Henry's mother and father seem consumed by their grief over the death of his brother Eddie. When his father is hospitalized for his depression, Henry's mother's waitressing and his own job at Mr. Hairston's Corner Market become more important than ever. Mr. Hairston is aware of this, and uses Henry's vulnerability as he extends bribes (a fine gravestone for his brother) and threats (the loss of his job, the loss of his mother's job) to manipulate Henry into performing a violent act against an elderly Holocaust survivor Henry has recently befriended. A chilling tale which does eventually confirm Henry's decent nature allows the author to examine once again the abuse of power. (Age 14 and older)

A masterful portrayal of hatred, prejudice and manipulation that challenges readers to examine how they would behave in the face of evil. Henry meets and befriends Mr. Levine, an elderly Holocaust survivor, who is carving a replica of the village where he lived and which was destroyed in the war. Henry's friendship with Mr. Levine is put to the test when his prejudiced boss, Mr. Hairston, asks Henry to destroy Mr. Levine's village.