Sunday, February 25, 2024

The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman by Mari Lowe - ADVISABLE

The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman
by Mari Lowe
, 162 pages. Levine Querido, 2023. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mean pranks, dangerous situations). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

11yo Shaindy Goodman has never been the popular one in her class. In fact, most of the girls in her class barely notice her. So when the most popular girl, Gayil, invites Shaindy to help her play some fun pranks on their class, Shaindy can hardly believe it! But when the pranks aren't actually funny, and some of the girls involved get hurt or embarrassed, Shaindy realizes she's in over her head, and maybe Gayil isn't the nice girl everyone thinks she is. 

Shaindy is in 6th grade at a Jewish school, so religious instruction is part of everything they do. While I'm familiar with much of the Jewish religion, I wondered if it would be too much; it wasn't as Lowe expertly keeps the reader in the loop. I'm certain a Jewish reader will relate better than I to Shaindy's story, but I loved the classroom drama and Shaindy's situation. The fact that the girls are all about rollerblades and heelies makes me think it takes place in the 90s. 

Lisa Librarian 

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