So Punk Rock by Micol Ostow

ISBN: 978-0-7387-1471-4
Flux, Woodbury, MN 2009
246 pages

Plot Summary

Ari Abramson has lived in the shadow of his best friend, Jonas Fein, for as long as he can remember. Both teens attend Leo R. Gittleman Jewish Day School in New Jersey even though neither boy is very religious. Jonas is self-confident and popular but Ari is the one with the idea of starting a band. He plans to play guitar to Jonas' bass. They recruit the much more religious Yossi Gluck to be their drummer and his sister Reena will be their lead singer. When they first start practicing the only one with any talent is Reena, who actually can sing.

Critical Evaluation

This book is very funny - done very much tongue-in-cheek - makes fun of just about everything including the school and how different people "use" their Jewish religion. Most of it is written in prose, but there are several pages of graphic novel thrown in, and it all works because it is told from Ari's point-of-view and he sketches everything. There is a helpful glossary at the back of the book to explain Jewish terms for all of us who aren't of that faith.

Reader's Annotation

Ari and Jonas, best friends for years and classmates at their Jewish Day School, start a band. They become more successful than they would have dreamed but the band and their success is straining their friendship.

Author's Info

Micol Ostow has written many books for children and teens. Her first hardcover book, Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa, was named a NYPL Book for the Teenage. She lives in Manhattan with her filmmaker fiance. Both Micol and her brother David (the illustrator) spent 13 years attending a Jewish Day School. David works at a design firm in NYC and this is his first book.

Genre

YA - combination graphic novel and prose

No Curriculum Ties

Booktalking Ideas

1. Discuss how everyone's feelings seem to come to a head at Sari's party. Why does Yossi get in the middle of the fight between Ari and Jonas?

2. Why does it take so long for Ari to figure out that Reena likes him (and that he likes her)?

Reading/ Interest Level

High school for both

Challenge Issues and Defense

bad language (although never spelled out, "s**t," for example), underage drinking

realistic language and party behavior for teens

Library's collection development policy

Starred review in SLJ, Booklist Top 10 Arts Book for Youth, Top 10 Religion Book for Youth

Why I Included This Book

This book just came into our library, got good reviews, and one of my classmates raved about it!