Zebra and Other Stories

"In six quietly powerful stories, Potok explores varieties of inner and outer healing, both in individuals and 'Zebra' begins to regain use of his crushed hand and leg creating art assigned by an intinerant teacher; 'Isabel' finds unexpected solace in the company of her new stepsister. In the collection's haunting centerpiece, 'Nava' uses her father's experiences in war, and his connection with a Navajo healer, to fend off a frighteningly persistent drug dealer. The families represented are all middle-class or upper-middle-class, but the relationships, the feelings of loss, grief, regret, hope, and relief are universal; readers sensitive to nuances of language and situation will be totally absorbed by these profound character studies."-- Kirkus Reviews , Pointer