Noah is a typical kid trying to get through the seventh grade and his bar mitzvah year. With his best friend, Dash, at his side, and Noah’s crazy sense of humor, things are as good as they can be. The only thorn in his life is his nemesis, Noa, a classmate who shares his name and has been in every class with him since kindergarten. When she winds up with the same date for her bat mitzvah as his, it’s almost too much to bear. Then the unthinkable happens: Dash’s dad, Gil, dies. Gil, the funny dad, the one who watches all the great comedy movies with them, who loves Dr. Pepper and popcorn. In the blink of an eye, he’s gone.
As Noah attempts to connect with and console Dash, he falls back on the one thing that has always worked in the past: humor. When Dash pulls further away, Noah is at a loss. Everything he does, every joke he tells, widens the gap between them.
Author Erica Perl takes us along with Noah on his painful journey from self-absorbed kid to selfless friend in this emotion-packed novel. She tackles sensitive issues surrounding the loss of a loved one — both from the perspective of someone coping with loss, and as a friend to someone suffering a loss. This is a gripping book from start to finish and an excellent read for ages 10 to 14.
Marcia Berneger is a retired teacher who lives with her husband and three crazy dogs. She taught both first and second grade, as well as special education. She currently teaches Torah school, in addition to her volunteer work in classrooms, libraries, and with various fundraisers. She lives in San Diego.
