Mort Ziff Is Not Dead

Gr 3–5—Norman Fishbein lives in Toronto with his mom, dad, and two obnoxious older brothers. It's 1965, and Norman has just won $1,000 in the Count-the-Doozy-Dots Contest. His parents let him choose how to spend the money, strongly suggesting a new car. Norman, however, decides that what the Fishbeins really need is a real vacation: Miami Beach, FL. A snowstorm almost wrecks their plans, but with a break in the weather, Norman gets to take his first plane ride, visits the cockpit, and receives a small metal replica of the DC-8 jet airliner. Miami Beach is a warm weather paradise. While staying at the luxurious Royal Palm Hotel, owned by the mysterious millionaire Herbert Spitzer, Norman strikes up a friendship with the once-famous comedian Mort Ziff (a running joke throughout has hotel patrons ask, "Mort Ziff? Isn't he dead?" He's not.), who performs nightly in the hotel dining room. When Norman learns that Mr. Ziff has been replaced by The Centipedes, a pop group imitating the Beatles, he is determined to help the old comedian save his career. This is a cheerful, upbeat, and ultimately touching tale about a kid whose selfless generosity and attitude make everyone around him just a little bit happier. Fagan's prose lends the narrative a light and breezy feel, with moments of poignancy that avoid saccharine clichés.