Release: January 5th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Source: Amazon
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo.
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From author Amanda Panitch comes The Trouble with Good Ideas, a hilarious middle-grade novel with a magical twist about a girl, a golem, and her ailing grandfather, perfect for fans of The Fourteenth Goldfish.
Twelve-year-old Leah Nevins is NOT a fan of change.
So when her parents start whispering about sending her beloved great-grandpa Zaide to an assisted living facility, she is very resistant. Zaide’s house, where her family gathers on Saturday afternoons, is the only place where Leah feels like she truly belongs. Sending Zaide away would change everything.
Luckily, Leah remembers a story Zaide once told her about building a golem. It is about a creature from Jewish mythology made out of clay to protect their family from the Nazis in Poland. So, Leah decides to make a golem of her own to look after Zaide. The directions he gave her were pretty easy to follow. But there is one thing he never told her: what to do when a golem turns against its creator.
About the Author:
Amanda Panitch spent most of her childhood telling stories to her four younger siblings to make them laugh and scare them.
She grew up next to an amusement park in New Jersey and went to college in Washington, DC.
She now resides in New York City, where she works in book publishing by day, writes by night, and lives under giant stacks of books. Here she writes dark, funny stories for teens, kids.
You can follow her on Twitter @AmandaPanitch, and visit her online at www.amandapanitch.com.
The Trouble with Good Ideas Review:
“The Trouble with Good Ideas” is a neat middle-grade novel with a touch of magic that I enjoyed reading.
There are many aspects which I enjoyed about this book. Firstly, I loved how the author focused importance on the Jewish culture and traditions. I had not heard of some terms like the Haggadah earlier. Moreover, the story of “The Golem of Prague” fascinated me. Secondly, I admire the author for how she handled the anti-semitism part of the story with Leah and Isabella.
The author also has a beautiful style of writing, where she changes the tone of the story. Some scenes made me laugh aloud, in the outrageous fibs Elsa comes up with about her family. And some scenes unnerved me, especially towards the end, where you didn’t know what Elsa would do. The author paced the story very nicely, where there was never a dull moment at any point. She also touches on the effects of Alzheimer’s profoundly and realistically.
Moreover, the characters are interesting and well-written. Leah is excellent in the lead. She has insecurities about her looks, especially her big nose. As the story progresses, you see how she starts to realize that looks and popularity don’t matter as much as family and true friends. Similarly, I loved her relationship with her great-grandfather. Zaide and Leah share a beautiful relationship, and I loved how she did her best to help him. Zaide’s backstory is impressive, especially with the scenes revolving around the Holocaust. Similarly, Elsa and Isabella are entertaining in the negative role. Although Elsa is terrible, I hated Isabella more because people like her exist in reality.
Overall, I enjoyed reading “The Trouble with Good Ideas” and recommend it to people in the mood for a middle-grade with magical-realism.
