After reading this book, I would not recommend to most 5th graders. The content is easy enough to read, but the implications of drunkenness, the implications of mental war wounds, and even the intimate love message running through the book would be too much for most 10 year olds. Perhaps the subtleties of this book would not be lost on upper middle grade students (7th or 8th grade). ( )

Old Children's Book. Liked it as a kid, but haven't read it in years. ( )

When a strange man comes to town and takes over managing the ice rink, March and Willy are curious about him. What they discover is a man, damaged by service in WWII, who just might, possibly, be saved by love. ( )

Book talk:
I first judge a book by its cover, even though there is saying that says I shouldn't. Once I am reading a book, I judge it by how much I want to keep reading. Can I put it down, or is there something in the book that propels me to keep reading? And when I finish, do I still see the places as if I were there and will I miss the characters now that I'm finished with their story?
The cover of Dancing Carl has what looks to be two war planes over a watercolor background with shades of blue. Nice. There is no real action at the beginning of this story, and yet I wanted to keep reading. I liked 12 year old Marsh's voice and the way his words flowed so smoothly without pausing between thoughts. (Paulsen - omission of commas as Marsh talked) Marsh's descriptions of summer fishing and winter hockey were full of images as well as sounds. But the main character of the book is really Carl, a World War II veteran, who comes back to Marsh's Minnesota town and takes over caring for the skating rinks. Carl has a drinking problem, but he doesn't seem to be a drunk like Pisspot Jimmy. And when Carl comes on to the rink and raises his arms to dance, everyone, and I mean everyone on both the skating rink and the hockey rink, stop to watch. And just when Marsh and his friend Willy think Carl's problems from the war would leave him broken for good, a stranger comes into town and brings a love story to the ice. It was a winter the boys would never forget. And since I felt as though I were there, too, neither would I. ( )

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