Rating: 
Summary: Good for a school assignment, but otherwise, no...
Review: Our opinions on three of the stories:ZEBRA: I think that the story Zebra was well written. The downside of the story is it's really boring. I think that stories like this are boring. Some people like them, but I don't. This would not be my first choice in books. I think it brings great shame to literature as we know it. It is a stupid and boring story which someone with nothing better to do would write. Who would want to read about a stupid kid who runs out in front of a car and gets hit by it? It's depressing! Sure the ending may be happy, but up to that point it's about a sad boy who ran into a car and broke most of his bones. .... MOON: A critically acclaimed short story or a literary disaster? In my opinion, it is comparable to Hiroshima. I admit it was well written enough, but the plot was truly awful...for me, anyway. I'd rather have my appendix removed than read a book with a plot concerning people, their hardships, and how they grow afterwards, and that pretty much describes most of Mr. Potok's books. I hate books like that; Chicken Soup-like books. If, for whatever reason, you like books like that, then you'd probably like this book ... NAVA: In my opinion, Nava is the best out of all the stories compiled into Zebra. However, the ending is one that doesn't fit the story very well, and it leaves you wanting more. The characters are believable, all except for the father, and the story isn't that well written. "How can one say all these negative things and still call it the best story of the book," you ask? Well, that is because this was the best story, which lets you know what I thought of the other ones. Zebra is a great book for classwork, because the stories are short enough that they can be read and discussed within a 42 minute class period, but I would never read this if I had a choice for pleasure reading. ...
Rating: 
Summary: Good For Class Discussions
Review: Zebra and Other Stories by Chaim Potok is a great way to introduce students to voice and author. Each story presents a unique psychological insight to the characters, and possibly the author's own feelings about adolescent crises.
I especially enjoyed "Moon," which highlighted the disconnection many adolescents experience with their parents. The main character also undergoes a transformation, through the use of his music, which is an interest and need many adolescents identify with.
Though the stories left me with way more questions that answers, and a bit of confusion, I think Potok intended this for discussion purposes. The stories touch on very sensitive subjects, and can be a good way for students to be introduced to how we can discuss these subjects respectfully.
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