Despite her parents firm no, Hannah knows that if she can learn enough about her own faith, she can convince her friends that the party is still in motion. As the secrets mount, a few are bound to explode. When they do, Hannah learns that being Jewish isn’t about having a big party and a fancy dress and a first kiss — it’s about actually being Jewish. Most importantly, Hannah realizes that the only person’s permission she needs to be Jewish, is her own.
Hannah’s grandmother, Mimi, lives with Hannah’s family, and while Mimi, Hannah, and her brother, Sam, are always baking rugelach, babka, challah, and other delicious Jewish foods, even her own family jokes that they aren’t really Jewish. Hannah wants to change this, so she starts taking Hebrew and Bat Mitzvah lessons with Aunt Yael. In the meantime, she grows in many ways, yet finds herself further than ever from having a relationship with her best friend, Shira. They can’t find a way to bridge the gap between what they believe about Judaism, so Hannah finds a new friend in the meantime, Vee.
When Hannah finds out something interesting about Vee, she mistakenly treats her poorly, much in the way she has been treated when people question her Judaism. She feels terribly, but Vee makes it clear that an apology must be real, and it must be done correctly, meaning that the person who is apologizing fully intends to make it right and never have it happen again.
While relationships suffer as the story goes on, Hannah’s love of Judaism and what it means to her grows substantially. She learns about “tikkun olam,” or “repairing the world,” and she knows that it isn’t just about her, but about how she can help others to make peace as well.
Aimee Lucido has done a fantastic job having her characters ask the questions that are constantly on people’s minds. From “What does it mean to be Jewish?” to “If I didn’t convert, but I do Jewish things and think Jewishly, why am I not Jewish enough?” to “Is being Jewish just about your mother being Jewish first?” there are so many more questions to be discussed. All of the characters find their own truth and work together to engage in apologies that are long overdue. The story is one of growth, not only of each individual’s character, but of the value of conversation to truly understand different perspectives. The story is quick and easy to read, interspersing narration, recipes, and enough questions and answers to get any reader thinking. Highly recommended!
They’ve both sworn off romance, but love is written in the stars. Naomi Insta-love isn’t a thing. Even if fans of my podcast think differently. But I can’t deny the insta-sparks with the cute boy Hunter on my family camping trip. My fans think I’ve got it all figured out, so maybe it’s time to follow my own advice and listen to my heart. Hunter’s scowly attitude almost makes me hit rewind, but our interfering siblings convince me to give him another chance. Just when he starts to open up, I get an offer that could change everything I had planned for the future—and ruin my shot at happily ever after. Hunter My friends say I have a one-track mind, but it’s not what you’re thinking. If I’m going to finish college in three years and be a book editor in New York, I don’t have time for distractions—not even by girls as charming as Naomi. Despite my attempts, it’s impossible to ignore this love interest who’s fallen into my orbit. I finally have the opportunity to be the hero in my own story, but I have a secret that puts more than just my future at stake, and if I make the wrong decision, it could alter my plotline forever. Book two in the Campfire Series, Chasing the Stars, is filled with stolen kisses, tipping canoes, and stars so bright you can see into the next galaxy.
Then there’s Hunter, a freshman at Berkeley, who has some hard decisions of his own to make. He isn’t sure that being away at college is right for him, even though he dreams of being an editor. He’d rather be closer to home for school so he can watch over his younger sister and mom.
When both of their moms decide that a trip away for the week to go camping and stargazing is the right thing for their families, Naomi and Hunter meet, and while neither is looking for a relationship, they soon find that despite their mutual misunderstandings of each other, they is definitely an attraction between them. Though they try to fight it, the way they challenge each other and enjoy each other’s company becomes apparent, and their siblings are eager to bring them together. At first, the two serve as more of a listening ear for the other’s troubles, but that soon morphs into something more.
Even for those readers who aren’t really outdoors people, this book will make you want to sit outside under the stars, enjoying nature and the beauty of it all. The cover art alone is definitely capable of making anyone want this. Naomi, Hunter, and their individual and family drama make the story blossom and will make readers interested to know more about how their lives will turn out. Looking forward to the third book in the series!
Jax is a great book boyfriend, and Kaley is definitely deserving of the love he so desperately has to give based on other issues in his life, from his parents to his sister and aunt. Life isn’t always easy, as Jax very well knows, and even though he doesn’t share his troubles with Kaley right away, readers do learn how he and Kade understand each other and find ways to cope with their issues together, making it all that much harder for Jax to tell Kade the truth about his feelings for Kade’s sister.
Definitely a recommended contemporary romance for any lover of that genre!
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Brought to life by imaginative and hilarious artworks, each list presents subjects from new and unexpected angles. So let Britannica’s Listified! take you on a journey through 300 lists that illuminate everything from the human body, to prehistoric creatures, planet Earth, outer space, and the mysteries beyond. Here are three mind-blowing facts from Listified! to get you started…
A Tyrannosaurus rex could swallow 15,000 hamburgers in a single bite.
A bolt of lightning is the width of your thumb and five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
If you tied all your hair together into a single cord, it could support the weight of 18 cows.
An utterly absorbing compendium of amazing facts and trivia that will keep children aged 8+ entertained for hours!
Coupled with illustrations that are great for kids and adults alike to further explore the facts in the book, this is a perfect addition to anyone’s library, especially lovers of trivia. You can read the book in any order, as there are lists for all different sorts of topics; however, the book is separated into chapters, including space, nature, dinosaur times, animals, the body, being human, inventions, and game changers. It also contains an eight-page glossary and an index to help find whatever one might have the urge to learn more about at any given moment.
Great for anyone of any age to explore facts and figures, bust myths, and quiz oneself, this will be a book to be picked up time and time again.
Can a vegetable and a dessert really be friends? Find out in this sweet story of solidarity!
Cookie and Carrot are a true dynamic duo. Carrot teaches Cookie how to dip (in hummus), and Cookie teaches Carrot how to dunk (in milk). But when Cookie and Carrot’s other pals make fun of their friendship, the two start to wonder if different food groups can ever really be friends. Packed with plenty of puns, this satisfying tale of acceptance and forgiveness will leave kids asking for more.
Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.
Full of cute puns and carrot and cookie humor, the illustrations perfectly capture the fun they have with each other and the sadness they feel when others don’t understand their companionship. There are cute nicknames for some of the food characters, as well as interesting twists that bring them back together, and allow them to show others just what is so special about the way they care for each other.
Not only is this book about friendship, kindness, and understanding, but it also shows how the way you feel should never be overshadowed by someone else’s opinion. A sweet, entertaining, creative story that will fast become a favorite among children and adults alike!
