Books by
Nora Raleigh Baskin

ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL

THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH

IN THE COMPANY OF CRAZIES

BASKETBALL (OR SOMETHING LIKE IT)

WHAT EVERY GIRL (EXCEPT ME) KNOWS

THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Aladdin
Hardcover: 9781416935582
Paperback: 9781416974697
Ages 10-14
144 pages

For most children, cultural and religious identity is clear-cut; they are what their parents are. But for children of interreligious or multicultural families, it can be a bit confusing, especially if the backgrounds of the parents are seemingly at odds. In THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the issue of identity through the story of 12-year-old Caroline.

Caroline's father is Christian and her mother is Jewish. In their home they observe both Christian and Jewish holidays but pay slightly more attention to the Christian ones. Caroline's best friend Rachel, who is Jewish, has spent the past year studying for her bat mitzvah. Caroline has been helping her plan the party that comes after the synagogue ritual. She is happy for Rachel as this major milestone approaches and is not overly concerned with the fact that her family isn't just one religion or another.

But when her nana, her mother's mother, with whom she was very close, dies, this delicate balance is upset. Her grandfather gives her one of her grandmother's necklaces, a star of David on a thin chain, and this piece of jewelry becomes a symbol --- not only of her mother's family's faith, but also of her own struggle to understand who she is, what she believes and how she will express herself.

As she learns more about her grandparents and parents and their religious beliefs and cultural identification, Caroline begins to, for the first time, really feel herself to be Jewish. She is conflicted, though; she doesn't want to be disloyal to her father, and her beliefs are less developed than Rachel's are. While wrestling with these ideas and emotions, she is still mourning the loss of her grandmother and navigating the complicated world of junior high.

Baskin's story is thoughtful, touching and nicely written. Caroline is a very likable narrator --- smart and honest, sensitive and resilient. Although this is a short novel, the author packs in a lot of important and compelling ideas without treating any of them either too lightly or with a dour seriousness.
 
Caroline contemplates having a bat mitzvah of her own: Would it have made her grandmother proud? What would her father think? Is it too late for her to claim a Jewish identity? How will she deal with discrimination? What is it that she believes, really? In THE TRUTH ABOUT MY BAT MITZVAH, readers will find complex issues illuminated. And while there are no easy answers, this is simply a great story.

    --- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.

Back to top.