*I'm thrilled that Rocky Pond Publishers (Penguin Random House) sent me this middle grade novel which will be released on August 29th. As soon as I finished the story, I knew it was going to be our first class read aloud of the 23/24 school year.
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Josh is twelve-years-old, an only child, and Jewish.
*When he starts a new middle school, he keeps his religion to himself thinking he might be the only Jewish child at the school.
*After someone paints swastikas all over the school building, life for Josh and the other students change drastically.
*The school brings in special counselors to help deal with situation which opens up conversations about many "issues" occurring at the school.
*Josh realizes he doesn't just want to stand back and let the "bullying" take place at his school so he takes a major step forward to make big changes not only in his school but in the world.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*This novel in verse was outstanding and I loved everything about it.
*Dana Kramaroff hit the nail on the head when writing this story. I would describe it as perfection.
*I so appreciated that even though the center of the story was about antisemitism, the author was able to weave in other story lines about what the other students were dealing with.
*There were so many incredible life lessons throughout the story that I knew could be shared with a group of young people.
*I'm so looking forward to sharing Josh's story with my upcoming class. I know we will have so much to discuss which will make us all better and more positive people. Isn't that what life is all about!
Who Should Read It:
*I think this will make for the perfect class read aloud to start the school year. The story line would be appropriate for students in grades four, five, and six. The novel would also be perfect in any and all middle-school classrooms. There would be so much they will be able to relate to. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
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