Unlike other Paulsen novels which concern adolescent protagonists forced to grow up too fast, the central character of Dancing Carl matures more leisurely. Marsh lacks the hardness or precociousness of other Paulsen characters because life has not treated him rudely and put him on his own too early. Instead, Marsh learns vicariously through Carl rather than by traumatic personal experience. Marsh also learns that there are lessons about life even in small events. A crisis will indeed confront an adolescent with the immediate need to act with wisdom beyond one's years, but knowledge also may be gleaned from slowly unfolding events and barely perceptible changes.

Happily, Marsh finds within himself the generosity to sympathize with someone very different, even foreign to his own world. In coming to understand Carl, Marsh realizes that his appreciation of the man is not shared by the adult world. He handles...