Aces Wild
Zelly dreams of having her first sleepover, but her dog, Ace, is flunking obedience school, and her parents won't let her have a sleepover with an untrained dog in the house. Her social life is about to be ruined!
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What the Book is About
Jewish Content & Values
Positive Role Models
Content Advisory
Talk it Over!
More for You
Zelly Fried has just turned eleven. She and her family live in Vermont with her grandfather, "Ace" Greenberg, and her new dog, also called "Ace." Ace-the-grandfather is loud, eccentric, and in-your-face. Ace-the-dog is always getting into trouble. Zelly is eager to have her very first sleepover, but first Ace-the-overactive-puppy must pass his doggie obedience class. Who is the best person to help with this? Why Ace-the-grandfather, of course! Or is he?
Aces Wild begins where PJ Our Way title When Life Gives You O.J. leaves off, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Aces Wild begins where PJ Our Way title When Life Gives You O.J. leaves off, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
- Ace-the-grandfather peppers his conversation with spicy Yiddish words, which are explained in a kid-friendly glossary. Jewish food references (such as tzimmes, kugel, and sufganiyot) are also sprinkled throughout.
- Zelly’s friend, Jeremy, wears a kippa (Hebrew for yarmulke; a flat, round head covering traditionally worn by Jewish boys and men) and eats only kosher food (food conforming to Jewish dietary laws). He’s preparing for his bar mitzvah (a Jewish coming of age ceremony) and talks about it with Zelly.
- Zelly’s family celebrates the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
- Ace-the-grandfather describes tzedakah as giving charity and helping those in need.
- Ace is Zelly’s eccentric grandfather. He teaches Zelly patience, perseverance, and how to take responsibility.
- Jeremy is Zelly’s observant Jewish friend. He teaches Zelly to feel comfortable being Jewish in Burlington, VT (a town with very few Jewish families). He’s a good and loyal friend, and he always includes Zelly, even if she’s the only girl in the group.
- Zelly is the protagonist of the story. She works hard to achieve her sleepover goal.
None.
Zelly’s parents won’t let her have a sleepover with an untrained puppy in the house. When Zelly suggests that having a sleepover will be her reward for training her dog, her parents say, "Write up a proposal." Would this process work in your house?
Yiddish is a European language that combines elements of Hebrew and old German (as well as other European languages spoken by Jews). Known as the “mama loshen” (mother tongue), Yiddish was primarily spoken by Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jews. Yiddish culture includes literature made famous by authors like Isaac Bashevis Singer and Shalom Aleichem, and music made famous by talented klezmer musicians. One of the most common Yiddish phrases in today’s English is “oy” or “oy vey”, which means “oh no!” The words “bagel” and “lox” also come from Yiddish.
What the Book is About
Zelly Fried has just turned eleven. She and her family live in Vermont with her grandfather, "Ace" Greenberg, and her new dog, also called "Ace." Ace-the-grandfather is loud, eccentric, and in-your-face. Ace-the-dog is always getting into trouble. Zelly is eager to have her very first sleepover, but first Ace-the-overactive-puppy must pass his doggie obedience class. Who is the best person to help with this? Why Ace-the-grandfather, of course! Or is he?
Aces Wild begins where PJ Our Way title When Life Gives You O.J. leaves off, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Aces Wild begins where PJ Our Way title When Life Gives You O.J. leaves off, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Jewish Content & Values
- Ace-the-grandfather peppers his conversation with spicy Yiddish words, which are explained in a kid-friendly glossary. Jewish food references (such as tzimmes, kugel, and sufganiyot) are also sprinkled throughout.
- Zelly’s friend, Jeremy, wears a kippa (Hebrew for yarmulke; a flat, round head covering traditionally worn by Jewish boys and men) and eats only kosher food (food conforming to Jewish dietary laws). He’s preparing for his bar mitzvah (a Jewish coming of age ceremony) and talks about it with Zelly.
- Zelly’s family celebrates the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
- Ace-the-grandfather describes tzedakah as giving charity and helping those in need.
Positive Role Models
- Ace is Zelly’s eccentric grandfather. He teaches Zelly patience, perseverance, and how to take responsibility.
- Jeremy is Zelly’s observant Jewish friend. He teaches Zelly to feel comfortable being Jewish in Burlington, VT (a town with very few Jewish families). He’s a good and loyal friend, and he always includes Zelly, even if she’s the only girl in the group.
- Zelly is the protagonist of the story. She works hard to achieve her sleepover goal.
Content Advisory
None.
Talk it Over!
Zelly’s parents won’t let her have a sleepover with an untrained puppy in the house. When Zelly suggests that having a sleepover will be her reward for training her dog, her parents say, "Write up a proposal." Would this process work in your house?
More for You
Yiddish is a European language that combines elements of Hebrew and old German (as well as other European languages spoken by Jews). Known as the “mama loshen” (mother tongue), Yiddish was primarily spoken by Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jews. Yiddish culture includes literature made famous by authors like Isaac Bashevis Singer and Shalom Aleichem, and music made famous by talented klezmer musicians. One of the most common Yiddish phrases in today’s English is “oy” or “oy vey”, which means “oh no!” The words “bagel” and “lox” also come from Yiddish.
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