Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah

In this honest novel by Gurevich (Ain’t It Funny), a Russian American 13-year-old explores cultural identity and the meaning of lasting friendship during the lead-up to his bar mitzvah and the 1986 World Series. Thirteen-year-old Yasha does not share his parents’ excitement about the family’s move from their Brooklyn apartment to a house in suburban New Jersey. Yasha’s anxious feelings about attending a new school are exacerbated by his encounters with Alex, the only other Russian kid in town, who takes Yasha under his wing and encourages him to act less Russian (“Fitting in is a good thing”). Though Yasha’s attempts at blending in—concealing the gold chain he wears, not packing his favorite Russian foods for lunch, accepting hand-me-downs from Alex—cause friction with his parents, he’s relieved to find community at school. He also takes comfort in watching Mets games with elderly friend Bernie, with whom Yasha bonds while volunteering at the local senior center in preparation for his upcoming bar mitzvah. Skillful pacing and memorably developed character interactions—distinguished by socioeconomic stresses and the loneliness that can come with being different—pair with organically incorporated details of Jewish and Russian traditions, language, and foods to satisfyingly set all the strands of Yasha’s life on a championship track. Ages 9–12. Agent: Kaitlyn Katsoupis, Belcastro Agency. (Mar.)