Skip to Main Content

Dancing Carl

PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER

Buy from Other Retailers

About The Book

From three-time Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen comes a moving middle grade novel about four strangers fighting for the life they want.

In the winter, life in McKinley, Minnesota, revolves around the rinks, where kids play hockey and grown-ups skate to scratchy phonograph records. Then, the year Marsh and his best friend, Willy, are twelve, Carl appears at the rink, wearing a battered, old leather flight jacket and doing a strange dance that is both beautiful and disturbing to watch.

It is Marsh and Willy who discover the terrible secret behind Carl’s dance, a secret that threatens to destroy him. But a small miracle occurs, and Carl’s dance becomes a fragile and tentative expression of hope and the healing power of love.

About The Author

Photo by Ruth Wright Paulsen

Gary Paulsen (1931–2021) was one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers, author of three Newbery Honor titles, Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He wrote over 100 books for adults and young readers. 

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (June 26, 2007)
  • Length: 112 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781416939382
  • Grades: 5 - 9
  • Ages: 10 - 14

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

"Filled with poetry and with life...an insightful beautifully written story."

-- Horn Book

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Gary Paulsen