Review Detail

What I Liked: Some books pile so much in that’s its hard to focus on what the story is, this book manages to layer various topics in a way that ties together. Baseball is a important part of Yasha’s life and manages to connect him to various important people in this story.

This book does a great job of highlighting what moving to a new place is ike especially when you don’t seamlessly fit in. It showcases what it’s like to be a young boy stuck between two cultures, who is willing to do anything to fit in. While showing what that experience is like, it also highlights what happens when you’ve gone too far to fit in and stop recognizing yourself.

My favorite aspect of this book was the relationship that Yasha develops with Bernie. This relationship is one that Yasha is able to learn a lot from, and you come to realize that this relationship was also healing for Bernie. Their relationship develops due to their love for baseball, and it was significant that Yasha had someone who accepted him for who he was and an adult he trusted when he felt that he couldn’t speak with his dad.

Final Verdict: Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah is a delightful story that does a fantastic job of highlighting the coming of age, family, traditions, fitting in, and culture. This book is perfect for people looking to read something light-hearted that is realistic to the experience of moving into a new town and what middle school looks like.