Alan and Naomi

by Myron Levoy

Book Overview

It's 1944 in New York City. Alan Silverman doesn't want to give up his stickball game for anyone-especially not for crazy-acting Naomi Kirshenbaum. But when he hears about her horrifying experience... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064402096
• ISBN13: 9780064402095
• Release Date: November 1987
• Publisher: HarperTrophy
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 11 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 6 and higher

Customer Reviews

This was a great book!

This was a fantastic book! It's about a typical boy living in the city, whose life is suddenly changed. A young girl and her mother move into the appartment building where he's living, and it rocks his world forever. She is one of the many people who have escaped Hitlar, and the memory of her father being beaten to death in front of her eyes has haunted her ever since it happened. Alan must help her out of these hard time, and within Naomi, he finds a friend he thought he could never have.I loved this book, it was so touching I even cried. If you want to consider yourself a serious reader, read this book.

This book is exquisite!

At our school we are required to tell about one extra credit book every six weeks. This was on my extra credit list, so I just ordered it from another library, not really expecting that much. But boy, was I wrong! I was witness to young Alan trying to help Naomi, a terrified young girl who locks herself deep inside after her father is beaten to death in front of her for making maps that led Jews to freedom. I rejoiced with him as he slowly made progress until Naomi seemed to totally braek free of her shell and enter the big world. A little cautious, perhaps, but she was really there. It was totally easy to fall in love with Naomi. Her extremely intelligent, sweet mind was so refreshing. She is lively, and so much fun! "Crazy Cat" became Alan's best friend, caught up with the school year's class in only two weeks, and Alan and she shared everything. Alan learns why when she first came and wasn't quite in her right mind she spent all her time shredding paper. When her father had been killed, she and him had been shredding his secret maps and flushing them down in the toilet so that the Gestapo would have no reason to harm him. They failed to make it, and Naomi blamed herself. Then one day a cruel boy from school called Alan a "dirty Jew" and they got into a fight. What happened as a consequence to Naomi's mind was so sad it almost made me cry. Read it! This book makes you really see the fear and loss that Hitler and the Nazis brought. It is really a touching story.

A true tale

some people dont understand how bad life was during the war. this story explains in depth how hitler could take charge of such innocent people and charge them with crimes they didnt commit. a boy discovers his friendship for a harmless girl could be more then just for the adults and opens her mind to the world. this story shows me we should appreciate life and help anyone we can.

Such a lovely story.....

It was such a touching story. It's about how Alan helps this disturbed girl who just came to america. She's been in a war and has seen many shocking sights. This book shows you what true friendship is. It was so cute. I even cried. It is one of those books you can never forget and can't put down until your done.

One of the best books ever written for older children

Alan and Naomi is among my favorite books ever written. It is beautiful, heartwrending, and expertly written in true to life prose. The story will haunt you and the message it teaches about true friendship amid the pains of life will leave you changed. It is that powerful.