PJ Our Way And Me

In April I wrote an article about my favorite PJ Library books. The branch of PJ Library that caters to 9-12 year olds is called PJ Our Way, and I have also loved reading the books from them. Every month I receive an email from PJ Our Way asking me to choose a book out of four options. That book arrives at my house four to six weeks later. Like the picture books from PJ Library, the PJ Our Way chapter books have also helped shape my Jewish identity.

Some of the PJ Our Way books I have enjoyed the most are “Becoming Brianna” (by Terri Libenson), “Going Rogue (at Hebrew School)” (by Casey Breton), and “OyMG” (by Amy Fellner Dominy). Each book has some sort of moral or tells a story about Jewish kids, especially teens. 

I have read “Becoming Brianna” by Terri Libenson several times. It’s a part of a series called Emmie and Friends, which isn’t always Jewish in theme, but this book has a Jewish perspective. The book is a graphic novel and it goes back and forth between Brianna’s point of view in the past and then in the present. Brianna’s mom is Jewish and her dad is Christian.

Brianna hates being onstage and the center of attention unlike her mother who loves to act. She’s more like her father who likes science and academics. Finally her mother convinces Brianna, who is shy, to have a bat mitzvah. She is nervous about the big day but her family, friends, and cantor calm her down. In the end she says the prayers and gives her d’var Torah, and most importantly, Brianna is proud of herself.

I really like this book because it’s relatable. Brianna has trouble learning some prayers and finds some aspects of her training stressful. I have not had my bat mitzvah yet, but it’s coming up in March. The training can be a little hard, so I do relate.