Review: Noah Green Saves the World

Noah Green Saves the World by Laura Toffler-Corrie, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan

Category: Middle Grade

Reviewer: Sandy Wasserman

Buy at Bookshop.org

For middle graders who missed sleep away camp this year due to Covid, the only thing missing from this book is a bag of marshmallows! Otherwise, this book makes the reader feel and taste the full camp experience; it's FILLED with the yearnings and angst of grade 4-6 summer friendships and almost-friendships at summer camp. With a boy who is not too keen on sports (and would rather be elsewhere) as its main protagonist, the plot twists and turns with his other bunkmates and even a tech savvy grandpa who visits camp and comes to the rescue! Plenty included to attract girl readers, too. This is a kids'-summer-book for the winter; matter of fact, for all year round.

Any child who loves the Jewish camping experience will be thrilled to read this book. In fact, even parents who fondly remember their own Jewish camping sleep-a-way days might sneak this book out of their child’s room so they can reminisce. Camp Challah is the camp for everyone, with many references to Judaism, and Jewish life cycle events. From the title on, 'saving the world' is the intended goal; Tikkun Olam. There's even a counselor who wants to teach Kaballah!

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Reviewer Sandy Wasserman is a retired teacher of Gifted and Talented students, and taught for 35 years in both public schools and at a Solomon Schechter Day School. She's a wife, mother of two adult daughters, and grandmother to two fantastic 'first readers' of her manuscripts. Her published book, The Sun's Special Blessing [2009], was her first serendipitous experience in the publishing world. She loves to read and swim, though not at the same time.