The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen

by Isaac Blum

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD!
A WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD WINNER!

The Chosen meets Adam Silvera in this irreverent and timely story of worlds colliding in friendship, betrayal, and the hatred that divides us.

Hoodie Rosen's life isn't that bad. Sure, his entire Orthodox Jewish community has just picked up and moved to the quiet, mostly non-Jewish town of Tregaron, but Hoodie's world hasn't changed that much. He's got basketball to play, studies to avoid, and a supermarket full of delicious kosher snacks to eat. The people of Tregaron aren’t happy that so many Orthodox Jews are moving in at once, but that’s not Hoodie’s problem.

That is, until he meets and falls for Anna-Marie Diaz-O’Leary—who happens to be the daughter of the obstinate mayor trying to keep Hoodie’s community out of the town. And things only get more complicated when Tregaron is struck by a series of antisemitic crimes that quickly escalate to deadly violence.

As his community turns on him for siding with the enemy, Hoodie finds himself caught between his first love and the only world he’s ever known.

Isaac Blum delivers a wry, witty debut novel about a deeply important and timely subject, in a story of hatred and betrayal—and the friendships we find in the most unexpected places.

Praise for The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen:

“A deeply authentic story about the terror and glory of encountering the outside world without sacrificing who you are—and who you want to be. It’s touching, tragic, and as Jewish as your Bubbe’s cholent.” –Gavriel Savit, New York Times bestselling author of Anna and the Swallow Man

“Blum gives the common but often-dismissed spiritual journey of many teens the respect it deserves in this witty, profound look at cross-cultural friendship, courageous honesty, and how a willingness to truly see and love our neighbors can change an entire community.” –Vesper Stamper, National Book Award-nominated author of What the Night Sings

“A refreshingly human look at the day-to-day nuances of Orthodox Judaism and the terror of modern antisemitism. I laughed, I gasped, I craved kosher Starburst. Two thumbs up from this nice Jewish girl!” –Tyler Feder, Sydney Taylor Award-winning author of Dancing at the Pity Party

“Bold, brave, and brutally honest, it holds a permanent piece of my heart.” –Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer

"Isaac Blum has the rare talent of telling searing, visceral truths in a witty, funny, punchy way . . . The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen is a vital voice in Jewish YA canon." –Katherine Locke, Sydney Taylor Honor author of The Girl with the Red Balloon

Genres: Young Adult, Jewish, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2022

About the author

Isaac Blum (he/him) is a writer and educator. He’s taught English at several colleges and universities, and at Orthodox Jewish and public schools. He lives with his wife in Philadelphia where he watches sports and reads books that make him laugh while showing him something true about the world. The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen is his debut novel. You can visit Isaac online at isaacblumauthor.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @isaacblum_

Reviews

[Dahlia]

My official blurb: “The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen is an uncannily insightful and resonant look into a world few of us call home and most never get to see. Bold, brave, and brutally honest, it holds a permanent piece of my heart.”

I have to admit that I'm tremendously not looking forward to reactions from people who have no experience with this world discussing whatever they think is problematic about it, but for me this book was absolutely unreal to see in the best and most uncomfortable way. I did for the most part like Like No Other, and I don't really like to compare books in this way, but this book is what that one should have been and couldn't have been.

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Jewish rep in this book meant so much to me. Prior to transitioning, I attended an Orthodox shul and it was nice to be immersed in that world again, even if I no longer personally feel like there's a place for me within it. Hoodie's voice is so wonderful, so vibrant, so on-point 15-year-old boy in its humor and occasional naïveté. His older sister, Zippy, was also a stand-out. I would drop everything I was doing to read a book from her perspective.

This book covers heavy topics. It was difficult to read at times. The isolation and rejection Hoodie faced during the cherem portion hit me particularly hard, as did the multiple depictions of antisemitism.

But on the whole, this book felt so hopeful, so perfectly Jewish (I especially adored the yeshiva scenes where the boys had discussions about literally every loophole they could think of with respect to rabbinic commentaries), and I am so incredibly impressed Bloom managed to convey all these scenes in the span of only a little over 200 pages. This book deserves every accolade it gets.

[frau.gedankenreich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Streng-orthodoxes Judentum trifft Moderne -
Wenn Lovelybooks keine Leserunde zu diesem Buch veranstaltet hätte, wäre ich sicherlich nicht darauf aufmerksam geworden. Auch in meiner "Bücher-Bubble" bin ich nicht darauf gestoßen, was merkwürdig ist.
An der Qualität des Buches liegt es definitiv nicht, denn die Geschichte um Hoodie, der in einer streng-orthodoxen jüdischen Gemeinde aufwächst, dem der Schuh seines Lebens aber nicht so richtig passt und der sich plötzlich "Fremdenhass" ausgesetzt sieht, hat mich von Anfang bis Ende sehr begeistert.
"Coming of age" - Geschichten lese ich ab und an sowieso ganz gerne, weil sie gefühlt mehr Substanz haben als so manches Buch für ältere Erwachsene. Mit Anfang 20 hört die Entwicklung eines Menschen doch nicht plötzlich auf. Ich mag es nicht, wenn vermittelt wird, dass man ab einem bestimmten Alter ein vollkommener Mensch zu sein hat; angekommen und all diese Dinge.
Deswegen genieße ich diese Art von Literatur. Diese hier lädt zudem noch zum Mitdenken und Diskutieren ein und bleibt über das Beenden des Buches hinaus im Kopf, und das ist mitunter die beste Aussage, die man über ein Buch treffen kann. Mit dem Judentum hatte ich bislang kaum Berührungspunkte, dementsprechend fremd waren mir viele der Begriffe, aber gerade das macht das Buch so unheimlich interessant. Ich habe dazugelernt, meinen Horizont erweitert und hatte Spaß am Humor des Autors, der auf diese Art die perfekte Balance zwischen Schwere und Leichtigkeit geschaffen hat. Große Empfehlung!
- TW allerdings für fremdenfeindlich und rechtsextremisch motivierte Gewalttaten

[Susan Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF HOODIE ROSEN is straight-up hilarious yet deeply profound — like, literally, much of the book is laugh-out-loud funny — and even manages to retain its comic edge after the story takes a tragic turn.

Sixteen-year-old Hoodie is studying the Torah at a yeshiva school in Tregaron, New York, where the locals aren’t too happy that so many Orthodox Jewish families are moving in at once.

At school, the rabbis discourage Hoodie from socializing with non-Jews. Although always ready with a snappy retort, Hoodie has been largely compliant with what has been asked of him by his family, faith, and community — until the morning he meets Anna-Marie Diaz-O'Leary, who just so happens to be the non-Jewish daughter of the mayor blocking Hoodie’s father’s from converting an old commercial building into more housing for the incoming Orthodox community.

With wise counsel from his older sister, Zippy, Hoodie struggles to reconcile the teachings of the Torah with his forbidden feelings for Anna-Marie. What follows is a series of events that seem tragically inevitable but help Hoodie challenge and, finally, truly integrate everything he has been taught — ironically, exactly as his teachers intended.

It’s astonishing how author Isaac Blum manages to convey deeply profound truths about race, religion, prejudice, and the meaning of faith and community in the midst of such sly humor. Honestly, this book feels like an instant classic. Highly recommended.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick a page, any page, and you’ll surely laugh out loud at something. Then brace yourself for deep contemplation. That’s because Isaac Blum has concocted a deceptively blithe romp through the great themes of civilization. Friendship, betrayal, family, tradition, faith, love, hate, violence, tenderness—it all unfolds in the fictive New York town of Tregaron. There amidst the drowsy sidewalks, until Hoodie Rosen and his ultra-Orthodox community recently descended en masse, no Jewish soul had mixed with the culture. Now comes Hoodie not looking for trouble but finding it. Some teens worry about saving their ass. Hoodie Rosen worries about saving a soul to save all of humanity—and whether that soul can be Jewish or gentile. His voice, for all its Hebrew flourishes and otherness, is the voice of the everyyoungman negotiating first romance, defiance and junk food. "The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen" packs a wallop of moral complexity, irony, passion and prose style, and from now on what we talk about when we talk about Jewish young adult fiction in America will need to acknowledge it.

[Bookaholicgroup · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5✨

[Katie | niftyreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa… and my heart grew three sizes. This is a such an important YA read.

Full rtc.

[ੈ✩‧₊˚ faithreads *ೃ༄ (inactive) · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was not what i expected at all...if you're looking for a very religious, confusing, slightly weird book, look no further!! basically, we see Hoodie meet a girl that's not an orthodox Jew (he calls her a gentile, kinda weird🙃), talks to her like three times, decides they're in love, and lays out a plan for them to get married. oh, and they're all of 15 years old😌 so yeah. hoodie was so cringey, and even Anna-Marie was boring. everything about this book was just kinda off. i will say that it was kinda cool to see the very religious things about the Jews, it's cool to learn about new cultures and religion! my biggest thing is that the author seemed very light about the shooting. (sorry, spoiler...) it was big in the moment, but then it became just another plot point. anywayyy, this book is weird and I wouldn't recommend!

Pages: 225
Language: 🤭🤭🤭
TW⚠️: antisemitism, violence
Genre: ya contemporary
Format I read: Hardback (library)
Would I recommend to others: no

[Eva B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoodie is hands down one of my favorite YA narrators and the way this book balances both laugh-out-loud funny moments with a gutwrenching look at antisemitism and Hoodie’s increasingly complicated feelings on religious laws is truly impressive. I also loved the way this book tackled the “manic pixie dream girl” archetype: Hoodie’s love for Anna-Marie clearly reads as one-sided to the reader but of course Hoodie wouldn’t realize that—he’s a fifteen year old boy essentially dealing with his first crush and all of the religious complications that come with it in his case and Anna-Marie’s upbringing is very different from his; of course he takes her spending time with him to be dates and her hugging him to mean they’re together. Anna-Marie’s confession broke my heart just like it broke Hoodie’s but it also made me recontextualize their prior interactions and go “…wait, yeah, he’s definitely reading way too into that” and I liked the shimmer of hope at the end, for at least a potential friendship between the two of them.
Unrelated to the book, I LOVE the style of this cover. Unsure if it's the same artist as Darius the Great Is Not Okay and most of Nina LaCour's YA but it's gorgeous.

[Marah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen was a complete joy to read. The narrative voice is excellent – it’s engaging and clever, and it’s suitable and entertaining for adults and teens alike. I read the entire novel in a day, and found myself chuckling aloud with embarrassing frequency. There is SO much compressed into this small novel – tales of friendship and betrayal, of wrestling with identity and belief, of family and community, of navigating culture and religion, of violence and bigotry, and so much more. And through it all, Isaac Blum somehow manages to strike a perfect balance in tone – the novel is reliably witty and irreverent, but also thought-provoking and important. I can say with certainty that I’ve never read such a genuinely hilarious book that also deals so unflinchingly with contemporary social issues (primarily antisemitism). I can’t wait to read whatever Isaac Blum publishes next!

[Anni K. Mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
Ich fand es toll, etwas über junges jüdisches Leben in den USA zu erfahren. Ich mochte Hoodie sehr, auch seine Schwestern, vor allem Zippy. Manchmal konnte ich nicht sagen, was ernst gemeint und was sarkastisch überzeichnet war. Vor allem Hoodies bester Freund ist mir ein Rätsel geblieben. Da hätte ich mir mehr Tiefe gewünscht.
Das Ereignis gegen Ende war überraschend, aber für meinen Geschmack zu schnell abgehandelt.
Das Buch hätte ein paar mehr Seiten gebrauchen können.
Insgesamt hab ich es aber gern gelesen und bin gespannt auf weitere Bücher des Autors.

[ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this. Hoodie is a sharp, funny, vulnerable narrator and that makes for a great window into a culture that most people have very little knowledge of, let alone firsthand experience with. I think one of the most valuable things about reading a story like that is seeing that we're all fundamentally grappling with the same kind of pains and questions but that they're made unique by the circumstances of our lives and that those circumstances can both hurt and protect us. I don't really understand religious devotion because I wasn't raised in one and my brief forays into cultural, communal religion were largely unpleasant to unremarkable, but I understand the love and safety and comfort Hoodie feels in his community and how the pain of potentially losing it might compel him to shirk his growing questions about the rules he's been taught.

The writing here is just great, narrative voice and pacing, each scene feeling really relevant and necessary, and the characters well-drawn through Hoodie's eye. This is such a close POV even for a first person narrative and it makes the climactic events all that much more impactful, almost claustrophobic, which isn't something I can say I expected from YA, especially one that's also this funny, although that's probably on me. Jewish people know trauma and they know comedy and they're universally better at combining the two than the rest of us. We're so lucky they let us in on the joke sometimes.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5/5

The Life & Crimes of Hoodie Rosen follows young teenage Hoodie who is an Orthodox Jew. When his community is forced to move from their town to the gentile town of Tregaron, they find hostility as they try to find their new normal.

This is a hard book to read because of all the antisemitism, bigotry and hate Hoodie and his community experience in this book. I have no doubt it's realistic, and it hurts to read about it for that reason. Especially as antisemitism has only been on the rise in the US for the last couple years.

One thing that is really amazing about this book is that there is an Orthodox Jewish boy on the cover. Hoodie is visibly Jewish on the cover and that's something we don't always get to see in YA fiction.

This book is mainly a slice of life story about Hoodie's community trying to make Tregaron their new home and Hoodie being a fifteen year old boy. Hoodie has been somewhat sheltered by his community, so when he experiences his first crush on the mayor's daughter, it comes with a lot of confusing feelings for him. Not only that, but Anna-Marie and Hoodie have such vastly different upbringings that colors their understanding of their relationship. The ending was very well done to see how they had both thought of their relationship and the misunderstandings that happened.

This type of book is very much needed in YA. It might not be my favorite, but I know we need more stories like this and that it will be someone's favorite.

[Hasnita Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really well written story that handles some important topics really well. In fact, it’s going to touch a lot of hearts. For some reason, it just didn’t click with me. I could appreciate it, but not enjoy it.

[Liliana Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué libro más hermoso.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A well-meaning book that bit off more than it could chew.

Hoodie Rosen began like the orthodox male version of Derry Girls, and I was living for it. But as the book continues on, it tackles too many complex issues for the amount of space available. When it veers close to a nuanced perspective, the author utilizes straw-man arguments, over the top characters, and deus ex machina to pull away from moral ambiguity and point us to a “right” answer.

I took particular umbrage at a section where a supporting character tells our protagonist that according to the Talmud, a Jew cannot save the life of a non-Jew on Shabbat. This viewpoint is not at all supported by contemporary or historical teachings/practice. I’m not necessarily opposed to extremist viewpoints, if we interrogate those beliefs or it feels honest. But here the side character basically says “I know it sounds terrible. But my father and I searched for other interpretations, and there aren’t any.”

Did you really research? Because I emailed Chabad, and they immediately responded back that anyone’s life can/should be saved. Furthermore, Chabad linked to an article which called such claims a “modern day blood libel.” It revealed real-life instances where secular Jews have falsely accused Orthodox Jews of refusing to save gentile lives on Shabbat, in order to paint Orthodox as extremists. That’s what this felt like. This bombshell claim was a lazy attempt to promote reader sympathy for the protagonist, who had been chafing against his community’s orthodox traditions. Who would you side with after hearing the other side say non-Jewish lives can't be saved on Saturday? Too easy.

In fact, non-Jewish anti-Semites have also used this claim against Jews (see Alice Walker’s “It Is Our Frightful Duty to Study the Talmud"), so I am surprised by the number of Jewish reviewers praising this book as a positive representation of Orthodox Judaism. That section reinforces an extremely harmful stereotype without adequately deconstructing its falsity.

My other grievance happened near the end. Unable to conveniently tie up his loose threads, the author inserts an mass shooting plot device. Was it inspired by a real tragedy? Yes. But the author was more interested in utilizing it for narrative requirements than treating it and its fallout with honesty and dignity.

These were two of the most egregious sections that rubbed me wrong, but there were other moments that also felt forced, insufficiently explored, or flat.

[Christaaay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent (and funny) portrayal of teen life in a religious family. Hoodie loves some parts of his traditional Jewish upbringing, but he can't bring himself to view the pretty gentile girl Anna Marie the same way 99% his community does: as a heathen with whom even the most casual relationship is off limits. Everybody growing up in a religious family has to make their faith their own and face tough questions. Idk how well this portrays a traditional Jewish upbringing, but the themes and the humor appealed to me, at least. It also felt poignant at a time when anti-semitism is out of control. If you want to mourn and empathize with the Jewish community, this book might help you do that.

My only complaint is that in a whole book about the religious experience, there is no one who truly seems to have balance a healthy faith with citizenship in this world. Maybe the author just doesn't understand what that looks like.

[Vanessa Loockx · Rating 2 out of 5]

Echt voor jonge mensen …

[Erin Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaac Blum’s debut novel, The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen, was a fantastic read! Though I am not Jewish myself, I really related to Hoodie throughout the book. I was able to see so much of myself in him as he grapples with what is “expected” of him by his family and community, versus what he is experiencing and being pulled to internally. It was captivating to read, and I enjoyed seeing how his relationships evolved with the people around him throughout the story; I found myself saying “just one more page” until I finished the book in less than 24 hours.

[Redmond Brubaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud characters, a sweet then tragic then sweet storyline, and a community and personal dynamic that leaves you mulling over questions about identity and belonging long after you put it down. You might feel like the ride is relatively gentle at first, but buckle up because the drop from the top of the roller coaster happens fast.

Can't wait to read more of Blum's work. I'd gladly dive into another novel featuring one of the other compelling characters in this book - Zippy, Chana or even Rabbi Taub could be amazing protagonists in their own right.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me feel ALL of the emotions. So many laugh out loud parts and then really stunned, tragic moments. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this book, and it's one that I think I would have appreciated more if I had read it alongside people of the Jewish faith, especially Orthodox Judaism. I listened to the book, but I also read parts of the book to a student who is a reluctant reader. The narration really enhanced the story for me because I could hear the proper pronunciation of words and the humor came through more clearly. The protagonist is young Yehuda "Hoodie" Rosen whose family has been made to move to Tregaron, which is a fictional town located near Philly (I think). His father is the head of a construction company that is supposed to build a high-rise building meant for Orthodox families, but the town is not exactly thrilled that his community has moved into the town. The town's mayor, Monica Diaz-O'Leary, is leading the opposition, but unfortunately, Hoodie develops first love feelings for her daughter, Anna-Marie, who, as you can tell from the name, is not Jewish, let alone Orthodox. As his forbidden (literally) friendship with Anna-Marie grows, antisemitism explodes in town, leading to tragedy. Despite not knowing many of the terms used in this book (and this is when I would have loved reading this story alongside a Jewish person), I loved learning about the challenges he faced trying to straddle two worlds. The Yeshiva scenes (his school) were both informative and humorous as the boys and the rebbe wrestled with different topics from the Talmud and the boys did their best to bring up every loophole they could think of. Hoodie's older and wiser sister Zippy was one of my favorite characters, and I loved how she loved him for who he was and supported him without betraying her own convictions. In many ways, she was the mentor he needed as he struggled with what he had always been taught, what he thought he believed, and what he might believe in the future. While Blum shares some of the struggles that one might have when your core beliefs don't quite fit with what the people around you think, I like that Hoodie's struggles don't lead to a rejection of the faith, but rather flexibility in thinking that allows him to keep his devotion to God, which so clearly means something to him, but also makes sense to him.

I read this book because my student was reading it, and he was completely bored by it, but that is not an indictment of this book because he finds all books to be boring. But I decided to read it so that I could at least have discussions with him and perhaps help him see some of the interesting aspects of this book. I honestly was blown away by how much Blum fit into 200 pages, and found this to be a moving, informative, and yes, humorous book, and think it would be an excellent book for class discussions as well as book clubs.

Highly recommended.

[Gina Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This book is about Hoodie, short for Yehuda, who is a member of the Orthodox Jewish community in his town. A community that recently relocated, and is not finding as much acceptance in their new town. The gentile people, or non-Jewish people, are first just not understanding of them, then standoffish, and later transition to being purely hateful and exclusionary.

I actually knew next to nothing about Orthodox Jews, so getting into this book was a slow process for me, just because hearing about the culture was a different kind of worldbuilding for me to process. I hope that doesn't come off in a bad way, because the worldbuilding was really good, and I can appreciate the author for providing such a clear view into a culture that I'm not familiar with. Although Hoodie questions aspects of his faith, he never talks down on it, he just is at a stage, and in life circumstances, where he wonders if there's any way to modernize.

The life circumstances, specifically, is that he meets a girl named Anna-Marie. She happens to be the daughter of the shitty mayor who is sort of leading a little campaign against having Jewish people in their town. It is painfully cringe to watch Hoodie believe that he's dating her just because they've spoken and spent some time together, but it also makes total sense because of what he's been taught, and also what he hasn't been taught.

This book gets surprisingly dark, in a way that I don't believe is alluded to. So please check trigger warnings. There's already the trigger warning for antisemitism, which is a huge aspect in this book, but there is an event that is quite intense near the end of the book.

It was very enlightening to read about someone in a very strict religion sort of question their religion and test the limits of it, and sometimes go past its limits. Hoodie's narration style is pretty self-centered, just in the way that it's mostly about him, so there really isn't a hugely clear picture of what other characters are like. They all have personality traits and they have conversations with Hoodie and stuff, but at the same time, I just don't know how connected I ended up feeling to any of them. Conversely, Hoodie was a funny main character to read from, and I did feel connected to him.

This is a short book, but with pretty impactful content, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to pretty much anyone. It provides a view into another culture, but not in a way that really feels super educational, just from the POV of a sorta dumb teenage boy who is coming of age and learning more about himself and how he fits in to both his community and the world outside that.

[Beth]

Dnf @pg54

I don't know what it was about this but I just sadly wasn't enjoying it as much as what I had hoped. I think when it's coming to reading I want to read books that I enjoy and not waste my time and hating it when I could be putting my time and effort into another book.

I just want to preface this by saying I think it is a me and not the book situation. From what I've read it oozes Jewish culture but I've only read 50ish pages so can't really speak much.

Sadly I was just bored and maybe it was too YA for me, I just couldn't get into it... I also just want to say this cover is stunning.

[Leah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Philomel and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: antisemitism, violence, hate crimes, gun violence, blood, murder, PTSD

I first heard about this book in a bookstagram post about upcoming Jewish book releases, and I desperately wanted a copy. I was heartbroken to see that it wasn’t on NetGalley, and had practically given up on getting an ARC of this, when I received an email from someone in the publicity department offering me a copy. Naturally, I jumped at the chance since I knew I’d enjoy the book, but I had no idea how much I’d love it. Besides, how could I resist this cover? It’s got an Orthodox Jewish boy on the cover of a traditionally published YA book, and it’s beautiful!

Blum has a sardonic, sarcastic, and laugh-out-loud funny way of writing, even while discussing the most serious topics. I found myself flying through the story, and read the entire book in a single sitting. This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down, and loved the way that Hoodie navigates the two worlds that he simultaneously inhabits—that of his Orthodox Jewish community, and the larger community surrounding it, which includes the non-Jewish people living in Tregaron. He also has a beautiful way of explaining so many of the concepts of Judaism that aren’t always well-known to people outside of the Jewish community, making them accessible to people who aren’t familiar with Jewish beliefs and customs. For example, the way that Hoodie explains the way the Written Torah and the Oral Torah dictate Jewish traditions in easy to understand modern terms:

“Jewish tradition is based around Torah. There are two Torahs. God gave one of them to Moses on Mount Sinai. That’s the Written Torah, and it was presented to Moses freshly printed and collated. The other Torah is the Oral Torah. I guess God didn’t have enough time to write it down—dude is busy—so he just kind of whispered it to Moses as a P.S. Moses, who left Egypt without his laptop charger, didn’t have the chance to type it up. So he just told people about it.”

Moving from his all-Jewish neighborhood to the mixed area of Tregaron, Hoodie is forced to face people who live differently for him for the first time. It’s his initial exposure to people who don’t follow the same traditions as he does, people who hold different beliefs and people who live differently, and it’s also his first time confronting antisemitism. As he starts to form his own opinions about people different from him, he starts to think differently than his peers for perhaps the first time ever. And we get to see that while Orthodox Jews may look different and even act differently than “mainstream” Americans in a lot of ways, he’s also just like teenage boys in even more ways: he plays basketball, slacks at school, teases his friends, struggles with his siblings and the pressures placed on him by his place in the family, and eats like a bottomless pit. However, he’s also dealing with his own questions about religion and spirituality, and doesn’t necessarily feel comfortable talking to anyone in the community. But he relates how he feels about this new wrench in his comfortable existence (Anna-Marie’s presence) to how he feels about his best friend—he may not always like him, but there is value in having the relationship in his life:

“Everything about Anna-Marie offended me: the way she dressed, her joke about her father’s grave, the lawn sign in her yard. But it’s like I was saying about Moshe Tsvi; you don’t have to like your friends. I could be deeply offended by Anna-Marie and still want to spend all of my time with her.”

But as Hoodie keeps getting to know this girl, he starts to face negative consequences. The Orthodox Jewish community tends to rely on cohesiveness to keep members in line, and people who don’t follow the rules face being shunned. And Hoodie is slapped with plenty of consequences at home, at school, and in his small society in the wake of an antisemitic attack. He’s separated from his classmates and then has to face what winds up being a major rabbi in the area. I couldn’t help but laugh when Hoodie describes him in this way:

“Rabbi Shneur Yechezkel Taub was like the final boss of rabbis. If you beat him, you won Judaism.”

However, despite all the humor, Blum tackles some serious topics in this story. Hate, violence, and betrayal all play major roles in the book, and they’re handled carefully and beautifully. This book echoes real life events that happened not so long ago, and hit really close to home. I loved how the story was expanded and put a real and relatable face to the community involved. This is easily my favorite book of the month, and it’s going to be one that I highly recommend to everyone.

[Wendelle]

This incredible YA novel is the story of Yehuda 'Hoodie' Rosen, whose Orthodox community encounters suspicion, persecution, and violence, when they move to a new neighborhood. Hoodie develops feelings for a non-Jewish neighbor named Anne-Marie Diaz-O' Reilly, which meets with disapproval from his community, and complicates his life. As the story ends, Hoodie must find a way to reconcile his two worlds. Hoodie was quite brilliantly funny and sarcastic, and he had a close relationship with his older sister. I also learned a lot about the richness of Orthodox culture and study.

[Tara Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This book blew me away! Not only was the last 25% a WILD ride, but the humor was top notch. I really couldn’t tell looking at this book that it would be quite as laugh-out-loud hilarious as it was!

Honestly, I think everyone should read this book. It gave such a fascinating, funny, modern look into Orthodox Jewish culture. And, yes, it does deal with some very heavy topics related Anti-Semitism and the escalating violence Hoodie’s community faces from people either just don’t understand or hate for no good reason. But it also gives a look into the life of a boy just trying to navigate the dynamics of his family, school, faith community, and broader community in the modern day. As with any devout and conservative approach to life, this can come with tensions of faith.

I loved Hoodie and loved his story. I also loved Zippy and all of Hoodie’s numerous sister (especially the prankster one who throws things off the roof at all hours of the day — I want a book about HER!).

I read this because it’s a Printz contender. It’s on the bubble for me, but it’s definitely got a chance for the Morris (and just looked it up — it’s a Morris finalist!). It did make the National
Book Award long list, so we’ll see how it fares for the Printz!

[Drew An · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing style and thought provoking plot! Would love a sequel about Zippy!!

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel is insightful, emotional, and very relevant.

Judah “Hoodie” Rosen is an Orthodox Jewish teenager. He knows he’s supposed to be focused on his studies but there’s always something to distract him—quite often it’s the mischief he and his friends cause in class.

But even though life seems carefree, it’s actually quite stressful. Their Orthodox community has moved into the suburban town of Tregaron and they intend to build a large apartment complex so more of them can settle there. However, the town has other ideas—they don’t want to get overrun by Jews, and thwart and harass the community at every turn.

And then Hoodie meets Anna-Marie Diaz-O’Leary, the daughter of Tregaron’s mayor, who is leading the charge to “protect” the town. He falls head over heels, as she’s completely different from anyone he’s ever met, and the fact that he’s not even supposed to talk to her only adds to her appeal.

As antisemitic violence increases in Tregaron, Hoodie is viewed as a traitor by his family and friends, and is ostracized. But when the violence takes a tragic turn, Hoodie has to decide between his family and his faith and the girl who won his heart.

Hoodie is such a terrific narrator, sensitive yet oblivious, funny, and flawed. This is an incredibly relevant story—whether it’s Orthodox Jews, immigrants in general, people of other races and ethnicities—there are many communities committed to doing whatever it takes to keep these “outsiders” out. This was definitely a memorable read!!

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

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[Curlemagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Heartbreaking, accurate, funny, and wise. I was worried from the blurb this would be a Romeo + Juliet plot but Blum is much smarter than that. Especially appreciate that Blum sticks to Hoodie's POV the whole time instead of rotating chapters, which is extremely common and tedious in YA these days. Anna-Marie is very believable and learning about her thru Hoodie's sheltered perspective is way better.

Blum avoids platitudes, easy villains, or simple resolutions to the ripped-from-headlines real tensions here, from cross-community clashes to assimilation debates to internal doubts and anxieties about faith. As a Jewish reader who is intimately familiar with these specific conflicts, I am impressed and gratified at his subtlety, respect for AND challenge of Orthodox values.

(Suppose I should note for general readers that Orthodox Judaism is a spectrum and not everyone agrees with Hoodie's local community re avoiding integration with non-Jews, but this is completely accurate depiction of one common viewpoint.)

There are so many little details here that are exactly right, achingly resonant, and the bitter yet hopeful place the story ends gave me feels I can't express. I'd like to write a whole essay on Zippy.

Warning for multiple acts of physical antisemitic violence and gun violence as well.