┬а During the fall leading up to her bat mitzvah, Tara (Hindi for тАЬstarтАЭ) Feinstein has a lot more than her Torah portion on her mind. Between Hebrew school and study sessions with the rabbi, there doesnтАЩt seem to be enough time to hang out with her best friend Ben-OтАФwho might also be her boyfriendтАФand her other best friend, Rebecca, whoтАЩs getting a little too cozy with the snotty Sheila Rosenberg. Not to mention working on her robotics project with the class clown Ryan Berger, or figuring out what to do with a priceless heirloom sari that she accidentally ruined. Amid all this drama, Tara considers how to balance her Indian and Jewish identities and what it means to have a bat mitzvah while questioning her faith.
With the cross-cultural charm of Bend It Like Beckham, this delightful debut novel is a classic coming-of-age story and young romance with universal appeal.
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Praise for My Basmati Bat Mitzvah
"In my opinion, My Basmati Bat Mitzvah shows that everyone is different in their own way and some get the advantage of being culturally diverse. I rate the book 5 stars!"
тАФShivani Desai, age 13
STARRED REVIEW
"The latest spunky heroine of South AsianтАУJewish heritage to grace middle-grade fiction, Tara Feinstein, 12, charms readers from the get-go in this strong, funny debut."
тАФKirkus Reviews, starred review
"TaraтАЩs inquisitiveness, openness, and determination to chart her own path stand out in this warm story of family, faith and the ways people are unique yet intertwined."
тАФPublishers Weekly
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"With a conversational and authentic tween voice, Tara invites readers into her world as she explores the larger issues of faith, compassion, and tradition while confronting the awkwardness that is pubertyтАФher questions regarding God are poignant and relatable while her opinions on training bras are simply spot-on..."
тАФThe Bulletin of The Center for ChildrenтАЩs Books
"Authors often mention but then shrink from exploring in depth their charactersтАЩ mixed religious heritage; itтАЩs a sensitive subject that demands close scrutiny. Freedman bucks that trend, avoiding didacticism by portraying broader issues through TaraтАЩs personality and unique circumstances. As Tara learns in this skillful exploration, an important source of her special strengthsтАФquestioning spirit, empathy and strong ethical compassтАФis her mixed heritage."
тАФThe Jewish Daily Forward
"This story will have resonance for many children of many faiths at the cusp of religious adulthood."
тАФBooklist
"As she makes her way through these challenges, she learns a great deal about friendship, family, and heritage. Freedman handles the ethnic and religious diversity of TaraтАЩs family and friends with a light touch, but doesnтАЩt shrink from exploring some of the complexities of a dual heritage."
тАФSchool Library Journal
┬а"This bookтАЩs well-drawn characters bring two colorful cultures to vibrant life. The contemporary urban setting, cast with touches of humor and romance, frame mature ideas of peer and self-acceptance in a familiar, lighthearted world. Middle grade girls will readily befriend Tara and pick up new cultural understanding."
тАФLibrary Media Connection