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 ...