Honey and Me

by Meira Drazin

Fans of Judy Blume, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, and The Penderwicks will love this funny, charismatic story of a Jewish girl striving to forge her own identity in the shadow of her fearless best friend. Winner of the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award!​​​​​​​

To Milla Bloom everything seems easy for her best friend, Honey Wine. Milla envies Honey’s confidence, her charm, and her big, chaotic, loving family — especially when they provide a welcome escape from Milla’s small family and their silent house. The two friends do everything and go everywhere together. So when Honey joins Milla’s school for sixth grade, why is it not as great as Milla expected? Will she ever find the courage to step out of Honey's shadow and into her own spotlight? Set in a modern Orthodox Jewish community in an American suburb, Honey and Me follows Milla and Honey through the course of sixth grade, and the holidays of the Jewish calendar, as they encounter dramas large and small: delivering meals to their unpredictable elderly neighbor, trying to impress the most popular teacher, accidentally choosing the same topic for their school's public speaking contest, going to their first bat mitzvahs and studying for their own, and so much more. When tragedy strikes close, Milla must learn to define her own strengths and find confidence. Her relatable struggle — filled with honest and tender observations — comes together to form a classic coming-of-age story that is funny, wise, and authentic.

Genres: Middle Grade, Jewish, Friendship, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Childrens, Contemporary

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2022

Reviews

[Lisa Bernstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! It allows Orthodox Jewish middle school girls to see themselves represented in a novel that is accessible to their non-Jewish (and non-Orthodox) peers. It depicts diversity within the Orthodox Jewish community, universal middle-school girl challenges, and includes acknowledgment of challenges that different families face including infertility and children with Autism. The story is engaging and the characters feel real. Hebrew and Yiddish expressions that are part of every-day life and language of people who identify Jewishly are both explained within the novel and are defined in a glossary in the back of the book. Like "All of a Kind Family" depicted the life of Jewish girls in America in the early 1900's for a general audience, "Honey and Me" depicts the life of contemporary Orthodox Jewish girls for a general audience. A must read!

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Follows two Bat Mitzvah age young women who are friends throughout the year. Deals with issues of school, teachers, friendship, family, tradition, values, belonging. Absolutely lovely.

The main two characters, Mila and Honey, are both being raised by Orthodox Jewish families and are part of the Orthodox Jewish community. What I love about this book is how normalized that is. I'm so used to books where the Jewish community is either painted as extremist, or it is painted as tired, stultifying, dead, out of touch (like is done in Color Me In by Natasha Diaz). What is shown here is a lively, warm, loving community.

Not everything is perfect. Both Mila and Honey push back against some of the gendered restrictions, and seek to find a way to have a meaningful relationship with Judaism and their communities and families. I love how the characters speak like the Modern Orthodox people I know, using Hebrew words for Jewish concepts. I also love that feminist institutions within orthodoxy, such as a Women's Megillah Reading, or a Partnership Minyan, are mentioned.

Highly Recommended!

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in a single day and it felt like being wrapped up in a warm hug. I would fight to the death for Milla, Honey, and their community. I love them all so much. This was such a beautiful, slice-of-life story about two Modern Orthodox girls experiencing a shift in their friendship as they adjust to life attending the same school for the first time ever. This book will help so many readers feel seen, and it also offers non-Jewish readers a window into the lives of characters who may be different from them but are no less deserving of respect and empathy.

I seriously loved this book and I can't wait to see what Drazin writes next.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book this long for middle grades, I would expect a whole better representation of the cultural diversity. I am not an expert but I want to know more what the story and the characters are truly trying to represent. The writing is good. I am telling you there’s no doubt about it and I am going to read every book coming from the author.

My only issue is that I wanted a deeper dive into the topics brought up in the story. The family, the friends and the school environment: I wanted better interactions and communication between the younger characters as well as with the adult ones. As much as I was ready to love this book till the end, the second half seemed to deal with the plot in a rather surface level manner which I feel has a lot of potential.

However, if you want to start reading middle grade books you can start with this one if you don’t mind a longer one. I really appreciate how character driven this book is.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an unexpected delight! I loved the insights into a Modern Orthodox Jewish community, especially around the differences in bat mitzvahs from what you more commonly see from Reform/Conservative/Reconstructionist communities. Milla and Honey are both wonderfully three-dimensional, and the ways their relationship changed throughout the book felt very honest and more nuanced than what seems like the typical middle grade book friendship troubles. An underrated gem!

CW: death, sexism, discussions of infertility/difficult pregnancy

[Sarafina]

*DNF*
This book is actually really cute but since it’s not my age target I’m having just a little bit of trouble staying interested in it.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 ALA Sidney Taylor middle grade Honor book

In her author notes, Meira Drazin states that growing up in a Modern Orthodox Jewish family she never saw herself represented in the book she read. Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind-Family series set in the early 1900s was the closest she came to seeing a similar observant, Jewish family and home and later in the adult novels of Chaim Potok pre-and post World War II. Predominantly the only religious Jews she saw were in all of the holocaust books she read over and over. As the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors, she realized that the May vast majority of books, show Jews in the past or as victims of persecution. When her own children began to read some of her childhood favorites, she is a children’s book author, wondered if she could write similar books showing the every day life of contemporary Jewish characters. That was the beginning of the partially biographical, Honey and Me.

11 year olds, Milla and Honey are best friends. Outgoing Honey, the middle of seven children in her big boisterous family that feels like the home that Milla wants rather than the quiet solemn house that is only her critical mother and joking father and little brother. Milla and Honey do everything together but Milla’s mother worries, when Honey and her younger siblings, transferto the same Orthodox day school that Mila goes to, for all too often, Mila is in the shadow of Honey’s confident and competitive nature. Preparing for their bat mitzvahs, going shopping, sharing friends in school, becomes awkward when both Milla and Honey unknowingly choose the same topic for a public speaking contest, and it becomes a competition between two best friends and their differences. The honest representation of emotions, worries, angst of growing up and coming of age, particularly in orthodox Jewish community, are invaluable to a young population that rarely see themselves represented in the books they read.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book stole my heart. HONEY AND ME is a touching and insightful story of friendship and family, and a beautiful glimpse into what it’s like to live in a modern orthodox Jewish community. I learned so much about the deeper meaning of Jewish holidays, and how ritual observance is interwoven with the fabric of daily life. This book is a true celebration of Judaism that kids of all backgrounds should enjoy.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Milla and Honey have been friends for a long time, and there families spend a lot of time together sicne they attend the same synagogue. When Honey transfers to Milla's school because her mother wasn't happy with the education her autistic brother was receiving, Milla isn't as happy as she expected to be. Honey is better in school and apparently better at making friends, so the two are a bit at odds. There are plenty of other things going on in Milla's 6th grade year, however, including preparing for her bas mitzvah and for a speech competition. She likes her new teacher, Mr. Sandler, who likes some of the same books that Milla likes and is supportive of her aspirations. There are a lot of parties to attend, and Milla and her mother have a big difference of opinions when it comes to issues like the dresses she should wear. Like many children in 6th grade, Milla wants the opportunity to have the freedom to make her own mistakes; in one act of rebellion, Milla and Honey go to a local vintage store and buy outfits without asking permission. Milla's Aunt Steph supports her, but is 25 and recently involved with a man in the community, which makes Milla's mother happy, because she thinks that 25 is getting a bit old not to be married. As the school year continues, there are celebrations, school events, some sad occurences, and changes in the way that Milla relates to both her mother and to her best friend.
Strengths: This had a great mix of family and friend drama with a lot of Jewish culture and tradition mixed in. There aren't too many books with children who attend religious schools, so seeing the classes that Milla and Honey took was interesting. Milla's conflict with her mother was realistic; the arguments over what is an appropriate dress for her bas mitzvah will speak to a lot of readers who can't get their mothers to understand that styles have changed since their mothers were young! A community death is handled well, and Milla and Honey are able to resolve their differences in a productive way. I appreciated the glossary at the back.
Weaknesses: This was more character driven than a lot of middle grade books, and follows the standard plot of progressing through the school year.
What I really think: There have been a lot of books lately with 6th grade protagonists that strike me as being written primarily for younger students. I'd love to see more middle grade books with 8th or 9th grade characters; even with the exact same plots and character exchanges, my students would be more apt to pick up books with older characters. This seemed a bit on the young side, although I can see my students picking this up because of the cover and hoping for a romance between the girls. I would buy this for an elementary school but will pass for my middle school.

[Uri Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator of this middle grade novel, Milla, describes the ups and downs of her sixth grade year, which starts when her BFF Honey switches into Milla's school, and ends with Milla's bat mitzvah.

Milla gets along fine with her dad and younger brother but finds it hard to deal with her mom, who's convinced she knows what's best for Milla. In contrast, Milla loves hanging out with Honey's welcoming large family. While their families aren't exactly the same kind of frum (halakhically observant), nobody cares. Oh yeah, except for a guest who's taking on more Jewish observance, all the characters are Orthodox. (Compare Aviva vs. the Dybbuk).

Milla and Honey's friendship is tested more than once, but holds firm. And Milla, while at first wrapped up in her own wants and needs, gradually derives wisdom from several women in her life – her hippy/crunchy aunt, an inspirational speaker from England, and a cranky old lady who turns out to be a fan of Milla's favorite book series. Even Milla and her mom end up closer than they were.

The end of the book includes a glossary of all the Hebrew and Yiddish terms, as well as an Author's Note about the representation of the Orthodox in children's books.

Honey and Me won the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award and was published by Scholastic. It's pretty good!

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful middle grade book is a slice of life story featuring two young Modern Orthodox Jewish girls during their first year of middle school. Honey and Milla have been best friends since preschool playgroup. As they approach adolescence, they are growing and exploring who they are and who they will grow to be. This story shows the angst of impending teen years, the normal problems with family expectations and changes in friendship that any middle schooler can appreciate.

This award winning book is important because it provides representation for young Modern Orthodox Jews. When the author was growing up, she found that most Orthodox Jewish represtentation was Holocoust related. Normalized representation was few and far between. By having each chapter during a different Jewish holiday, we get a "year in the life of " view. The families use Hebrew and Yiddish terms sprinkled throughout their conversation. But the author gives definitions or context clues as you read. I only knew some of these words, but found no need of the glossery provided in the afterward.

I recommend this novel for any Jewish youngster seeking protagonists that they can identify with. But the themes of friendship and family are universal and will appeal to any middleschooler. Librarians and teachers seeking diversity will want to add this book as well.

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! All throughout I kept thinking that if Beverly Clearly were a 21st century Orthodox Jew, her books would look something like this.
I feel like it's been a while since I read a good, solid friendship book for the middle grade crowd… I love those stories, like many of Cleary's, for example, that portray the ways that friendships can grow and morph over the years—or even over a short time—and the ways they change us. Honey and Me is an insightful, hopeful book about friendship and the growing up that happens in the middle school years, told from the viewpoint of an Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles with living in her best friend's shadow.
Even though I'm a Catholic and not a traditional Jew, I laughed at the many similarities between Milla's and Honey's upbringing and my own! (Admittedly, my own life today looks a bit like the hectic but loving home of Honey and her six siblings, so perhaps that explains my soft spot as well.)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

11yo Milla is so excited that her best friend Honey Wine will finally be going to school with her this year! Sixth grade will be the best. But then it isn’t. Honey seems to be everything Milla isn’t - she makes friends easier, she’s a better student and Honey’s relationship with her mom seems so much better than Milla’s is with hers. This causes some friction between the girls and they have a huge fight. With so much going on in 6th grade (bas mitzvahs and a speech contest) Milla really needs her best friend by her side.

Plenty of best-friend drama, and lots of Jewish culture. The sections of the stories revolve around the holidays. I loved the growth the girls experienced, and how important their faith and community were to their lives. A great story, but would definitely be more poignant and relatable for Jewish children.

cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the author's note and I admire writing a book about modern orthodox Jewish characters that isn't about suffering. There are a lot of explanations about Jewish customs, and while it's good that people who aren't Jewish can follow the story and learn things, those parts are a little boring if you already know. Although since I'm not orthodox, I did learn some things, especially about orthodox bat mitzvahs. The dialogue between Milla and Honey felt very real of kids that age. But I was interested in some of the adult characters and I wanted to know more about them, but the book is from Milla's perspective, so obviously she wouldn't know that much about what is really going on with the adults.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this middle grade book for much the same reason as the author, Meira Drazin, said in her the author’s notes that she wrote it. Having realized that she had rarely seen characters like herself, growing up in a Modern Orthodox community, in middle grade books. Most books for that age, as high school as well that have Jewish characters are about the Holocaust, and seeing Jews as victims.

The chapters in Honey and Me are unique individuals with fears and strengths, with different personalities and different problems. Over the course of the book, they develop and win over the reader.

There is an excellent glossary at the back with Hebrew and Yiddish words and expressions for those who don’t know their meaning.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this on a Jewish American Heritage Month display at my library and picked it up for the colorful cover ( it seriously looks like orange on the cover and now that I’m done I know why!)

This book is blessedly trauma free, and such a set look into childhood, growing up, fiscal challenges, and learning who you are and the striding ways that the world sees you.

Absolutely love the rotation through the Jewish calendar and the different holidays (with a major look that minor holiday Hanukkah is not mentioned). Loved the Modern Orthodox rep!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww...I am not sure how this one isn't better known. Nice writing, a sweet yet complicated friendship. High quality lit for kids - Milla has a best friend who is one of those kids who is great at everything, from a big family that is beloved by all. What will it be like when she switches schools to come to Milla's school? The book and families in them are not without troubles and conflict, but also very typical. Not quite a coming of age story, just a bunch of decent people doing their best.

Noted at the afterword, a shout out the the Stanleigh family, who also are some friends.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable middle-grade coming-of-age story with themes of friendship, families, dealing with change, and figuring out your own priorities and values.

The author says she wanted to write a story like classic series such as Ramona or the Penderwicks, but with Jewish characters. She also noted how many stories with religious Jewish characters only show older stories or war stories, so she wanted to write one with modern religious Jews in normal life. This is a solid book to add to collections of timeless stories, and is a great introduction to Orthodox Jewish life for kids who aren’t familiar with it.

[Martha Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milla and Honey are best friends. Their families are Modern Orthodox Jews and the girls go to Hebrew day school. They are in 6th grade and prepping for their bat mitzvahs. Milla faces school and friendship challenges and trying to live up to her mother's expectations. The book shows how Modern Orthodox Jews live, celebrate Jewish holidays throughout the year, and pray. Jewish and Hebrew words sprinkled throughout, with a glossary of terms and holidays at the back of the book. A 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor book.

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Meira Drazin, which is the story of the friendship between two tween girls--in itself, not unusual, but set in a Modern Orthodox setting, where the girls go to Jewish day schools, celebrate Shabbat, and are bat mitzvahed during the course of the novel. Hooray for Meira for writing a novel that is not about the Holocaust or a more secular Jewish setting. I hope non-Jewish girls will also pick up this charming book.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it before donating it.

Best for: Tweens.

Very well written. I was shocked when I realized this was the author's first work. Classic coming of age story. A book about friendship, family, finding one's place- all from a distinctly Jewish perspective. Like The Last Words We Said, this is far better than any from book I had access to when I was the target demographic. I can't wait to see what this author writes next.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very reminiscent of a Judy Blume book. I loved that it was a coming of age story but with two Orthodox Jewish girls. It was really realistic with how friends tend to fight a lot when they get to middle school (I speak from experience). If I had one criticism I would say that I wish Milla's mom owned up a bit more to some of the stuff she was doing psychologically and that they delved more into how Honey wanted to revolutionize how to be a woman and modern orthodox.

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 2023 Sydney Taylor Middle-Grade Honor Award-winning novel is the perfect way to start the new year. It tells the story of two best friends and the joys and sorrows they encounter through their bat (bas) mitzvah years, celebrating holidays and life-cycle events. Readers will laugh, cry, and cheer. Heartfelt, hamish, and hopeful, this is an outstanding not-to-be-missed novel for middle school students to grandparents.

[Kaela Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book! Cozy, engaging, wonderfully written, with terrifically crafted characters. I didn't want to put it down and finished it in two evenings. Both Honey and Milla are great characters, and I loved the framing around a year of Jewish holidays. I also loved getting to read about the world of Modern Orthodox Judaism, a culture I don't know at all. 5 stars!

[Chana Stiefel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter of this wonderful book is a lovely, relatable vignette about two Jewish girls during their bat mitzvah year. Their friendship feels rocky, with Milla's insecurities and envy of Honey's confidence and popularity when she joins Milla's school. Much needed positive Orthodox Jewish representation and values flow throughout the story. A must read for all tweens!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book about friendship and family and finding your own identity and place in the world as you get older and familiar, stalwart things begin to change. Most of the characters are Modern Orthodox and that is integral to the story. I love how Hebrew and Yiddish are incorporated into the text, it feels very natural and authentic.

[Brittany Caine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - it was fine. i wonder if i'd have liked it more without the comparison to judy blume? the second half is much stronger than the first half, especially when the book takes time to explain concepts that may be unfamiliar to readers. decently interesting look into modern orthodox judaism

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honey and Me is a middle-grade novel by Meira Drazin. This novel, published in 2022, won the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award, which “recognizes unpublished manuscripts of Jewish fiction targeting ages 8-13”. This story follows two friends, Honey and Milla, who have been friends since they were two years old. They went camping together, went to religious gatherings together, and were the best of friends. When they start middle school, Honey transferred to Milla private Orthodox Jewish school, when her previous private school did not have an appropriate program for her autistic brother. Honey and Milla go through many growing pains of growing up. Milla notices more and more the differences between Honey and herself, from her family life to religious differences as well. Milla’s family is smaller and more well-off and follows more flexibility in their orthodox faith (i.e. going to girl/boy bat mitzvahs), whereas Honey wears hand-me-down clothing and has many more siblings. Throughout the school year, they plan and attend their own bat mitzvahs and participate in their school's speech competition. Small conflicts arise throughout the year, such as what dress they wear to a party to making new friends, which leaves Milla feeling small in Honey’s spotlight. When they both have the same topic for the speech contest, They both work through growing older, trying to find their own place and figuring out who they are as individuals.

I found this book on a Kirkus review book list when trying to find a middle-grade contemporary novel. This one caught my eye because of the Jewish perspective, and I thought a lot of my students (who are of the Jewish faith) might enjoy it too. I decided to listen to this book as an audiobook. I am still learning a lot about Jewish culture, and I found it helpful to hear the correct pronunciations of Hebrew throughout the novel. This novel brought me back to what it felt like to be a 6th grader, and I truly enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to any upper elementary or middle school student. It is a great window into the orthodox Jewish culture and was even written by someone who grew up as an orthodox jew meaning that it is an authentic perspective. I could see this being a great read-aloud book as a shared reading experience. The class could track the characters of Mila and Honey's development throughout the story and how their friendship ebbs and flows.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy and sweet, and a page-turner! It's so easy to sink into Milla's life in a Modern Orthodox Jewish community, and go along with her through the highs and lows of sixth grade as an eleven (almost twelve!) year old girl figuring out who she is and who she wants to be.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated that this story is a contemporary look at a modern Jewish orthodox community and the relationship between two friends whose faith is strong enough to help them confront their personal issues.