The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family

by Sarah Kapit

Fans of the Penderwicks and the Vanderbeekers, meet the Finkel family in this middle grade novel about two autistic sisters, their detective agency, and life's most consequential mysteries.

When twelve-year-old Lara Finkel starts her very own detective agency, FIASCCO (Finkel Investigation Agency Solving Consequential Crimes Only), she does not want her sister, Caroline, involved. She and Caroline don't have to do everything together. But Caroline won't give up, and when she brings Lara the firm's first mystery, Lara relents, and the questions start piling up.

But Lara and Caroline’s truce doesn’t last for long. Caroline normally uses her tablet to talk, but now she's busily texting a new friend. Lara can't figure out what the two of them are up to, but it can't be good. And Caroline doesn't like Lara's snooping—she's supposed to be solving other people's crimes, not spying on Caroline! As FIASCCO and the Finkel family mysteries spin out of control, can Caroline and Lara find a way to be friends again?

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Disability, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Fiction, Contemporary, Jewish

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2021

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am giving this new middle grade novel high marks for several reasons: 1) Two main characters on autism spectrum. 2) Strong family setting. 3) Window into Jewish family with immigrant relatives (Touching on both Sephardic and Ashkenzi ethnic divisions). 4) Information on celebrating both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Lara is the older sister and Caroline is right behind her. They are both going back to school and it is Caroline's first year in middle school. While Lara is able to communicate verbally, Caroline uses a tablet. Lara is understandably protective of Caroline and wants her to be treated well by her peers. When Caroline makes a new friend who enjoys playing pranks, it is interesting to see how few people suspect Caroline of being involved. Along with Caroline's friend dilemma and wanting to steer away from mischief, we have some family pressures building. When it all boils over for Lara, she has a mess to clean up. I loved seeing her work through that with some deserved angst and hard work. There is not one overriding mystery to solve in this book, but rather small daily mysteries within the household: Why did Dad burn the brisket? Why is big brother Noah riding a bus the opposite direction from home? among others. Definitely does have a Penderwick and Vanderbeeker feel to it. Would like to see more of the Finkel Family.

Thank you to Dial Books (Penguin Publishing) and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade authors are doing The Most for autism rep in books right now and I could not be more thankful for them if I tried. I don't know if I've ever read a book with not one but two well-rounded autistic lead characters, especially ones who weren't autistic in the same way--it is a spectrum, after all. I also don't think I've read a book with a nonverbal protagonist since Out of my Mind way back in elementary school. Also, as an autistic person whose father has ADHD (as do I-or, more accurately, I have ADD), I really felt that aspect. I still prefer Vivy Cohen since the ball aspect made it hit home harder (no pun intended) for me, but this was a very good read! I also liked this take on the "middle grade mystery" subgenre, which often requires incredible amounts of suspension of disbelief--they're not solving a murder or theft or anything, but a familial mystery, and I find the feeling of being cut off from knowledge of what's happening amidst your family to be just as scary, especially at Lara and Caroline's ages.

[CW ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really cute! Two autistic sisters work together in their new detective agency, only to find that sometimes life's mysteries are way bigger than the ones we read in the mystery books.

- Follows Lara and Caroline Finkel, two autistic Jewish sisters who start looking into the mysteries in their family - and as consequences begin to cascade, the sisters have to navigate change, new friendships, family, and the challenging thing of owning up to our mistakes.
- I loved that the story explores how that there are different ways people can be autistic, while also being flawed yet loveable characters. A parental figure in the story also has ADHD, and it was actually kinda cool to see on-page ADHD representation for an adult that wasn't framed as something inherently bad or antagonistic in the story.
- I love how the story subverts the mystery inherent in this, showing that sometimes mysteries aren't something straight-forward to be solved, but can sometimes be complex and challenging things that require a lot of work to solve or resolve.

Trigger/content warning: bullying (challenged), ableism (challenged), family conflict and arguments (resolved by the end)

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just going to read a few chapters before bed, but I ended up reading the entire book. This is such a cute middlegrade novel!

The Finkel family is a big, Jewish, neurodivergent family: the dad has ADHD and the two sister are both autistic. This book had representation I've never seen before: the two autistic sisters both have a POV and one of them is non-speaking and uses a speech device. I also enjoyed reading about the family's Jewish traditions, as the dad was Ashkenazi Jewish and the mum, and her sister and niece who lived with them, were Sephardic Jewish, and the book delved into the differences between those.

I think a lot of people reading this will pick up on Caroline, the non-speaking sister, being autistic, but maybe not so much on Lara, the other sister being autistic as well. As an autistic person, I thought the rep was really well written and I loved seeing two characters who are both autistic in their own different ways. They were both well-rounded, flawed characters who go through a lot of character development. What I appreciated most about the autistic rep in Lara was that the way she dealt with conflict, and resolving it, was just... profoundly autistic and I found it very relatable.

[rue mortensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’ve never read a book that included such good autism rep 💛 i felt like the characters were relatable and just….. real. they didn’t feel cliche— they just felt like normal kids (who are neurodivergent). i loved how the ND rep was treated as normal 🥰 i’ve never seen that in a book, so that made me smile (:

the writing style and the storyline felt a bit….. idk…. young? but that might just be because i’m not in the target age range 😂

(brain fog made this review a bit….. off— i’m so sorry. i’ll try to edit it to make more sense in the future 💛)

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autism and Jewish rep, all in one book. As others have mentioned, this isn't necessarily a traditional mystery story, despite the title, but it's one of the natural shifts and evolutions of family members' relationships to one another (which can definitely feel like a mystery to some kids, I imagine).

I'm so happy that this book exists and can't wait to see what Kapit comes out with next!

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

When Lara Finkel creates her own detective agency (FIASCCO) she couldn't have predicted all that she would discover about her family. Her investigative skills are put to the test with the mysteries of what her sister Caroline has planned with her new friend Micah, why did her father forget to pick them up from school, and what is her big brother up to?

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family is a contemporary middle grade with mystery elements. It centers around family, secrets, mistakes, and forgiveness. Although I had some trouble remembering who's who, I loved having the duo perspectives of the two sisters - Lara and Caroline.

Lara and Caroline happen to be fifteen months apart from each other just like I am with my older brother. They are also both autistic and Jewish. Caroline's autism presents in a way where kids might not be so nice about it. She doesn't speak. Instead, she uses a tablet with a British sounding voice in order for her to seem more grown-up. She's just starting middle school and doesn't appreciate her sister sticking up for her. She wants to be independent. She meets a new friend named Micah, who after Caroline is bullied by another girl, gets roped into pranking her. Caroline is a sweetheart who will also make clear what she thinks around her family. But she also hides behind her feelings especially with Micah as she doesn't want to lose him as a friend. Lara on the other hand wants to be independent but also feels like her cousin from Israel is trying to take away Caroline from her. Lara has always taken care of Caroline so she naturally does so even when Caroline protests. She does some investigating into various family member's secrets which gets her into some trouble. She grows from those mistakes and becomes a better person. I easily cared for both Lara and Caroline. They were both dealing with their own issues and struggling with them. Their stories are perfect for kids who are dealing with changes or coming of age in middle school.

The sisterly and family dynamics are the center of this story. I love family-centered stories and this one was written so well. I particularly liked the character growth and lessons the two sisters learned. I also enjoyed reading about all the various foods from their culture. The father loved experimenting with food. He even made a food I love, Spanikopita, and when it was mentioned it made me want to grab some for myself. The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family is a wonderful story that shows no matter what you can learn and grow from your mistakes and your family will always have your back. Would recommend!

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't a mystery in the typical sense that one would expect. It's more of a family story, with one of the sisters investigating the changes she sees in her siblings and parents. Lara (7th grade) and Caroline (6th grade) both are on the Autism spectrum, but it presents in different ways for each of them. Lara seems to manage pretty well. Caroline uses a voice app on a tablet to talk since she doesn't speak. They both attend the same middle school, along with their cousin Aviva who recently moved in with them from Israel. Caroline finds a new friend at school and makes some questionable choices to keep his friendship. Lara hates the way everyone is changing and starts investigating them, wanting to solve mysteries like her favorite book character. This turns into full on spying. When she uncovers secrets on pretty much everyone, she ends up alienating her whole family. A great book for readers who like school and family drama. Recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

[Sierra Dertinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great #ownvoices book about two sisters who just don’t seem to get each other—they have changed. One sister decides it is worthy enough to investigate, and the other sister is caught up in her new life at middle school. This is a great book to add to any collection who wants to feature sibling struggles, forgiveness, friendships, a Jewish family (Ashkenazi and Sephardic), and a neurodiverse family (both sisters are autistic with one communicating only via a speech-generating device and the father has ADHD).

[Olivia G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best autism + ADHD rep I've seen in a long time ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harriet the Spy but her whole family is neurodivergent 😂 I loved reading a story that was just FUN, but also had the best written and most empathetic care for autistic and ADHD kids I've read in a while. I laughed, I cried, and best of all, I read a good book.

I'll be buying myself a copy just to read it again!

[Chloë Mali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see why this book came so highly recommended to me! This is a fairly typical middle-grade book about doing something you shouldn't, the consequences of that, and how to make an apology. And the main characters just so happen to be autistic as well. I think this is pretty perfect autism representation. Lara and Caroline's differences are acknowledged, but accepted (at least, the way the book is written- there are some minor sub-plots showcasing the people in their lives that do not understand what being autistic means). Almost the entire Finkel family is neurodivergent in some way, including cousin Aviva, and that is regarded as perfectly normal. While I do love books that address the autistic experience deeper than this book did, I think we absolutely need more books like this, and I think this book was written perfectly for the target age-range.
Also, yay for Jewish representation as well!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute and full of wonderful neurodivergent representation. You've got these two sisters who are both autistic but autistic and different ways and I really appreciated that the most in this whole story. I loved that they were able to just exist and it also helps showcase how much of a spectrum autism is.

The dad is also nerdivergent and has ADHD which is always fun representation for me.

It's been a few weeks since I read this and so I'm a little bit foggy on the details but I do remember enjoying it and it's one that I would recommend especially to autistic people and as a general book for middle school and young adult readers.

[Aashi Killa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well thought out, and inclusive. It has a family with members with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. It makes people without those feel more grateful and appreciative. It makes you think about how hard the lives of those people may be. But they show these people in a way, like they can be extraordinary as well. They have great minds, just as good, even better sometimes as people without neurodevelopmental disorders. This also talks about family, and what they go through during hard times. It's super interesting, and it didn't let me put down the book for 1 minute. I was sad when I finished it, even though I can read more books like this.

[Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation: Characters with autism, character with ADHD
Trigger warnings: Bullying
Score: Six out of ten.

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit was enjoyable but needs improvements.


It starts with Lara and Caroline, who have autism or autistic, but both terms are acceptable. Caroline uses a speech-generating device but Lara does not because Lara can speak. Lara starts a detective agency and is waiting to solve her first mystery. However, Lara leaves Caroline out and it is unclear why.

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family is a balance between a mystery and an exploration of autism. Yet, it leans toward the autism part, with the mystery being in the background. Lara and Caroline are Jewish, and the narrative briefly delves into that but not as much as the aspects about autism. The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family may initially look like a mystery but does not fully commit to that. Additionally, more details about the Jewish aspects would improve the novel.

The writing style is accessible by avoiding purple prose and lacks detailed descriptions, which is appropriate in this case because of the intended younger audience. Also, there are understandable explanations of subjects such as autism and Jewish people.

While most characters are likable, some are not until the end, and all lack general relatability value when more would have helped. Still, Lara and Caroline have some depth and development because of their autism and arcs. Lara and Caroline's father has ADHD but Kapit does not explore that deeply.

The pacing is swift at 300 pages and the conclusion is positive.

[In The Loop About Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: Before I begin my review, I’d like to mention an incident involving the author and a reviewer.

When the book first came out, someone posted their review on Amazon. It wasn’t even a negative or critical review, they were just stating their opinion. The author reached out to this person directly regarding their review. I don’t know what she told them, but it was clear they took their review off Amazon because of what the author said. The reason I bring this up is not to stir the pot, but to bring attention to this author’s behavior. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you want to support this author or not.

Also, this will contain spoilers! If that’s not your thing, please read another review.


3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ An average read, nothing special.

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family centers around 12-year-old Lara, who starts a detective agency called FIASCCO (Finkel Investigation Agency Solving Consequential Crimes Only). She doesn't want her younger sister Caroline to be a part of it since she doesn't feel like they need to do ​everything together. However, Caroline was determined, and she even brought Lara her first case: The Case of the Gross Brisket. Since then, Lara has discovered more secrets about her family, and Caroline is hanging out with a new friend who's up to no good.
I was intrigued when I first found out about this book. Not only were both sisters autistic, but Caroline also used a tablet to communicate. While there were things I loved about it, there were also some areas where I feel like it could've been improved. Let's go over the pros, cons, and autistic representation.

Pros: One thing I loved about this book was the Jewish representation. The narrative used Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to drive home its themes and messages. It was naturally woven into the story, and it didn't feel forced. I especially appreciated the bits where we learn more about Ashkenazi and Sephardic culture. I didn't know much about Jewish culture when I initially read it, and this book helped me learn more about it because it was so informative.
Another thing I liked about this book was how it explored different family dynamics. It was relatable and authentic to how many families act (I mean, I'm sure we've had an annoying little brother before).
Also, I appreciate the book's writing style. It was engaging, and it kept me on my toes.
The last thing I liked about this book was the subplot with Caroline. Throughout the novel, she was desperate to make friends. That's why once she met Michah, it was a dream come true. However, he eventually showed his true colors as the story progressed. It showcased a reality that many autistic individuals face: having trouble with fake friends. Caroline's struggles rang true for me, and it felt relatable.
While there are many aspects that I loved about The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family, there were also some things that bothered me about it. Let's go over the cons.

Cons: There are a few aspects of the story I didn't appreciate as much. One was how a lot of the characters felt underdeveloped. Like Lara and Aviva, for instance. Sure, we know that Lara is a detective and that she's nosy about her family, but the book doesn't explore who she was outside of that. And we knew even less about Aviva than we did Lara. We knew she and her mom moved in with the Finkels from Israel, but it was never explained why. Was it because of the war, and they needed to go somewhere safer? And who was Aviva's dad? These questions weren't answered in the book, which only removes the depth from Aviva's character.
Another thing I didn't like was how the story ended. Typically, whenever you have a standalone novel, you're supposed to tie up any loose ends and resolve most of the character arcs. But here, the ending felt abrupt, and there are still mysteries surrounding the characters. While Lara made amends with her family members after the way she behaved on Rosh Hashanah, we still don't know if FIASCCO got a case that wasn't related to her family. And we're not even sure if Lara made any friends to help her with her new business. Speaking of friends, we know that Caroline started talking to another girl after her friendship with Michah ended. However, this girl was unnamed, so we're uncertain of who she was.
This brings me to my last point. It was unclear if Lara and Caroline had an arc in the story. If they did, it goes unresolved. Caroline and Lara didn’t change from the beginning of the story to the end. The only thing Lara did was make amends with her family, but Caroline still feels bad about herself. Which brings me to the autistic representation.

The Representation: As an autistic person, this book is a mixed bag for me. For starters, it does have its strengths. Lara and Caroline aren’t your stereotypical autistic characters. They aren’t interested in planes or trains, and their experiences rang true to me. Also, Caroline using her tablet to communicate is a huge deal! AAC users are rarely represented in literature, so it’s refreshing to see that in a book. It also showcases how autism is a spectrum with Lara not needing to use AAC.
However, what weakens the neurodivergent representation is this story’s bad case of TELLING rather than SHOWING. For instance, we are told that everyone (except for Noah) in Lara and Caroline’s family is neurodivergent. Such as their dad having ADHD, and based on their behavior, I presume that Aviva is autistic while Benny has ADHD. Yet, their neurodivergent traits are rarely SHOWN to us. If they didn’t mention the dad having ADHD in the book, there would’ve been no way to know about it. The same can be said for Benny and Aviva. The only reason I suspected she was on the spectrum was because of her hand flapping, and other context clues. And for Benny, it mentioned that he was hyperactive and that he struggled to pay attention to things. It would’ve felt more impactful if the story explored how Aviva felt about moving to a new country, especially as an autistic person.
Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, Caroline felt bad about herself throughout the story. She wanted to be like the “normal” kids who didn’t need to use AAC. However, her negative views on using her tablet to talk aren’t challenged in the book. This not only diminishes her character development, but it tells readers that if they’re nonverbal and need to use AAC, they should feel bad about it. Which is not the message that you’d want to send to readers, especially considering the dearth of representation of nonverbal individuals.
Now, let’s move on to the conclusion.

Conclusion: Overall, The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family was an average book. While it had strong Jewish representation, it lacked in terms of character development and growth. If you want to read about a Jewish family with neurodiverse characters, this book may be for you. However, don’t expect this to be a particularly riveting story.
Thank you for reading, and God bless!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by saying that I have a grandson who is on the Autism spectrum who is 19 years old, has Asperger's, and is very intelligent and high-functioning. When I read the blurb for this book and I could use it for a challenge, I wanted to really wanted to read it even though its genre is children/young adults. This little book is a wonderful tool for young people to learn about differences in people and being more tolerant of others.

Sisters Lara and Caroline are both on the Autism spectrum, Lara is speaking but Caroline uses a tablet to talk because she is mute. There are other family members who are also neurodivergent. They happen to be a Jewish family, so the reader also learns about Jewish traditions which is a plus in my book. I am not Jewish but have heard of certain holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, but don't know much about them. I enjoyed learning about how Autism presents itself differently in each person living with this diagnosis. Kapit does a really good job illustrating Autistic life in a way that young people will understand and hopefully learn to appreciate differences in others.

In addition, don't think if you read this book you'll get a good mystery; however, you'll get a good read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while for The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family to hit its stride, but once the plot gets moving, I enjoyed Lara and Caroline's adventures in middle school and life. The book has great Jewish rep where the characters and settings are thoroughly Jewish without making religion the point of the book. I loved the dramatic Rosh Hashanah dinner scene. I also really appreciated how the end of the book isn't perfectly tidy--there's a bittersweet moment for Caroline which establishes her growth but is a bit sad. Life is like that, and it's good to show that in books.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very different from what I was expecting; it was more of a middle grade family drama than a mystery.

Things I liked:
-the best aspect
-the theme of forgiveness and making amends
-the neurodivergent characters; I don't have personal experience with it, but from the reviews, it seems pretty accurate
-the plotline/friendship with their cousin

[Aquari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had this book when I was twelve. I was literally Lara when I was twelve so reading someone so relatable makes me happy. Also this was just so cute. Even if you don’t read middle grade I would recommend this book.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of the sister detectives in this story have autism, but they are as different as can be! Can they solve a variety of family mysteries without ruining their sisterly bond?

[M.T. DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so adorable and heartwarming. If you want a feel-good story about sisters and family, read this.

[Danni Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this lovely #ownvoices story about a Jewish family with a variety of neurodivergencies represented. I loved it!

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cute read! Also a nice surprise that it's set around the High Holidays, so very seasonally appropriate as well.

CW: bullying, ableism

[A.R. Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've seen this book shelved in a few places as a mystery. To be clear this is not a mystery novel. This delightful middle grade family drama follows a pair of autistic sisters: 12 year old Lara and 11 year old Caroline. It switches POV between the two girls.

Lara is an amateur detective who soon finds herself investigating her own family members and uncovering some unexpected secrets. Meanwhile Caroline is starting middle school and wanting more independence from her older sister.

As an autistic person, I really appreciated the autistic representation in this story. This is the first time I've read a book about a non-speaking autistic person and it was very exciting to see Caroline portrayed as a nuanced character who has to deal with being stereotyped based on the fact that she is non-speaking. I also appreciated all the little references to neurodivergence such as characters stimming and references to other family members being neurodivergent.

This line particularly struck me: "She always found it comforting to see her movements, so often mocked by other kids, in other people. In that way she was definitely lucky to have her family. As far as Caroline could tell, not being autistic of having ADHD was weird for the Rosanes-Finkel family."

This book was also interesting to me learning a bit more about Judaism. I really appreciated being able to read a book about a Jewish family. I also liked the way it was tied into the story with the emotional climax of Lara's story taking place on Rosh Hashanah and how a sermon at synagogue affected Lara's choices in the resolution.

Overall I found this to be a charming and delightful book about family and forgiveness. I would recommend this novel to all readers especially younger ones, autistic or not.

[Brandi Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as an eARC via Netgalley. (Note: I was contacted by the author directly, because she did not like my review, just a warning.)

This is a book about a Jewish family who is also neurodiverse, with both Autistic and ADHD family members. Note, I am not Jewish, but I am neurodiverse, as are all the members of my family, so I definitely viewed it heavily through that lens. I would not consider this an actual mystery novel, it is more a relationship dynamics novel.

Pros:
Diversity! I liked the fact there are interesting facts about Jewish holidays that can educate kids in an entertaining fashion. I also love that this book doesn’t vilify Autism and ADHD, but also doesn’t fall into over done savant tropes. Those are some great positives about this book, that kids need to read! Overall, I thought the book was cute and a pretty entertaining read.

Cons:
As much as I feel a little two faced saying so, the Autism portrayal started rubbing me the wrong way. The main thing is the constant “hand flapping”. While hand flapping is definitely a way Autistic people stim, it’s also one of the most stereotypical ones and there are so many other ways for Autistic people to stim. In a book that celebrates neurodiversity, I would have liked to see more variety to the representation of Autism here. I felt like the author did a much better job showcasing Judaism in a more fluid, less stereotypical way than the Autism.

As a whole, I do view this book as a positive step toward better representation for neurodiverse people! I just have to give my full, honest review.

[Noa Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Many Mysteries of The Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit is a chapter book written for 8–12-year-olds. I found this book by researching realistic fiction books that discuss ability inclusion. This book was review also reviewed by Kirkus Reviews. I listened to this as an audiobook that I rented through the app Libby.

The Many Mysteries of The Finkel Family tells the story of a Jewish family with four children. The two daughters are one year apart, and they both have autism. In addition, their dad has ADHD. One of the daughters, Caroline, is nonverbal and communicates with a tablet with a speaking app. The audiobook also used a digital tone when Caroline spoke, which made the experience more realistic. Her sister, Lara, is verbal and passionate about finding something she is good at. She decides to start a detective agency for solving mysteries and crimes. The story discusses how Lara tries to solve mysteries along with Caroline's new experience in middle school. Together they discover a wide range of secrets in their family. Along the way, they both experience different challenges. Overall, I enjoyed this book! I thought they did a great job of weaving in specific parts of the Jewish cultures throughout the story without making it the main focus. I also enjoyed the storyline.

The author, Sarah Kapit, has autism and is Jewish. As a result, she brings an authentic perspective to different aspects of this book. In several interviews, Kapit also discusses the effort she put in to accurately describe Caroline's experience of being nonverbal. She mentioned that she had people who also had autism and were nonverbal read the book before it was published and provided feedback to further its authenticity.

One thing that concerned me about this book was how the dad was described as being disorganized and as someone who struggles with getting things done. While these are true symptoms of ADHD, the story involves the dad losing his job because of them. Considering how prevalent ADHD is, I thought this reinforced the disorder's struggles rather than how one can be successful. I could see this being a more harmful "mirror" for children with ADHD than a positive one.

I could see this book being used in a third-fifth-grade classroom. It's at a 670 Lexile Level, so it can be read around the end of 3rd grade for on-grade-level readers. This text would be great for practicing fiction skills in upper elementary. For example, there are many opportunities to make predictions, and students could practice grounding their ideas and predictions with evidence. There are also many themes in this story that students could practice identifying. In addition, there is a big focus on the characters in this book. Students in all three grade levels could work on identifying character traits, character changes, and other characterization parts throughout the story.

[Gregory Butera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lara and Caroline are two middle-school age sisters in a family with four kids, two parents, an Aunt and a cousin who all live together, in a story about transgression and forgiveness. This book was so good. Many of the reviews are praising the book for the portrayal of characters on the autism spectrum, and I too give the author super high marks for that. The funny thing is I didn't even notice that part about the book on the jacket...I was just looking for another fun middle school book with a fun mystery story, like The Vanderbeekers or Winterhouse which we have already read, that I could read with my daughter (who happens to be neurodivergent but not in the same way the characters are...it was still awesome to read these characters in print like this!) and then we got the surprise when their descriptions were talking about some of the behaviors like hand movements and being affected by sudden loud noises, and got to talk about some of my daughter's friends in class having those kinds of issues too. The book also does a really good job of talking about how religion was important in this family, and the differences between Lara's family with an Ashkenazi Jewish background and the Sephardic side of the family as Aunt Miriam and cousin Aviva who used to live in Israel and now live with them come from that background. This story was a pleasure to read. The children made the kinds of decisions and omissions that children make because they are unable to put into words what they are feeling, or unable to understand so they just do or say nothing and try to avoid an issue. Not so Lara, a determined solver of mysteries, even when learning what happened and sharing it with everyone will hurt those around her. The story nicely ties in the ideas of forgiveness and making amends in a way that I think most children, even some younger than the middle age audience targeted by this book, could understand.

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it).

I have to admit, I went into this book being grumpy about it. Why you ask? Because every year our public library does a "Battle of the Books" competition where students spend the year reading 10 books and then they have a game show like competition where each team tries to prove them remember more about the books. Ever since I've been a school librarian, the Battle of the Books books have been from the list of our state's book award nominees (Black Eyed Susan award). This year, the public library added this book, which is not a Black Eyed Susan nominee, to the Battle of the Books list because "there wasn't enough Jewish representation within the other books." I appreciate that as I am Jewish but it was annoying to me that now I was going to have to purchase this non-Black Eyed Susan book for my students when I had already purchased all the Black Eyed Susan nominees.

Anyway... I say all that so you know how good the book is being my grumpiness about it wore off so quickly! I love not only the Jewish representation in this book but the neurodiversity (ADHD, Autism) and the POV of a immigrant.
The book is told from alternating view points of the two sisters in the family (both on the Autism Spectrum). The one sister does not communicate verbally but instead has an tablet to communicate. My school has a program with many students who communicate this way so I'm so excited to be able to include this book in the collection.
I think the book has pretty realistic events and interactions. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that one of the sisters, Lara, was kind of a brat and got on my nerves a lot.

I would highly recommend the audiobook verison as the narrator does some accents for the family that is from Israel and you get to hear the robot voice that Caroline's talker uses.

[Enne]

I went into this not knowing much about it and not really expecting much either, but I ended up having a really fun time with it! I really like books that center around complex family dynamics (as you are probably well aware if you have been here for longer than like,,, five seconds gkhdfgd) and this one did just that!

I especially liked that it was focused around the relationship between the two sisters and that we got to hear from both of them throughout the story! The central driving force in the novel is really the conflict between the two sisters and while there are other stressors adding to it, too, the focus always remains on the two of them. I really liked the exploration of the more messy aspect of being siblings because I feel like it was done in a way that was really easy to relate to and sympathize with.

I also really liked the family dynamic as a whole!! I like messy families! Families that keep secrets from each other and hurt each other and fight with each other and say things they can’t take back, but that are comprised of people who, at the end of the day will always care for and love each other. And I know that it sounds like I’m describing all families but the way this book explores that messiness and leans into it and focuses the narrative around it made me relate to the story very much!! Because most families are far from perfect and I feel like this book really encapsulates that.

In conclusion, I really love reading books about messy family and sibling dynamics! And if you’re a fan of middle grade books in that vein, I think you’re really going to enjoy this one!

content warnings: bullying
rep: Jewish autistic MCs, SC with ADHD, Jewish SCs

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Unraveling the mysteries in the Finkel family keeps Lara occupied and has turned her into a snoop and a spy. It has also damaged her relationship with her sister, Caroline. Readers see the struggles from both sisters' views. The mysteries really are secrets that family members are keeping for a wide variety of reasons. Several members are on the Autism spectrum or have ADHD. It's delightful to see this treated matter of factly and not have it be the main focal point of the story. Kapit created a story about middle school concerns that happens to include characters who are neurodiverse. Readers see them cope with this and see the issues it creates for them and also see how a family simply lives life together. They have the usual spats and discussions that take place in many homes; Caroline simply uses a machine to communicate as she is nonverbal. She makes some less than ideal choices in her first weeks as a sixth grader and learns from them. Unfortunately, Lara releases all of her frustrations and anger during their Rosh Hashanah and wounds most of her family - her sister, both brothers, her cousin, and most importantly, her dad. Learning to regain their trust and forgiveness completes the storyline as she seeks forgiveness from each.
Readers will identify with the characters and understand the emotions and stresses faced by families. They will feel like they are also sitting at the table or in the classrooms with Lara and Caroline.