Title: The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman
Author: Mari Lowe
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Year of Publication: 2023
Why I Borrowed/Bought It: I purchased The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman because I saw the author tweeting about it @marilwrites. I judged the book by the cover and bought it.
Two Sentence Summary:
This is the perfect “school story” for middle grade readers who are straddling that new line between being true to themselves and aching to fit in. Shaindy Goodman, a “good” Bais Yaakov student, is pulled by the attraction of popular Gayil, leading to a series of pranks that set off ripples of fear and chaos.
Final Thoughts: This book, by the author of Aviva vs. the Dybbuk, would fit in any upper elementary/middle school collection. Readers needn’t be familiar with the Jewish references to identify the universal themes that this book so thoughtfully and authentically portrays. Of course, I loved the book precisely for the Jewish community setting, but Mari Lowe’s book can also sit on the shelf with Because of Mr. Terupt, Wonder, and any other school-based books that kids seems to love so much (think Gordon Korman and Andrew Clements).