At the Bath Book Bash in Bath, Maine, I met some author friends and added a few children’s books to my collection – no surprise.
In author Anna Jordon’s debut middle grade historical novel, SHIRA & ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT, Shira and Esther don’t know each other. But they soon will, thanks to Benny, the hotel bell hop who discovers that Esther has a twin living in the same town.
Formatted as a stage play with an overture (introduction), three acts (chapters), and a curtain call (glossary of Yiddish words), the book invites the reader into the different worlds of two girls with gumption. Esther longs to study Torah, but her stage star mom urges her to be a performer. Shira dreams of being on the stage, but her father, the Rabbi, urges her to practice for her bat mitzvah. When Benny arranges for the two girls meet, they realize that a little mix up could help them realize their dreams, but can they pull it off? As they get to know each other, and their respective parents, they learn, not only are they each other’s mirror image, they were born in the same hospital on the same night!
A delightful deli man named Morty narrates the story and offers occasional commentary sprinkled with Yiddish, becoming a beloved character himself. Anna Jordan skillfully weaves the girls’ stories together, enabling each one to achieve her dream debut, and sets the reader up for a surprise ending which doubles the satisfaction. A charming read and highly recommended not only by me, but also…
- Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade 2023 (starred review)
- Publishers Weekly Best Middle Grade 2023 (starred review)
- Tablet Magazine “The Best Jewish Children’s Books 2023”