Review: Yasha's Amazin' Bar Mitzvah

By Margaret Gurevich

New York: Penguin Workshop, 2026. Fiction. 233 pages.

Yasha, a thirteen-year-old in 1986, is about to start his final year of junior high at a new school after moving from Brighton Beach, a neighborhood in New York City, to Rockwood, a town right in the middle of New Jersey's suburbia. He isn't used to being in the minority as a Russian American boy, and the only other Russian family in town seems desperate to hide their heritage. There is a lot to figure out in his new life between learning his Torah portion for his bar mitzvah and trying to find friends that will accept him for his true self. Through it all, the Met's amazing season is a beacon of hope, bringing a community together to help Yasha feel at home.

Yasha's story will be sure to resonate with many middle grade readers trying to find their place in the world. His various friendships, both with kids his age and the senior citizen he befriends as part of his mitzvah project, are relatable and heartfelt. For readers who are hoping for plenty of baseball action, this will not disappoint! Many of the most exciting games from the World Series that year are retold in detail. Overall, this book has a great arc and a satisfying conclusion that can teach readers compassion and empathy.

Comments

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