DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: - Histologically confirmed high-risk neuroblastoma and/or demonstration of tumor cells in the bone marrow with increased urinary catecholamines meeting 1 of the following criteria: - Recurrent and/or progressive disease at any time - Biopsy not required - Refractory disease (i.e., less than a partial response to frontline therapy, including a minimum of 4 courses of chemotherapy) - Biopsy not required - Persistent disease by MIBG scan, CT and MRI scan, or bone marrow aspirates/biopsies after ≥ partial response to frontline therapy - Histologic confirmation of viable neuroblastoma from at ≥ 1 residual site required - Tumor seen on routine bone marrow morphology allowed - Bone marrow immunocytology alone not allowed - Patients in expansion cohorts 1 and 2 who have had a prior relapse are eligible with no measurable or evaluable sites of tumor (i.e., in second complete response) - Patient must have ≥ 1 of the following disease sites (excluding patients on the expansion cohort): - Measurable tumor by MRI, CT scan, or X-ray - MIBG scan with positive uptake at a minimum of 1 site - Bone marrow with tumor cells seen on routine morphology of 1 bone marrow sample of a bilateral aspirate and/or biopsy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: - Life expectancy ≥ 6 weeks - Lansky performance status (PS) 50-100% (patients ≤ 16 years of age) OR Karnofsky PS 50-100% (patients > 16 years of age) - Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (transfusion allowed) - ANC ≥ 750/μL - ANC ≥ 500/μL for patients with marrow metastases - Platelet count ≥ 50,000/μL (transfusion independent) - No platelet transfusions within 1 week - Serum creatinine based on age as follows: - 0.8 mg/dL (≤ 5 years of age) - 1.0 mg/dL (> 5 and ≤ 10 years of age) - 1.2 mg/dL (> 10 and ≤ 15 years of age) - 1.5 mg/dL (> 15 years of age) - Hematuria ≤ 1+ and/or proteinuria ≤ 1+ - Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) - ALT and AST < 3 times ULN - Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN - Serum triglycerides ≤ 300 mg/dL - Serum calcium < grade 2 - Negative pregnancy test - Not pregnant or nursing - Fertile patients must use effective contraception - Normal ejection fraction (≥ 55%) by echocardiogram or radionuclide MUGA OR normal fraction shortening (≥ 27%) by echocardiogram - QTc interval ≤ 450 msec - No patients who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with the safety of study requirements - No disease of any major organ system that would compromise the patient's ability to withstand therapy - No active or uncontrolled infection - Patients on prolonged antifungal therapy allowed provided culture and biopsy are negative in suspected radiographic lesions - No allergic reactions to paraben preparations (i.e., Accutane, Sotret) - Alternate preparations to paraben allowed PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: - Fully recovered from the acute toxic effects of all prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy - At least 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy, including cytotoxic agents given on a low-dose metronomic regimen - At least 7 days since prior biologic anti-neoplastic agent (including retinoids) therapy - At least 7 days or 3 half-lives, whichever is longer, since prior monoclonal antibodies - More than 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy (small-port) - No prior radiotherapy in patients with 1 site of measurable or evaluable disease unless that site has demonstrated clear progression after completion of radiotherapy - At least 12 weeks since prior large-field radiotherapy (i.e., total-body, craniospinal, whole abdominal, total lung, or > 50% of marrow space irradiation) - At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy - At least 6 weeks since prior: - Autologous stem cell infusion following myeloablative therapy - Allogeneic stem cell transplantation without evidence of active graft-versus-host disease - At least 6 weeks since prior ^131I-MIBG therapy - At least 7 days since prior cytokines or hematopoietic growth factors - More than 30 days since prior and no concurrent valproic acid - More than 30 days since prior and no other concurrent investigational medications - No prior vorinostat combined with isotretinoin - Prior vorinostat or isotretinoin single-agent or combined with alternative agents allowed - No other concurrent anti-cancer agents including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biologics, or immunomodulating agents - No concurrent azole anti-fungal therapy - No concurrent pentamidine therapy for PCP prophylaxis - No concurrent enzyme-inducing anti-convulsant therapy