Robert SharenowReseñas

A scared young Jewish boy growing up in Nazi Germany transforms, with boxing lessons, into a braver version of himself as conditions in Germany worsen. I didn‘t love this one, and I think it‘s because I felt no emotional connection to it. Its reach is limited by narrator Karl‘s naive, youthful perspective that remains unrealistically naive even after what should be his coming of age.½

During the Nazi occupation, a young teen needs to step out of his comfort zone to protect himself and his family. Help comes in the form of a pro boxer and his lessons.

This is a fairly interesting tale of a Jewish boy, Karl Stern, living in Berlin after the Nazis came to power and as they are beginning to "crack down" on political dissidents and all people not fulfilling the Aryan "ideal." He learns how to box from Max Schmeling (Boxing World Champion) but things continue to get very bad for his family. Unfortunately, for most of the book, Karl is just unlikable. A lot of it is usual teen angst but he is also self-absorbed to the point that I don't know why his family doesn't disown him. He resents and dismisses his father for a good portion of the story, feels burdened my his mother who seems to suffer from depression, and ignores his little sister who, because of her "Jewish" appearance, suffers much more at the hands of classmates and the Hitler Youth than Karl does. It reminds me of MST3K's _Mitchell_ episode where they say, "He doesn't have much more time to become likable. Do you think he can do it?" And the response is "I don't think so." Karl as a few redeeming epiphanies but most of those aren't actually manifested in his actions. Additionally, the ending leaves something to be desired. I just didn't feel much in the way of closure.

Karl Stern, quattordicenne di Berlino, non ha mai pensato a se stesso come a un ebreo. Ma ai nazisti non importa che non abbia mai messo piede in una sinagoga o la sua famiglia non sia praticante. (fonte: Google Books)

Wonderful book! It's the kind of young adult fiction that makes me wonder, "Would kids like this?" because it's so good that as an adult I couldn't put it down.

Can't wait to hear more from Robert Sharenow.

Karl, raised in a secular household, never considered himself Jewish until Hitler became Chancellor. Now, his pro-Nazi classmates do. After being beaten & expelled from school, Karl starts training with a champion boxer, with unknown loyalties, to protect his family.

This is a book I need to share with 10th grade English/Global studies teachers and students. Great historical fiction from inside Nazi Germany in the late 1930's. Told from the perspective of a young man growing up in Berlin, secular Jewish background, caught up in the racist profiling against non Aryan people.
Of course, to me it resonates with our current battle against profiling Hispanics.

I was sent an ARC of The Girl in the Torch, but my review is entirely my own opinion.

Right from the beginning of this book, I was pulled into Sarah's struggles and admired the way the author set up each conflict and could make every little problem feel like the end of the world for Sarah. As a new American immigrant arriving around the turn of the century, Sarah faces many varied challenges, from losing her mother, to choosing to jump from the boat to avoid deportation, to scavenging for food and a place to sleep among the Statute of Liberty. Through all of this Sarah remains resilient and hopeful, which is part of what made this book so special. Though Sarah undergoes horrible tragedies, she is always trying to move forward and overcome her next challenge. She doesn't dwell on things and remains optimistic and kind to those around her. Moreso, what made me admire Sarah's character is she was actually smart. The author, Robert Sharenow, didn't have her ignore red flags and walk blindly into danger. She could realize when something wasn't quite right, stand up for herself, and get out instead of allowing herself to be dragged into serious trouble. This is balanced well with a bit of the meekness and naivety that one would expect of a young girl on her own. The balance made her not only a realistic girl, but one that young readers can really look up to.

The pacing of this book is slow at first, but is in no short supply of tension. Each problem that Sarah has to overcome is presented in a way that makes it hard to look away, and each step builds upon itself. The last third of the book runs through like a thrill ride as Sarah has to find a way to rescue her new found friends and family from getting sent to prison because of her, while still find a way to stay in America. It was delightful to see all the pieces come together by the end. The epilogue definitely has a bit of sugary sweet cheesiness to it, but the overall ending to the story was very delightful. I can't think of a better word for it than that, since I was just delighted reading it.

The book had a very diverse flavour to it, since the story is of American immigrants. Sarah rooms with Chinese people and a black couple, befriends an Irish orphan, is rescued by a half-native man, not to mention encounters a variety of cultures settling throughout New York City. It definitely reminded me of something I would have read in school. It would be perfect for young readers to discuss in a classroom setting, as it does touch lightly on things like racism and life for immigrants to the USA.

I highly encourage teachers and librarians to pick this one up for their students. It would also appeal to those who enjoy a historical tale as well.

All in all, 3.5/5 stars. A very sweet and diverse tale, and one to savor.

This is an adequate chapter book about immigration for middle grade readers. On the plus side, it has lots of action and plot twists, but much of it is not believable, at least to an adult reader. The focus here is on immigrants in general, not on Jews in particular. Much of the action takes place in China town which is fascinating, and the variety of races and languages in New York at the time is featured. The Jewish content is slight. Overall, not one of the best, but the plot twists might hold a younger reader's interest.½

Hands down one of the best fictional Holocaust novels for teens I have ever read, and I have read a lot! I could not put this down and finished this within a day. I love historical fiction and I love boxing so this book was a match made in heaven. Loosely based off of historical events surrounding the world heavyweight boxing champion from Germany, this novel centers on a young Jewish boy, Karl, in Berlin who gets the amazing opportunity to train under the great boxer himself. As anti-antisemitism grows in Germany, Karl finds himself in a tight spot; even though he looks Aryan and isn't a practicing Jew he gets lumped in with all the undesirables and all he wants to do is box, draw cartoons, and try to win over the cute girl living in the apartment complex. Filled with cartoon sketches, boxing advice, and the trials of growing up in a society where you and your family are reviled, this story resonated with me and I LOVED it! I liked it so much that it's one I would buy and re-read. Fantastic and not just for teenagers or fans of boxing.

A boy who comes from a non-religious Jewish family (and can pass for non-Jewish) experiences increasing oppression in Nazi Germany. A coming of age story in which he learns to box. Good for high school. May particularly appeal to boys. Includes some cartoons drawn by the narrator.

This one was definitely enjoyable. I liked the infusion of comic-style drawings, and I was really rooting for the young protagonist. But the content pushes this middle-grade novel firmly into the teen section. It makes Hitler's Canary look quite tame by comparison. Which I suppose it is. I suspect a parental warning list for this novel would be longer than the novel itself.

Didn't realize that it was written for youths but think it is great for everyone to read.½

An excellent read. Karl, a young boy in Nazi Germany, discovers the joy of boxing but has all of his dreams taken away when he is revealed as being Jewish. Mixed in with the what it meant to be Jewish during Hitler's rise to power is the story of German boxer Max Schmeling, and his involvement with Karl in helping him to regain his trust in humankind.

Interesting perspective of a Jew who doesn't look like a Jew in Hitler Germany. Good for boys interested in boxing.

Great depcition of rising anti-Semitism in 1930's Germany. The boxing story and Max Schmeling connection proved to be much more interesting than I anticipated.

As much as I’m tired of books that tell stories of integration from the perspective of white kids, this seemed like a new angle. What do you do when the mother you love is a very public and violent racist, in the name of protecting you and your “way of life”? What would you have to experience to make you see her actions as wrong? Unfortunately, Louise’s mom is a pretty awful mother and this is a pretty disappointing book. (http://www.parenthetical.net/2012/06/08/review-my-mother-the-cheerleader-by-robert-sharenow-2007/)

Karl Stern, an assimilated fourteen-year-old Jew living in 1930s Berlin, becomes the unlikely student of boxing champion and source of German pride, Max Schmeling. A coming of age novel that entwines Karl’s personal struggles with the historical ones of the period including “degenerate” art and the Nazi menace, well-developed characters and a tense plot propel this page turner.

I have always found the period of WWII fascinating, historically so usually, when I read non-fiction it tends to relate to that era. While I don't read a lot of historical fiction, it stands to reason that if I am do, it will relate to the WWII era as well. The Berlin Boxing Club is a fictional tale skirting the life of German boxer Max Schmeling.

I won't pretend that I understand the sport of boxing, but I didn't find it necessary to appreciate this book. Boxing is important to the story only in so much that's important to Max. It's how he uses it to cope with his ever shrinking world. For him, it promotes courage, strength of character, and independent thought and gives him an outlet that is rivaled only by his comic strip drawings which are scattered throughout the chapters.

Although, Max's story was interesting, I didn't find it consuming. The stories behind the ancillary characters seemed far more compelling. I'm not sure whether this is because they were well written or because that, compared to the rest of the Jews in Berlin, Max had things pretty easy -even compared to other members of his family. Sometimes Sharenow obliged with tiny glimpses into the lives of the supporting cast, mostly as plot exposition, but I would have loved to know more. Even the ending felt a little unresolved. On the whole, though the story is very solid as it is, I just wanted more.

While there are many non-fiction books available to more mature readers on this topic, I think The Berlin Boxing Club is a great introductory novel to the atrocities of WWII, the duplicity of human nature, and survival instincts.

http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2011/11/jenns-review-berlin-boxing-club.htm...½

A lot of people will tell you that the first thing you have to learn is how to take a punch. But I believe the first thing you should know is that you can take one and survive. Conquering your fear is the first step to becoming a powerful fighter.Karl is a blond, skinny fourteen-year-old in 1930s Berlin, when Hitler is on the rise and with him Nazi-approved racism and prejudice. Though he doesn't look like the Jewish stereotype and has never practiced the faith, the bullies in his school torment Karl for his heritage as well as the government. When his father the art dealer barters a deal with world famous boxer Max Schmeling, he benefits: Max gets a painting for giving Karl boxing lessons at the Berlin Boxing Club, where Max trains when he is in Germany. Karl begins as a frightened boy, but quickly takes to the sport, finding comfort and purpose there when everything else is falling apart: his home life with a mother battling depression and a father losing his business more day by day, being expelled from school for being Jewish, and having to hide his new relationship with a beautiful girl. As the situation for Jews in Germany deteriorates, Karl's boxing skills improve as well as his cartooning skills, but it becomes clear that in order to survive, they will need to leave Germany. The only person they know with any power to help would be Max Schmeling... but Max has been socializing with Hitler and his Nazi Party elite, and Germany has become a viper's nest of betrayal and treachery. Karl has no idea how far he can trust him, and lives depend upon that decision. Excellent historical fiction: lots of sports details from the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin and from Max Schmeling's many famous fights, and a gripping tale of what life was like for German Jews in Berlin. Told from Karl's point of view, with all of his mistakes, missteps and misgivings, this is a great guy read. 8th grade and up - awesome addition to Holocaust-era fiction.

The title of this book in itself taught me something--that when Ruby Bridges, the first African-American to go to a formerly all-white school, started at the school, a group of grown women gathered there every day to harass and taunt her. These women were called "the Cheerleaders." This book really opened my eyes to the racial tension in the south during the civil rights movement. Can you believe white families were so upset that rather than have their child go to school with black children, they just kept them home from school for months? In addition to getting a good history lesson, the book has a great story about a girl and her mother.

This book started out promisingly enough - decent characters, plotting, writing, etc. I was frustrated by the simplicity of some of the characgter's thoughts and the writing style, but for all I know that simplicity is perfect for the book's inteded age group, so, being older, I can't judge on that count.

What ultimately made me put the book down half way through though was the lack of conflict. A good plot, even if it solves a minor problem or two, will continually increase and complicate the problems facing the characters until the climax. This book did not. I felt there was nothing more to worry about by the middle - and just couldn't get my interested worked back up again. Would not recommend.

Ah, me! Young adult novels are wasted on the young. Why is it that adult readers sometimes scoff at the idea of reading a YA book? They don't know what they're missing. Case in point: Robert Sharenow's THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB, an unforgettable story set in pre-war Nazi Germany. As the novel opens we meet Karl a thin and willowy teenager who has to withstand the mental and physical cruelty imposed on him by a group of boys at school who find out that he's Jewish. When famed boxer Max Schmeling takes an interest in the teen and decides that Karl's cuts and bruises couldn't have been caused by a simple fall down the stairs, Max offers to teach Karl the art of boxing. Even though Karl's talents in the ring begin to win him fame and adoration (most people don't know he's Jewish), they eventually can't stop the vicious attacks that he and his family are subjected to. Please put this absorbing novel on your "to read" list. You won't be disappointed.

Karl Stern is not religious; he doesn't even look Jewish. But in 1930's Germany, the Nuremberg laws prohibited Jews from taking part in public life. Scorned and then expelled from school, evicted from his apartment, he is happy to get a chance to train with Germany's greatest boxer as a way to prove himself.