Calling Cobber

Cobber’s mom died when he was little, and his dad works all the time. This means that Cobber (real name Jacob) spends a lot of time with his great-grandfather, Papa-Ben, who lives independently in a senior living complex – though he’s becoming more and more forgetful. When Papa-Ben tries to persuade Cobber to have a bar mitzvah, and Cobber’s best friend Boolkie wants him to participate in the school talent show, Cobber is less than thrilled, remembering that he threw up in front of everyone the last time he spoke publicly. Over the course of the book, Cobber starts to discover what being Jewish means to him, and he learns to face and overcome his fears. Meanwhile, Papa-Ben helps Cobber’s dad realize that he needs to be more emotionally present as a parent and inspires him to reintroduce Jewish traditions into their home.