Review: Monster Bar Mitzvah
Monster Bar Mitzvah
by Josh Anderson, illustrated by Dustin Evans
Apples & Honey Press (imprint of Behrman House), 2022
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Stacy Nockowitz
Buy at Bookshop.org
Josh Anderson’s slim graphic novel, Monster Bar Mitzvah, presents the story of Eli, one of those kids who can’t seems to get out of his own way. It’s summertime, and Eli is feeling lonely and bored because his older brother Adam is so busy preparing for his bar mitzvah. Every time one of his parents gives Eli a task to help around the house, he gets distracted and messes things up, whether it’s putting together a table, sorting response cards, or simply getting a bag of flour down from a high shelf. Feeling sorry for himself, Eli retreats to his room where he meets one of his stuffed animals come-to-life, a friendly monster named Brisket. Brisket is out to prove to Eli that his summer can still be fun. The story is light on explanations– readers never find out how Brisket becomes animate or why Eli is the only person who can see and communicate with the little monster. But the message of the book, that kids can accomplish a lot if they have the right attitude and believe in themselves, comes through in a low-stakes, good-natured way. The art is brightly colored and lively, with a cartoonish look that 7- to10-year-olds will enjoy.
This book’s title is a bit misleading as Monster Bar Mitzvah isn’t actually about the bar mitzvah boy or the event. Instead, the book uses the impending bar mitzvah as the background for Eli’s antics and what he learns about himself as the summer progresses. It’s a sweet, gentle story set at a busy time in the life of a Jewish family. It would be a welcome addition to any library looking for more graphic novels to hold young readers’ interest.
Josh Anderson’s slim graphic novel, Monster Bar Mitzvah, presents the story of Eli, one of those kids who can’t seems to get out of his own way. It’s summertime, and Eli is feeling lonely and bored because his older brother Adam is so busy preparing for his bar mitzvah. Every time one of his parents gives Eli a task to help around the house, he gets distracted and messes things up, whether it’s putting together a table, sorting response cards, or simply getting a bag of flour down from a high shelf. Feeling sorry for himself, Eli retreats to his room where he meets one of his stuffed animals come-to-life, a friendly monster named Brisket. Brisket is out to prove to Eli that his summer can still be fun. The story is light on explanations– readers never find out how Brisket becomes animate or why Eli is the only person who can see and communicate with the little monster. But the message of the book, that kids can accomplish a lot if they have the right attitude and believe in themselves, comes through in a low-stakes, good-natured way. The art is brightly colored and lively, with a cartoonish look that 7- to10-year-olds will enjoy.
This book’s title is a bit misleading as Monster Bar Mitzvah isn’t actually about the bar mitzvah boy or the event. Instead, the book uses the impending bar mitzvah as the background for Eli’s antics and what he learns about himself as the summer progresses. It’s a sweet, gentle story set at a busy time in the life of a Jewish family. It would be a welcome addition to any library looking for more graphic novels to hold young readers’ interest.
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