The Jake Show

In Joshua S. Levy’s hilarious and charming middle grade novel, a Jewish seventh grade boy is caught between the worlds of his divorced parents—with an orthodox mother and secular father, Jake must concoct a web of lies to go to a summer camp with his friends. Perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Erin Entrada Kelly. A Sydney Taylor Honor Book!

For TV-obsessed Jake Lightman, his parents’ divorce is like his favorite show getting canceled: The worst. Now he’s stuck between playing the role of “Yaakov” for his mother and “Jacob” for his father.

On Jake’s first day at a new school, Caleb and Tehilla barrel into his life. Suddenly, he has two friends who seem to like the real Jake. And when they invite him to Camp Gershoni for the summer, Jake knows he has to go—even if his parents won’t let him.

With help from Caleb and Tehilla, Jake concocts a web of lies to get to camp. But he struggles to keep up the ruse—and be a good friend at the same time. As the cost of lying grows, he must decide what’s truly important or risk losing the people he cares about the most.

Can Jake keep his stories straight all summer, or will his own life get canceled?
Identity & Self-Discovery: Juggling life as "Yaakov" for his Orthodox mom and "Jacob" for his secular dad, Jake just wants to find a place where he can be himself.Divorced Parents & Blended Family: A heartfelt and relatable look at navigating the complicated world of stepparents, new rules, and two very different homes.Unlikely Friendship: New friends Caleb and Tehilla see the real Jake and help him cook up an elaborate scheme to get to the one place he feels he belongs: summer camp.Funny & Heartfelt: Full of laugh-out-loud moments and TV-show metaphors, this story tackles big questions with humor and charm.