Your PJ Our Way Books for October
Check out the four books available for selection from PJ Our Way this month.
Check out the four great books that PJ Our Way is offering for selection this October! Choose a realistic fiction story about friendship, family, and food, or travel back in time with a Hanukkah-themed graphic novel. Follow a 12-year-old amateur magician who longs to be normal, or see what happens when a kid encourages her family to celebrate Hanukkah. Pick your next book by October 10th!
A Place at the Table
by Laura Shovan and Saadia Faruqi
Ages 10+
336 pages
When 6th graders Elizabeth and Sara meet in an after-school South Asian cooking class, it seems like they have nothing in common. Elizabeth is Jewish, she’s been in the public school her whole life, and she loves cooking. Sara just transferred from a small Islamic school, she loves to draw, she’s only in the cooking class because her mother happens to be the teacher.
As the girls get to know each other, they learn they share a lot more than they ever realized. Both girls are worried about their mothers; Elizabeth’s mother has been struggling with depression ever since her own mother, Elizabeth’s grandmother, died back in England. Meanwhile, Sara’s mother runs a struggling catering business, and money is tight in the family. Plus, neither girl is quite sure where she belongs; Elizabeth is Jewish, but is she Jewish enough? And as a Pakistani-American, Sara and her family face racist comments on a regular basis, including from Maddy, Elizabeth’s best friend. When the girls are paired up to compete in the school’s International Food Festival, they realize they make good cooking partners. But can they overcome their differences and trust each other enough to become good friends?
Shield of the Maccabees
by Eric A. Kimmel and Dov Smiley
Ages: 9+
336 pages
Jonathan, who’s Jewish, and Jason, who’s Greek, are from the Judean town of Sebaste. When Jonathan saves Jason from some bullies in the Jewish quarter, they develop a beautiful friendship, studying philosophy at Jason’s Greek school and celebrating Shabbat with Jonathan’s family. Then King Antiochus issues terrible decrees against the Jewish community, sparking riots and the Maccabee revolt. The ensuing devastation drives the boys apart… until they meet again on the battlefield. This sweet and entertaining graphic novel shows the power of friendship alongside the destruction of war.
Dreidels on the Brain
by Joel ben Izzy
Ages: 10+
316 pages
As the only Jewish kid at Bixby school, with a family that’s both embarrassing and flat broke, it’s no wonder that twelve-year-old Joel fantasizes about becoming a superhero – Normalman –who looks like everyone else. Joel’s life is full of challenges: his father is dealing with a rare type of arthritis, and his mom has her own medical issues as well. Money is a constant struggle, and if that’s not enough, Joel is short, wears thick glasses, and has braces. Luckily, he’s a talented magician and gets through life using his own particularly Jewish brand of self-deprecating humor. This story is set in the 1970s and is full of cultural and Jewish references from that period. In this poignant and funny coming-of-age story, Joel learns to appreciate the good things in life and manage the difficulties too.
How I Saved Hanukkah
By Amy Goldman Koss
Ages: 9+
88 pages
Marla hates being the only Jewish kid in her fourth grade class, and she hates having to make blue and white decorations when everyone else is making red and green ones. If only she could celebrate Christmas — her family hardly does anything for Hanukkah anyway! But when her best friend sleeps over during Hanukkah, Marla is determined to make it fun for Lucy, and in the process she makes her family realize just what they've been missing.
Note: Quantities of each title are limited! If you see another book offered for selection this month, head over to Story Central to check it out.