My Name Is Hamburger
Trudie’s so tired of getting picked on at school just because she’s the only Jewish kid. When Jack moves to town, she’s thrilled that the bullies finally leave her alone. Until they start targeting Jack…
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What the Book Is About
Jewish Content & Values
Content Advisory
It’s 1962, and 10-year-old Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish girl in her small, virtually all-white town. She loves to sing, but the music teacher makes her go to the library while the class rehearses their Christmas songs. Class bully Charlie constantly taunts her about her last name and her father’s German accent. When he moves on to a different target — the new Korean American student, Jack — Trudie feels both relieved and guilty. Despite the serious elements, the book’s tone is not heavy, and outside of Trudie’s school there is a wider community that is welcoming to her family and to Jack’s family.
Jewish Content & Values
- Trudie’s family celebrates Shabbat, goes to shul, and celebrates Passover. Her mother gives her a Jewish star necklace that she had when she was a child.
- The antisemitism Trudie’s family experiences is central to the book.
- Trudie’s father takes intentional steps to welcome the new Korean family to town, exemplifying the Jewish value of hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). In return, the community rallies to support Trudie’s family after her father is injured in an accident.
Content Advisory
Trudie’s father falls off a roof and is hospitalized, but is recovering well by the end of the book. References are made to his being the sole Holocaust survivor in his family, in this age-appropriate introduction to both antisemitism and racism.
What the Book Is About
It’s 1962, and 10-year-old Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish girl in her small, virtually all-white town. She loves to sing, but the music teacher makes her go to the library while the class rehearses their Christmas songs. Class bully Charlie constantly taunts her about her last name and her father’s German accent. When he moves on to a different target — the new Korean American student, Jack — Trudie feels both relieved and guilty. Despite the serious elements, the book’s tone is not heavy, and outside of Trudie’s school there is a wider community that is welcoming to her family and to Jack’s family.
Jewish Content & Values
Jewish Content & Values
- Trudie’s family celebrates Shabbat, goes to shul, and celebrates Passover. Her mother gives her a Jewish star necklace that she had when she was a child.
- The antisemitism Trudie’s family experiences is central to the book.
- Trudie’s father takes intentional steps to welcome the new Korean family to town, exemplifying the Jewish value of hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). In return, the community rallies to support Trudie’s family after her father is injured in an accident.
Content Advisory
Content Advisory
Trudie’s father falls off a roof and is hospitalized, but is recovering well by the end of the book. References are made to his being the sole Holocaust survivor in his family, in this age-appropriate introduction to both antisemitism and racism.
