Review by Booklist Review
Shira and Esther--look-alikes who share a birthday--live in Idylldale, New York, known for its Yiddish theater and upscale Jewish resort (think post-WWII Borscht Belt). Rabbi's daughter Shira yearns to become a performer, much to her widower father's dismay; Esther, daughter of single mom and chanteuse Red Hot Fanny, wants only to study Torah and one day become a cantor. After being introduced and sharing their frustrations, the girls contrive a plan to switch places and set about fulfilling all their dreams while hoodwinking those closest to them. Jordan's debut novel unfolds in a prologue and three acts with Morty the deli man offering omniscient narration in the present tense, a stylistic choice that occasionally makes the text read like stage directions. Yiddish words and phrases appear prominently throughout and are explained in context and defined in Morty's appended "Curtain Call" (glossary). While a few plot points feel decidedly schmaltzy, they ring true to Jewish theater traditions, making this a good choice for theater kids not quite ready to experience Mrs. Maisel.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Two Jewish girls trade places for a shot at pursuing their ambitions in this sprightly three-act tale of found family and effort rewarded. Esther Rosenbaum longs to learn Hebrew and "raise my voice to God.... On the bima," but her single mother, Yiddish theater sensation Red Hot Fanny, pressures her to join the biz and audition for a televised talent showcase. Shira Epstein was born for the stage, but her rabbi father, a widower, insists that she focus on her Torah studies in preparation for her bat mitzvah. After a chance encounter, the girls--realizing their uncanny resemblance--swap roles to chase their crisscrossed dreams. Mishegas ensues, relayed in the whimsical style of a Yiddish folktale by an omniscient narrator who addresses the reader, in italicized Yiddish, as "mayne kinder." The well-choreographed action unfolds in the fictional town of Idylldale, an amalgam of Manhattan's Lower East Side and a Catskills-like resort of yore. Making her middle grade debut, Jordan (This Pup Steps Up!) juxtaposes Shira's and Esther's yearnings for performance and prayer, showing that there are infinite ways to be Jewish--all valid. Whether they know a bisl or bupkes about the religious tradition and culture, readers will love this sparkling intergenerational ode to chutzpah and Jewish joy. A Yiddish glossary concludes. Ages 8--12. Agent: Janine Le, Janine Le Literary. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--8--Shira Epstein, the daughter of a rabbi, wants to perform on stage instead of practicing readings for her Bat Mitzvah. Esther Rosenbaum, the daughter of an actress, wants to study the Torah. Both live in the small town of Idylldale, and both are being raised by single parents who see a future for their daughters more in line with their own chosen professions. So, Esther can only dream of life in the synagogue, while Shira plots to enter a local talent contest behind the rabbi's back. One day, the girls meet each other for the first time in a chance encounter reminiscent of the movie The Parent Trap. Amazed and delighted by their close physical resemblance and identical birthdays, Shira and Esther share their frustration that neither of their parents support their dreams. The girls conspire to switch places long enough for Esther to celebrate Shira's Bat Mitzvah and Shira to enter the talent competition. While they initially enjoy their new lives, the girls discover that the swap comes with a bevy of challenges they hadn't considered. Nevertheless, everything works out and readers are left with a satisfying conclusion that ties up all the loose ends. The plot moves along at a good pace while keeping readers in suspense over why the girls have been strangers until they met. In addition to Shira and Esther, the story has many other funny and engaging support characters, including the narrator who explains Yiddish words and Jewish traditions. A glossary appears in is appended at the end. VERDICT Libraries looking to diversify their fiction collections for middle grade students will want to consider this very enjoyable book. A great choce for middle schoolers.--Anne Jung-Mathews
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
When two Jewish girls born the same day in the same hospital meet up just before they turn 13, magic is set in motion. Though her imaginary town, Idylldale, represents a fantasy merger of New York's Lower East Side and the Catskills roughly circa 1940, the characters peopling Jordan's debut novel could not be more vibrantly real. Esther is the daughter of Fannie Rosenbaum, better known as Red Hot Fanny, a flamboyant actress in the Yiddish theater and a single mom who cannot understand why her studious, religiously inclined daughter has no love for the stage--or in the upcoming talent contest that will win some lucky kid a spot on national television. Across town, widowed Rabbi Epstein is frustrated by his failure to interest daughter Shira in her bat mitzvah preparations: All she wants to do is sing and dance. Leave it to 14-year-old Benny, the bellhop at Scheinfeld's Resort and Cottages, to bring these girls together for a wonderful twist on the Freaky Friday switcheroo. Narrated with an Old World cadence and Yiddishisms by Morty the deli man, a magically omniscient narrator who addresses readers as "mayne kinder" (my children), the novel includes a glossary as well as explanations throughout. As Jordan states in her author's note, "I wanted to write a story full of Jewish joy and laughter without the drumbeat that linked my identity to constant oppression." She certainly has. Adult readers may wish they were young again, so this could instantly become their favorite book. (Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
