Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World
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- £8.49
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- £8.49
Publisher Description
A magical Bat Mitzvah gift gets out of control and thrusts a girl into a supernatural quest with the fate of the world at stake in this “refreshing, fast-paced” (School Library Journal) middle grade adventure that’s perfect for fans of Aru Shah.
Naomi Teitelbaum is so ready for her Bat Mitzvah. Her prayers are memorized, and she’s definitely got a handle on her Torah portion (well, almost). Then she gets a mysterious gift: a tiny clay Golem. To Naomi’s shock, it comes to life—and obeys her every command.
At first, this small magical helper seems like the best Bat Mitzvah gift ever. But with each command, the Golem grows…and gets harder to hide. And creepy, unnatural creatures like dybbuks, demons, and a congregation of ghosts have started following Naomi around. To keep herself out of trouble and the Golem out of harm’s way, Naomi gives the Golem well-intended instructions: save the world.
Unfortunately, this leaves more room for interpretation than Naomi thought. Before long, the Golem is wreaking havoc all over Los Angeles, and only Naomi and her friends can stop it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Naomi Teitelbaum doesn't intend to end the world, but when she receives a tiny Golem as an anonymous bat mitzvah gift, chaos ensues. The Golem needs tasks to keep him busy, but he grows with each job he finishes, and it becomes increasingly difficult to hide him from Naomi's sister and moms. Additionally, Naomi's started seeing mysterious beings around her L.A. neighborhood, none of whom appear quite human. She enlists best friends Eitan and Becca, also preparing for their own bar and bat mitzvahs, who opt to give the Golem a meaningful task that's likely take a long time: improving the world by mitigating gun violence, saving wilderness areas, and assisting unhoused individuals. Linking the Golem tradition with a varied array of Jewish folktales, debut author Shanker gives Naomi and her friends—who draw on their varied skill sets and faith in each other—problems to solve, challenges to overcome, and unexpected sources of counsel. Despite a few loose ends, the three tweens are stubbornly realistic even as they grapple with creatures from legend and folklore, and the eventual solution comes from Jewish ethical precepts, as befits those tasked with taking on their roles as adults in the Jewish community. Protagonists cue as white. Ages 8–12.
