About this item
Highlights
- Emi Watanabe Cohen's sophomore novel travels from the most awkward surface tensions to the beautiful depths of Jewish culture and lore for a tale of magical and emotional discovery.
- 8-12 Years
- 8.53" x 6.02" Hardcover
- 264 Pages
- Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic
Description
About the Book
"On the same day Faye's brother comes home with a black eye, a package arrives from a relative they have never met. It's a slab of clay: some weird kind of bar mitzvah present? The strange gift turns out to be an invitation to learn a craft that has been in their family for centuries. And it's not pottery. Faye and Shiloh are driven to New York City by their grandfather for a spring break filled with magical instruction. But at night, they find themselves transported to a strange parallel world, where groups of innocent people are facing appalling hatred and violence. Are Faye and Shiloh destined to defend them? How is that possible for a brainy, unpopular eleven-year-old and her vulnerable older brother? It will take all the strength they can draw from their Jewish and Japanese heritage to not only crack the mystery of this alternate world but to find the power in them to confront the troubles of their present."--Provided by publisher.Book Synopsis
Emi Watanabe Cohen's sophomore novel travels from the most awkward surface tensions to the beautiful depths of Jewish culture and lore for a tale of magical and emotional discovery.
On the same day Faye's brother comes home with a black eye, a package arrives from a relative they have never met. It's a slab of clay: some weird kind of bar mitzvah present? The strange gift turns out to be an invitation to learn a craft that has been in their family for centuries. And it's not pottery. Faye and Shiloh are driven to New York City by their grandfather for a spring break filled with magical instruction. But at night, they find themselves transported to a strange parallel world, where groups of innocent people are facing appalling hatred and violence. Are Faye and Shiloh destined to defend them? How is that possible for a brainy, unpopular eleven-year-old and her vulnerable older brother? It will take all the strength they can draw from their Jewish and Japanese heritage to not only crack the mystery of this alternate world but to find the power in them to confront the troubles of their present.Review Quotes
"This memorable story takes a strong stance against victim-blaming in favor of defending oneself and one's beliefs." - Horn Book
"Cohen saturates her tale with Jewish history, lore, and magic... respite and strength can be found in family, memory, and faith." - Booklist
"The deep and profound celebration of family here is moving... small, relatable sibling strife grounds the book in realism." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Watanabe Cohen explores centuries of antisemitism through the eyes of two characters experiencing it in the present to show the import of personal resilience and reliance on family in the face of adversity." - Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Emi Watanabe Cohen wrote her first novel when she was twelve years old--the most complete draft she can find clocks in at 234,780 words. That's over 1,000 pages! Thankfully, her editing skills have improved since then. Her more recent work involves Jewish and/or Japanese folklore, complicated families, and a dash of improbable magic. She is a graduate of Brandeis University, where she studied Creative Writing.
Author residence: Chicago, IL