Your PJ Our Way Books for December
Each month, PJ Our Way offers a diverse assortment of books for our readers to choose from. At this moment in time many readers are looking to feel more connected to Israel, so this month we are delighted to offer two books with significant content related to Israel.
In Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation, much of Charlie’s search for Albert Einstein’s lost equation takes place in Jerusalem, including The Albert Einstein Archive at Hebrew University and the old city of Jerusalem.
In Not So Shy, Shai and her family have just moved to the United States from Israel, and Shai’s connection to the country of her birth is central the story.
You might also love the adventures of three young travelers and their dog in The Inquisitor’s Tale or the riddles, puzzles, and stories rooted in Jewish tradition in While Standing on One Foot.
Be sure to have your reader choose their book by December 10th!
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
by Stuart Gibbs
Ages 11+
400 pages
Charlie Thorne is a 12-year-old supergenius who speaks multiple languages and knows more about theoretical physics than her college professor. Her neglectful parents are only interested in her to the extent that they can capitalize on her genius. The CIA isn’t sure if they can trust Charlie, but they also know she may be their best chance at finding Pandora, Einstein’s long-lost equation that can either save the world or destroy it. Charlie’s not sure about the CIA’s intentions, but she knows she can’t let the equation fall into the hands of the white-supremacist group or the traitorous CIA agent who is willing to go to any lengths to get it. Largely set in Israel, this is a fast-paced, action-packed spy novel with gunfights, explosions, dramatic chase scenes, and a lot of suspense!
The Inquisitor's Tale
by Adam Gidwitz
Ages 10+
384 pages
In 13th century France, Jeanne sees the future in her visions, Jacob heals the sick with plants and a Hebrew prayer, and young monk William has superhuman strength. The children are on the run from King Louis IX, accompanied by their dog Gwenforte, who has come back from the dead.
A group of travelers meet at an inn and chronologically narrate the children's miraculous story from diverse points of view. Kids (and parents!) will love this action-packed, award-winning, and hugely entertaining tale. The vocabulary level here is on the high end, but medieval history has never been this relevant and exciting! The Inquisitor’s Tale was a New York Times bestseller and won a 2017 Newbery Honor Award.
Not So Shy
by Noa Nimrodi
Ages 10+
256 pages
When 13-year-old Shai’s family moves to California for her dad’s job, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to go back home to Israel. Things improve slightly when she becomes friends with her neighbor, Kay-Lee, who tells her about a poster contest with a prize of a plane ticket to the place of the winner’s choice. Shai wants to win so she can go back to Israel and live with her grandparents. Meanwhile, the school bullies target Shai with antisemitic comments and call her Muslim classmate Hakim a terrorist. Shai stands up for Hakim, and they become friends. Just as Shai is starting to feel at home in San Diego, her grandparents are caught up in a terrorist bombing in Tel Aviv, leaving her Safta in a coma. Shai and her family fly back to Israel, where Shai realizes there are things about America that she is missing and that it might be possible to feel at home in both places.
While Standing on One Foot
by Nina Jaffe and Steve Zeitlin
Ages 9+
95 pages
While Standing on One Foot comprises an entertaining selection of eighteen tales from Jewish history, folklore, and tradition, told as puzzles for the clever reader to solve. This short book is divided into even shorter stories, each no more than a few pages long. Appropriate for readers young and old, these are written in a style somewhat resonant of fairy tales and legends of long ago (and do require solid reading/vocabulary skills). Kids will enjoy challenging themselves and their friends; each story on its own is ideal as a read aloud choice before bedtime or a fun conversation starter at the Shabbat table.
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.