Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn

by April Lurie

For thirteen-year-old Judy Strand, summers in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, bustle with games of stickball played in the street, fun-filled outings to neighboring Coney Island, and her family’s yearly trip to the Catskill Mountains. But in July 1944, Judy’s carefree days and her innocence are shaken by a discovery: The man she’s always called Pa isn’t her real father. Even more shocking, Judy learns that the father she doesn’t remember was an alcoholic who abandoned his family. That’s why Judy’s mother emigrated to America from Norway. Now Judy feels jumbled inside: She’s angry at her mother for keeping the truth from her–and she’s suddenly awkward around Pa. Nothing her parents say soothes the hurt.

At first, even the attentions of Jacob Jacobsen don’t make her feel any better. Judy likes Jacob; it’s just that his dad’s drinking binges hit too close to home. Ashamed, Judy doesn’t want anyone to find out her secret. But as misfortune befalls Jacob, Judy’s close friends, and her own family, Judy rallies to their side, and in the process recognizes that growing up encompasses forgiveness–of others and of herself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2002

About the author

I have the best job in the world - I write books for teens. I'm a former nurse, a native New Yorker, a wife, and a mother of four. I live near Austin, Texas, with my family, and I'm currently working on my next novel.

Reviews

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note to self: Please remember in future that Yearling books are usually as big downers as Newbery Award winners. Stop doing this to yourself.

While well written from a technical standpoint, the book did not engage me. Set in ww2, but the war hardly impinges on the story until the very end. Nothing about scrap drives or ration books or anything else. Instead, we have one depressing incident after another: severe illnesses and death, alcoholism and violence, family secrets and guilts and whiny adolescent girls who can't ask a simple question or give a straight response. The foreshadowing and moral lessons rattle and bang in the most heavy-handed way. The only thing that caught my interest was a bunch of kids walking 5 miles each way to go swimming like it's nothing. I was a bit surprised that in the 1940s a mother would go on a cleaning binge at the rented summer home and not ask her 14 yr old daughter to help.

Ugh. I see some reviewers describe this book as "cute" or "funny" and I wonder where they got it.

[Mohammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very cute. Filled with romance, funny moments, and gang fights. One thing I particularly liked about it was that it took place in Brooklyn, which I can relate to. So i actually knew some of the places spoken about in the book. You should really pick up this book which is filled with childish romance.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely story! Judy lives in the Norwegian section of Brooklyn in 1944 and has a good life. Nice family, nice friends, even a nice boy named Jacob who keeps turning up. But Judy discovers a secret about her own life which makes her question everything. And then there's Jacob

[Sarah Holliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book probably more than 10 years ago. For some reason, I can't get it out of my head. My brain always goes back to this book somehow. I can't exactly even remember the storyline but I NEED to re-read it. It obviously has had a huge impact on me.

[Nikki Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

i don't want to read it again.. ever...

[Tammy Abreu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t really feel for the characters until the end.

[Ciel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read many books for teens as an adult, and appreciate a well written young adult novel. There’s no need to talk down or simplify a good story simply because you’re writing for someone younger. At first I thought this was a memoir, as it’s written in first person, and comes off sounding like a 12 year-old‘s journal has been fleshed out into story form.

Having the initial mistaken belief that it was a memoir, I gave it leeway for the hackneyed writing, but then understanding that it’s a novel makes it less enjoyable as I’m less forgiving.

I lived in Bayridge for 10 years and really enjoy reading about specifically Brooklyn Norwegian culture as I had many Norwegian friends, and attended a Norwegian church on 65th and 5th Ave.

[vantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in a day as I had my finals, in the 2 hours I spent reading this all I remember is feeling frustration at these characters. Oh how desperately I wanted them to communicate and yes, they are pre-teens in their 13-14’s but I think I’m allowed to feel a bit irritated when I’m in a classroom where I finished my exam and hour and a half ago and the characters in a book can so easily fix their problems if they. Just. TALKED!

all in all a pretty entertaining read for curing my boredom but not something I’d read if I had a choice. 3.5/5

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book like this--where the author actually knows how to write people and make them sound real (as opposed to so many books about preteens and teens, where they all seen as if they were cut out with a cookie cutter ). Set in 1944, it's the story of the changes in a young girl's life--and it's done with great believability. I'd recommend Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn to both teens and adults.

[Belle Meade School]

FIC
LUR

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet coming of age story set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY during WWII.

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a favourite of mine in my preteen/teen years. A sweet coming of age story.

[elizabeth ⋆. 𐙚 ̊ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Karla Gonzalez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:For thirteen-year-old Judy Strand likes games of stickball which she plays in the street with her neighborhood friends. She discovers something devastating, that the man she called Pa isn’t her real father and her mother immigrated to America from Norway because her dad left her. Judy feels angry at her mother for keeping the truth from her. Judy doesn’t want anyone to find out her deep secret. Judy’s close friends, and her own family, are in the process of recognizing that growing up encompasses forgiveness of others and of her.

Genre:The genre of this book is non-fiction.

I would like to recommend this book to teens that are around the age of 16 yrs.and older that like to read books that are about how their use to be problems back then in the back to and so they won’t feel so bad.

My favorite quote that stuck out was “He left us, and probably drank himself to death” it’s on page 177. This quote really made me think profoundly about how humans can go to the extreams due to their vice which is very sad because they leave their families abandoned and only focus on there vice.

text-to-text:This book can connect with the book called “Kickoff” which is about a girl that likes to play soccer and is very excited about it and then she gets hurt and can’t play anymore, so this is like Judy when she received her devastating news when she found out her pa wasn’t her really dad.

Text-to-self:This book reminds me of myself because when Judy found out that her dad had abandoned them for his vice of alcohol, she was really angry and devastated to this news. So this is how I feel when my dad is drinking alcohol it makes me really mad because he is only doing damage to himself and sometimes he does stupid stuff.

Text-to-world:This really makes me think about how can this world really can be cruel, because if I were the dad I would actually quit drinking and pay more attention to my family just for the fact that it is the right thing and for the love I have for them.

Finally, my star rating for this book was an overall 3 because this book was great and I could barely stop reading it but some parts were confusing and the author to make it more intense I would of liked for her to have given more details.

[Alice Ishrat · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story there is a thirteen year old girl that lives in Sunset named Judy. Right in the beginning, Judy finds out that she was adopted! So there was some tension between her and her mother. Later on in the book, her friend named Annette had a lot of competitions with their two other friends named Jacob and Andy. But soon they all started to have feelings toward each other. I was able to connect with that, and that made it more enjoyable for me to read. Many tragic had happened that got between Judy's and Jacobs relationship, but they worked things out. At first, this book wasn't so interesting for me, but once the drama kicked in, it got interesting!

[Columba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful! I just... simply loved it. This book has mix emotions. It made me smile, laught, and made me feel sad. I can relate to this book in many ways. I learned that you may not be really related (as in half brother or sister) but your still family. And you'll love eachother no matter what. Also that you should never take anything for granted. When you look back in life you'll regret more, what you didn't do then, to the things that you did do... I enjoyed reading this book so much! I really liked it!

[Jay Is Evolving · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is another great book by april lurie.um thats see theres so things i sould tell u about this book.well iwont spoil it for u but there is this sad part and there are several moments that make u wish u were this girl in this story.this book is also from the 1940s and 50s from what i remember.u guys have to read this book!!!:)

[Jazmen Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Made you think.How quick you could lose everything.How people change in the blink of eye.This book had romance , fights , anger and memories. This book is so amazing. I just loved it. This book has mix emotions. It made me smile,and made me feel sad. I can relate to this book in many ways.Shows no matter how much you hate someone you cant get away from them.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a great resource of teenage angst and raw feeling. It dealt with the tension of growing up and finding romance, while also putting up with the real life things like family and friends and school. A magnificent read that will satisfy you on any rainy day.

[Stevenson Que · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the First Books I have read and I can say this is probably the one that gave me the impression that reading really is fun and is so powerful it can take you anywhere at anytime and at any person who you are reading about. The Story is so light and sweet and cute and of course, of love.

[Simplee · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like the fact that her mother didnt want the past to cme back to hunt her but it eventually did and thats something she still didnt want

[Mary Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a interesting book, and is perfect for my age. it keeps u interested, and wanting to keep reading.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my 4th grade class. They loved it, and so did I. The book keeps your attention and you really develop a relationship with the characters.

[Vicky Zheng]

This was a cute love story

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book! It helped out a lot in History while I was learning about the war.

[Janet Dahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about places that I have always heard of. Not the best writing but easy to read.

[Nitya · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a book someone should read if they like realistic fiction based on a hitoric time. this is a really good book. i myself read it 2 times. i reccomend this book to girls ages 11 to 14.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A summer story about a 13 year old living during WW2 in Brooklyn :)

[Nila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! It was history and romance rolled into one. Everytime I go to my local library I pick it up :) AMAZING!!! 1O/1O

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norwegians in Brooklyn during WWII - a light read with a pleasantly grumpy teenage protagonist.