book Tunes for Bears to Dance to. He was writing about good vs evil. It's one of those books that the reader can just get caught up in and read from cover to cover.

Robert Cormier has 16 books on topics, such as, abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal, and conspiracy. Tunes for Bears to Dance to covers all of these topics and takes place sometime after Nazi Germany loses control over the internment camps. Even after the Holocaust almost all the Germans still had major issues with the Jews. Henry, the main character ,a regular life just trying to help his family as much as he could. Until one day, his boss makes a threat that could ruin his whole life, just because he found a Jewish friend.

The beginning of the book starts off a little slow; however, don't stop reading because the book gets very interesting after the second chapter. Robert offers the reader suspense and an unpredictable plot. Wondering if they really know what's going to happen at the end of the book. He also makes the main character relatable. Showing the reader that they might have a tough choice in life, but are they going to do the right thing, or go against their morals and do something they will regret? The book deserves a 5/5

This book is a great read and it goes by like nothing. I would suggest this book to everyone. So everyone should go to the nearest library and check out this book.

[Meghan Whitaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to Dance To follows Henry as he processes the loss of his older brother Eddie, his parents grief, their families relocation to supposedly help with the grief, a job in a small grocery store with a callous employer and a new friend (Mr Levine) who is trying to preserve his past. I like the personality of Henry in the first chapter or two of the book when he ponders his broken leg and being stuck inside unable to satisfy his curiosity to the old man, later named Mr Levine, who always leaves the insane asylum and looks perfectly not crazy. Once Henry is back on both feet and back at work with the grocer Mr Hairston a bad taste entered my mouth and didn’t go away for the remainder of the book. He is evil. He is a character whose malevolence is palpable making the overall reading experience a disheartening one. The author, Cormier, does not shy away from the discomfort that such a character evokes, and it is this unsettling quality that adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. Hairston's evilness really soured the book for me. While the choice to include this character was intentional it makes this book ‘not for everyone’. It’s not for me. The main reason the bad taste remained through the end of the book is that Henry did not change after the climax. Or rather he did not come out honest and ready to own his mistakes (heavily prompted by Mr Hairston) and make amends. He let assumptions settle and his major change was to deny Mr Hairston his final triumph. That’s about it. That wasn’t good enough for me.

[Amanda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel I read this week was the audiobook Tunes for Bears to Dance to by Robert Cormier. It was a very interesting story about an eleven-year-old boy named Henry. He befriends an elderly Holocaust survivor named Mr. Levine, who is carving a replica of the village where he lived, and which was destroyed in the war. His relationship with the old man is tested and strained by the prejudice of his unpleasant boss, Mr. Hairston. He must choose what kind of person he wants to be and how he will act when under pressure.

Even at just eleven years old, Henry has seen and learned a lot about the way the real world works. His brother’s death helps him relate to the sad Mr. Levine. Henry learns that just because someone is older than you or in a position of power, it doesn’t mean that they are good or right. Even though he does something bad, Henry does not let it turn him into a bad person. This book was on the shorter side, but I really enjoyed it. Henry and the reader get a look at what can happen to a person’s mind after they experience something horrible. Henry learns empathy and grows as a person in a short amount of time. It is powerful. Four stars.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to Dance to by Robert Cormier is about an eleven-year-old kid named Henry whose brother just died and his family moves to a new town. He has a “job” at a little store owned by Mr. Hairston who is a grumpy and manipulative man. One day, Henry befriends an old holocaust survivor that teaches him the art of woodcarving and the importance of not taking things for granted. When Mr. Hairston asks Henry to do him a favor that goes against Henry’s beliefs, he must decide what is most important to him. Throughout the story, Henry continues to find out things about people that he would probably rather not know but are important for him to understand. I will stop there for fear of giving spoilers, but this book tackles a lot of hard topics such as abuse, depression, PTSD, and more. It gives young readers insight into some more mature topics while still maintaining a youthful feel. Although it does a good job of bringing up these topics, I think it adds to some of the stigma surrounding those who suffer mental health challenges. If you are a parent having your child read this, I would suggest having conversations about some of the topics to avoid misinformation.

[Gabriel Nassur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tunes for Bears to Dance to is a book that reflects on topics such as manipulation and evil.

Henry is a child that lives in a poor family. Because of this, he must work for a guy by the name of Mr. Hairston in order to earn money and support his relatives.

At one point in the book, Henry meets and befriends this man by the name of Mr. Levine. He survived the Holocaust and made a beautiful craving of his village, which was unfortunately destroyed during WWII.

The ultimate end to this was that Henry, unfortunately, destroyed Mr. Levine's craving with a large mallet the day before it was shown to the art center. This affected Mr. Levine. Henry had to do that in order to maintain employed, as his boss hated the poor elder.

Similar to most Robert Cormier books, characters live on a dark reality and they aren't guaranteed to win.

I actually really liked this book when I read it 4 years ago. The premise seemed interesting and it delivered something different to most books I've read. It's a great read for pre-teens, teens, and young adults in my opinion.

[Molly Lazer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in a Little Library and was excited to be able to read one of the last remaining books I had not yet read by one of my favorite authors. This is a quick read, but a powerful one. I figured out exactly where the plot was going once I was about 40 pages in, and I really didn't want to keep going, due to the nature of what I knew was going to happen. (Of course, I kept reading.) Cormier has written a lot of complicated villains, but I can't think of any that are as purely evil as Mr. Hairston. I'm conflicted about the idea presented at the end of the book that he should be forgiven. I also wish we'd gotten to know Mr. Levine a bit better, as he comes off somewhat one-dimensional and the reader never gets to see the moment when he finds the results of Henry's horrible act. This definitely isn't my favorite of Cormier's works, but I'm glad I read it. It provides lots of food for thought, especially for a younger reader.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Henry is an eleven-year-old boy who has just lost his brother. When his employer finds out he is wanting an actual grave for him, his employer offers to buy it for him--but only if he devastates the old Holocaust survivor that Henry has been spending time with. I don't agree with Cormier's attempts to show the world in the worst light possible. There's value to knowing that life isn't all roses, but there's also value to understand that hope is something real. Henry's boss gives him an impossible situation--threatening to make sure his mom is fired, to fire him, etc., just so he can break Henry's innocence. It's a terrible threat, and the outcome is worse than Henry deciding to do the deed. Still, it's well-written for the story Cormier is trying to tell.

[. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heavy book read by our 7th grade reading classes. I know Cormier, so the grittiness didn’t surprise me, and neither did the darkness. But so much pain packed into such a little book. Important questions raised and a compelling story, despite the often sparse character development and lack of a neatly resolved ending. Topics include sibling loss, depression, nuclear war, the Holocaust, racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, poverty, thoughts of suicide, domestic violence, and the ways abuses are able to manipulate their victims. There is healing and growth, but oof…

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have and should have been 100 pages longer. It was easy to read and entertaining enough, but it literally ends with so many loose ends. An irritating amount of loose ends. I left me with such a feeling of, “That’s it?!” I would never choose to read the book again. I would never suggest it to anyone. The only thing I found memorable was the insane amount of loose ends left at the end!

[Mark Whittum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human language is like a cracked kettle
On which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to,
When all the time we are longing
To move the stars to pity.
- Gustave Flaubert

Robert Cormier has written, a compelling YA story of the evil of racism, and the strength it takes to do the right thing. For awhile now he has been high on my list of quality YA authors. He has also written 'The Chocolate War', and 'I am the Cheese'.

[Deborah Horton Core · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a powerful telling of good and evil. It was the story of hatred and bias that many of us find impossible to understand and few of us encounter personally. I was captured from the beginning to the end by both Henry and his innocence and Mr. Hairston who was evil incarnate.
It was easy to see that we have all found that one truly evil person we could not fathom, just as Henry had in his story.