Your PJ Our Way Books for October

Sneak a peek at PJ Our Way’s selections for October! Join Maggie as she befriends Grisha the dragon and embarks on a magical – and dangerous – adventure, or follow Simon as he wrangles chickens, ducks, and cows on his family’s new farm. Find out why Avery is so reluctant to attend Hebrew school, or learn what happens when Zelly’s new puppy is a bit too rambunctious. Whether you’re seeking fantasy, history, animals, or just a great story, you’ve come to the right place! Remember to choose your book by October 10th. 
 

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr

Ages 10+

256 pages

11-year-old Maggie lives in a hotel with her poet father. Grisha is a dragon who is released from a spell, only to find that all the other dragons have disappeared. Grisha and Maggie each become the other’s first true friend, as well as inseparable companions. When they learn that a large group of dragons is trapped under a spell that has made them sleep for many years, Maggie and Grisha embark on a dangerous mission to free the prisoners. But freeing the dragons comes at an enormous cost to the two friends. This is a beautiful, charming, and poignant book, full of Jewish values and implicit Jewish content.

Going Rogue By Casey Breton

Ages: 10+

218 pages

Ten-year-old Avery Green doesn’t understand why he has to go to Hebrew school. He would much rather play football, make science potions in his basement, or watch Star Wars movies. Things start to look up when Avery’s parents finally let him play football – and the new rabbi turns out to be a fellow Star Wars fan with a real light saber! But when Avery learns that he’s on the same team as weird Gideon and Damon the bully, he’s not sure how it’s going to work out. Even worse, Gideon insists on being nice to Damon no matter how mean Damon is to him. But when Gideon and Damon are both injured during the same game and Rabbi Bob encourages Avery to visit them, Avery’s perspective starts to change. This is a sweet, funny book about how sometimes it can be hard to be kind and why we should keep trying anyway.

Duck Dreams: From City Boy to Farmer Boy By Elizabeth Segel

Ages: 9+

158 pages

11-year-old Simon Hirsh wants to be a farmer more than anything, but his parents and uncles aren’t supportive. They live in a tenement in Boston, and Jews are supposed to be businessmen, not farmers. But after Simon’s younger brother Benny is almost injured by a carthorse on a busy street, their parents make the difficult decision to move away from their extended family in the city. Not long after they get to the country, Simon and Benny convince their parents to let them buy several hens – they plan to sell the eggs with the ultimate goal of buying a dairy cow. Simon faces a variety of challenges along the way, including a cheating chicken dealer, some serious duck drama, and a difficult new friendship with a young Irish boy from a poor family too proud to accept the help they need. But when Simon’s Aunt Rifka is finally able to make the trip over from the old country, it seems like he might be able to achieve his dream of becoming a farmer after all.

Aces Wild By Erica S. Perl

Ages: 9+

224 pages

Zelly Fried has just turned eleven. She and her family live in Vermont with her grandfather, "Ace" Greenberg, and her new dog, also called "Ace." Ace-the-grandfather is loud, eccentric, and in-your-face. Ace-the-dog is always getting into trouble. Zelly is eager to have her very first sleepover, but first Ace-the-overactive-puppy must pass his doggie obedience class. Who is the best person to help with this? Why Ace-the-grandfather, of course! Or is he? Aces Wild begins where PJ Our Way title When Life Gives You O.J. leaves off, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.

What do you think of this month’s books? Comment below to let us know.