There’s nothing quite like an absorbing time-travel story. One can only marvel at the challenge an author faces when constructing a tale that conspires to confuse us and amuse us. In this fun yet message-laden book, two bar mitzvah boys, Finn and Ezra, endlessly relive the day of their bar mitzvahs, à la the movie Groundhog Day. Although their parties were held at the same catering hall, the two boys were previously unacquainted. Neither of them is able to progress to the next day. They are stuck in the same loop, no matter how hard they try to move on.
The boys differ in many ways, but they become friends as they try to figure out what’s happening and devise a plan to escape the frustrating time loop. Finn is the only child of doting parents, while Ezra feels lost within a sea of siblings. Ezra comes from a more traditional Jewish background, while Finn’s family adheres to a more secular lifestyle. They each stretch and grow as they learn more about each other’s life. Their mutual understanding and empathy eventually put a stop to the bar mitzvah time loop.
Funny and well written, this fast-paced novel will win over many readers.
Michal Hoschander Malen is the editor of Jewish Book Council’s young adult and children’s book reviews. A former librarian, she has lectured on topics relating to literacy, run book clubs, and loves to read aloud to her grandchildren.