Mort Ziff Is Not Dead

June 15, 2017
A nostalgic blend of 1960s culture and enduring family dynamics combine in Fagan's humorous yarn. Toronto 11-year-old Norman Fishbein, called "Normy" by his parents and "Wormy" by his domineering older brothers, spends most of his days just trying to survive the cold, cruel realities of being the youngest kid in the family. That is, until one fateful afternoon when the mail arrives and Norman finds he's won a fortune--$1,000. What will he do with his windfall? He desperately needs a new bike. And his family wants him to consider a new roof for their aging home. His brothers feel outrage that someone as wormy as, well, Wormy, could win a fortune instead of them. Norman's ultimate decision shocks everyone in his white Jewish family. Fagan delivers a witty, heartfelt character study complete with bullying siblings and sweet first crushes. He even adds the horrible shock of realizing that parents are people, too, and moms sometimes wear bikinis ("Don't be such a prude," she tells Norman's older brother when he complains that her belly button's showing). Fagan resurrects the emotional resonance of his past, sharing memories from a fateful trip he took with his family back in the mid-'60s. A wonderful read told with elegant simplicity. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 3-5-Norman Fishbein lives in Toronto with his mom, dad, and two obnoxious older brothers. It's 1965, and Norman has just won $1,000 in the Count-the-Doozy-Dots Contest. His parents let him choose how to spend the money, strongly suggesting a new car. Norman, however, decides that what the Fishbeins really need is a real vacation: Miami Beach, FL. A snowstorm almost wrecks their plans, but with a break in the weather, Norman gets to take his first plane ride, visits the cockpit, and receives a small metal replica of the DC-8 jet airliner. Miami Beach is a warm weather paradise. While staying at the luxurious Royal Palm Hotel, owned by the mysterious millionaire Herbert Spitzer, Norman strikes up a friendship with the once-famous comedian Mort Ziff (a running joke throughout has hotel patrons ask, "Mort Ziff? Isn't he dead?" He's not.), who performs nightly in the hotel dining room. When Norman learns that Mr. Ziff has been replaced by The Centipedes, a pop group imitating the Beatles, he is determined to help the old comedian save his career. This is a cheerful, upbeat, and ultimately touching tale about a kid whose selfless generosity and attitude make everyone around him just a little bit happier. Fagan's prose lends the narrative a light and breezy feel, with moments of poignancy that avoid saccharine cliches. VERDICT A good read-alike for fans of Jack Gantos's Dead End in Norvelt. Purchase where light and humorous family dramas are in demand.-Paula Huddy, The Blake School-Highcroft Campus, Wayzata, MN

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