Your PJ Our Way Books for July 2026

Golemcrafters
By: Emi Watanabe Cohen

Ages 11+

264 pages

When their estranged grandfather sends Shiloh a box of uncured clay as a belated bar mitzvah gift, he and younger sister Faye discover that their Jewish ancestors were golemcrafters – a heritage their father has rejected. (A golem is a creature made of clay and brought to life through the Hebrew alphabet, created to protect the Jewish people.)

Shiloh and Faye’s Japanese-American mom convinces their dad to let them spend spring break in New York City with Zeyde (their grandfather), who teaches them the ancient art of creating golems. It quickly becomes clear that Faye has a remarkable gift for golemcraft.

At night, the siblings share vivid and often frightening dreams in which they find themselves living through moments of Jewish persecution across history alongside their own ancestors. As they grapple with antisemitic bullying in their own lives and the violence their ancestors faced, Faye and Shiloh must decide what it means to be Jewish, to be brave, and to carry on the legacy of those who came before them. A lengthy bibliography confirms the extensive research done by the author of this moving story for mature readers.

Sydney A. Frankel’s Summer Mix-Up
By: Danielle Joseph

Ages 9+

254 pages

Sydney’s looking forward to spending the summer reading and hanging out with her BFF, Maggie – basically anything to avoid being the center of attention. But Sydney’s mom decides that she should make an effort to build her confidence and signs her up for a dance class at the JCC. Sydney and Maggie are horrified but soon come up with what seems to be an ingenious way to save their summer. In this contemporary story, Sydney’s realistic fears are treated with sympathy and plenty of humor.

Don’t Feed the Lion
By: Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi

Ages 11+

256 pages

Thirteen-year-old Theo loves soccer and idolizes professional player Wes Mitchell. But when Mitchell posts an antisemitic message online, it spreads quickly—and suddenly Theo is facing antisemitism at school and on his own soccer team.

At the same time, Theo and his outspoken eleven-year-old sister Annie react in very different ways. While Theo tries to keep his head down, Annie secretly pushes back online. Meanwhile, Theo is paired with a new student named Gabe for a school project, and the two begin learning about each other’s families and histories.

As tensions grow at school (including a swastika painted on Theo’s locker), Theo must decide whether to stay silent or speak up. With help from Gabe, Annie, and his family, Theo begins to find the courage to stand up for himself and for what he believes in.

The Spanish Plot
By: Leah Sokol

Ages 10+

164 pages

This choose-your-own-adventure is set in Spain in 1492. The reader is taking care of young Yitzchak, the grandson of Don Abarbanel, a scholar and financial advisor to Queen Isabella. Don Abarbanel has been working hard to convince the queen not to expel the Jews, but it seems unlikely that he’ll succeed. Meanwhile, the queen wants Don Abarbanel and his family to convert to Judaism so he can continue to advise the queen. When he refuses, the royal court hatches a plot to kidnap and forcibly baptize young Yitzchak. The reader is offered a series of options for responding to the various events surrounding the kidnapping attempts, resulting in a variety of outcomes.

The book includes an author’s note explaining that while this book is based on the true story of the attempted kidnapping of Don Abarbanel’s grandson, not all of the details and possible endings are historically accurate.