Your PJ Our Way Books for August
Check out the four awesome reads PJ Our Way is offering for August! Read about a girl dealing with a dybbuk, a new friendship in the 1970s, a magical journey through Jewish folktales, or the biography of an ultra-famous scientist. Whether you’re interested in realistic fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, or biographies, remember to choose your book by the 10th!
Aviva vs the Dybbuk
by Mari Lowe
Ages 11+
176 pages
Since Aviva’s father died, her mother has been clinically depressed and Aviva and her best friend Kayla have had a falling out. Aviva is the only one who can see a dybbuk that’s wreaking havoc, with increasingly destructive consequences, in the mikvah (ritual bath) where her mother works. When a classmate is injured in a ball game because of the girls’ intense rivalry, Aviva and Kayla are forced to work together to inspire their classmates about the upcoming Bat Mitzvah Bash. This gradually brings them closer together and helps Aviva, and eventually her mother, turn to focus on the future.
Armstrong & Charlie
by Steven B. Frank
Ages 12+
304 pages
Charlie Ross doesn’t want to start 6th grade, because if he starts it, he might finish it — which his older brother never got to do. Meanwhile, Armstrong Le Rois isn’t interested in being bussed to a new school, especially not one full of white kids. Over the course of the year, both boys struggle to find their places and connect with each other. They finally come together during a school camping trip, but the challenges continue when Charlie’s Dad is mugged and Armstrong’s neighborhood mentor dies of old age. By the end of the year, the boys have discovered that they can find friendship despite everything. Set against the backdrop of 1970’s school integration, this PJ Our Way edition of Armstrong & Charlie explores a number of issues that are still highly relevant and resonant: racism, loss, and the power of family and friendship to help us endure our hardest moments.
The Book of Secrets
by Mat Tonti
Ages 9+
205 pages
Rose sees a vision of her grandmother, who is supposed to be on vacation, calling to her for help. With her brother Ben’s assistance, she finds a magical book and lantern that give readers the power to enter stories from Jewish tradition and bring light into the darkness. Unfortunately, there’s someone else who is also bent on acquiring the book for her own dark purposes. In this fast-paced and well-drawn graphic novel, Rose and Ben travel through seven Jewish folktales and use their wits, courage, and strength to fight the darkness and save their grandparents.
DK Life Stories: Albert Einstein
by Wil Mara
Ages 9+
128 pages
Part of the DK Life Stories series, this biography of Albert Einstein is filled with photographs, illustrations, and fascinating facts. In addition to details about Einstein’s life and work, this book offers a broader context of the world in which he was living, including information about World War II, Hitler’s rise to power, the making of the atomic bomb, and the creation of the State of Israel.
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.