Top New Book Picks for Pesach Reading

There’s great new book choices for little kids, big kids, teens, and adults in every genre.

We’re heading into many Yom Tov afternoon hours waiting to be filled, what better way than with a good read? But chances are, you and your children won’t be swept away by just any book. I’m here to give you permission to be choosy: not every book is for every reader! The better you can match a title to your taste preferences or find that perfect sweet spot that fits both your child’s reading level and maturity, the more you can count on an engrossing read. This roundup features the best of this season’s releases, compiled by The Frum Books Newsletter. Top Picks will be appreciated by the widest audience, read the short descriptions and summaries to find the titles that best match your tastes and needs.

Young Readers. 2nd to 4th Grade

• The Man at the Wall: The Story of Rav Meir Schuster
  You can purchase here.
  – A shy boy grows up to help countless people at the Kosel. Beautiful pictures and spacious pages, grades 2-3
• Bubby Karp #3
  You can purchase here.
  – Bubby and her grandkids fight crime together in a sweet, fast-paced mystery for boys and girls in 3rd-4th grade. Can read series out of order.
• The Story of the Chida
  You can purchase here.
  – The fascinating true story of the Chida’s dangerous journeys and the many people he met on the way. For curious second 2nd and 3rd graders.

4th to 7th Grade Girls

• Sheva’s Diary 2
  You can purchase here.
  – More from the humorous and irreverent account of Sheva’s adventures, with quirks and laughter, and relatability. Girls love the diary format which brings them up close to Sheva’s life, letting them root for her all the way. Series can be read out of order. Grades 4-6
• The Story Box 2
  You can purchase here.
  – A diverse collection of short stories that take readers into the minds of kids just like them. Great for reluctant readers who prefer reading small amounts at a time. Boys and girls grades 4-6
• Truth or Dare
  You can purchase here.
  – A candid and humorous novel for girls 6th-8th grade. When the popular and outgoing school actress moves to the city, she is shocked to be ignored by her new class. When she accidentally becomes the heroine, she learns to break the rules to overcome her helplessness and find her place.

4th to 7th Grade Boys

• Cops and Robbers
  You can purchase here.
  – Amidst trouble at school and at home, two boys stumble on a baffling mystery, throwing them against dangerous thieves who will stop at nothing to get revenge. Dramatic and suspenseful, grades 5-6
• Mystery in the Warehouse, by Henye Meyer
  You can purchase here.
  – A brave group of detectives set out to investigate a troubling disappearance and make new friends while helping others. Fun and mysterious, grades 4-5
• 23 Under 1 Roof 11
  You can purchase here.
  – In a family of 23, not a day goes by without hilarious escapades following them. Series can be read out of order
• 6th Grade Conspiracies
  You can purchase here.
  – After a long day of classroom politics, the lights go out and a new cast of characters come out to solve the problems. Humorous writing with comic illustrations to go with it

7th to 11th Grade Girls

• Flight of Doves
  You can purchase here.
  – A sprawling historical novel that follows a brave but frightened heroine through shifting settings as she leaves a familiar world to support her cousin recovering from a devastating accident. But when war suddenly breaks out and she must run, she wonders what she has to add and how she can make an impact. Through the terrifying bombing over England, despairing farmwork in Missouri, and exciting choices in the White House, Bayla learns to find her unique strengths while being a devoted friend. Teens aged 13+ 
• Ripple Effect
  You can purchase here.
  – Fun-loving Tunie is haunted by past mistakes and can’t let her guard down to enjoy the wild escapades her dormmates get into. But as those adventures come to find her, she discovers new parts of herself and proves to be a true friend. A fast-paced adventure in the exciting and mysterious halls of Bnos Shoshana
• Ice Cubes
  You can purchase here.
  – Batya’s a carefree teen facing regular High School problems of teachers and friends even while battling for her life and waiting for a kidney transplant. But she’s confronted by the sudden change of becoming the object of everyone’s pity and on a different wavelength than her friends, and she’s forced to re-evaluate while staying true to herself. A slow-paced and heartwarming medical saga for teens. 

Adult Fiction

• Follow Me
  You can purchase here.
  – A vibrant and easy story of travel, food, and connection that balances light reading with meaningful character development, thoughtful themes, and sophisticated plot. Deena’s family and friends are treating her with kid gloves since her husband’s death, but she hates being labeled and just wants to get lost in the exotic facade she’s crafted. Pessi’s ordinary, scheduled lifestyle is thrown off balance, and no beaches or jungles can keep her resentment from spilling over. Two women uncover the loneliness they’ve been avoiding and find new possibilities. 
• Point Blank Part 1
  You can purchase here.
  – Nothing’s black and white anymore as super-spy Eyal must face those from his own side. The most popular series among teens wakes up the tired “Mossad thriller” genre, bringing it to its furthest. Tense, high-speed action meets politics and drama for an edge-of-your-seat read. 
• See You, by Riva Pomerantz
  You can purchase here.
  – A layered drama that pulses and turns until its satisfying conclusion. Esther’s life has always been about achieving and promoting perfection. When everything comes undone and she reevaluates, her newfound ideals push her to the edge and she struggles to find sustainable peace. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, can she sacrifice without surrendering herself?
• The Thirteenth Gate
  You can purchase here.
  – A divided family has each coped with their pain differently, but it ultimately must be dealt with. A typical story of an estranged son is couched in a creative multi-dimensional structure. Everything changes in anti-semitic France, giving the story a current and specific feel, and opinionated modern-day themes weave introspection into steady action.

Other recent releases: Though Poppies in Flander Fields Grow by Hannah Ludzer, a dual timeline WWI saga about finding relevance in the past while moving forward • Solomon’s Baby by Carol Hagler, a dual timeline novel about hard choices • Wall of Fire by Meir Uri Gottesman, a speculative adventure about love of Eretz Yisrael • Not Easily Severed by Miriam Luxenberg, a family drama about untold secrets 

Non-Fiction. Biography and Memoir

• Rav Chaim
  You can purchase here.
  – From the author of Artscroll’s biography of Rebbetzin Kanievsky, a personal and thorough look into the life of the Gadol Hador, quick-paced enough to keep the most biography-reluctant turning the pages and inspired.
• From Sinai to Yerushalayim
  You can purchase here.
  – From his early childhood, Roy Neuberger was plagued by deep paranoia that drove him on a relentless search, as detailed in his memoir, From Central Park to Sinai. From Sinai to Yerushalayim retells the story and presents Part 2. The publication of their bestselling memoir in 2000 kicked off a worldwide book tour that changed the Nuebergers’ trajectory and opened countless opportunities to touch lives. An ambitious and sprawling biography that re-explores a story without the witty personality, but with an objective perspective that presents a full picture of an inspiring couple.
• 90 Seconds
  You can purchase here.
  – An everyday man who sets out to accomplish a goal: save 6 million lives. Failing at school, teenage Eli Beer threw himself into EMT work. But missed opportunities haunted him, and led him to found the first grassroots emergency response organization in Israel. His passion and ambition for his people led him into astonishing encounters and relationships in the quest to secure funding, feasibility, or unity. Fast-paced and current, 90 Seconds moves quickly through the history of United Hatzalah, combining the storytelling of The Rebbetzin with the “man on a mission” tone of Incredible.
• Vertigo
  You can purchase here.
  – The dark and fascinating memoir of a Vietnam vet fighting to rebuild his life. Arriving home straight from an endless war, Gedalia Becker couldn’t unsee the injustices he’s witnessed, and his burning urge to fight back led him to unfathomable trouble. Opening with his dizzying discharge, the story follows Gedalia’s long road to stability, with frequent flashbacks to the skies and jungles of Vietnam. Simple and earnest language (translated from the original Hebrew) takes us into the disturbing recesses of his mind as he forces past the haunting sights and sounds and finds meaning again.

Short Stories and Essays

• Lifelines 4
  You can purchase here.
  – Beloved for the deep dive and real look that each story provides into the complex dynamics that real people face. Amended postscripts add a layer of nuance to intriguing topics that leave food for thought.
• There’s More to the Story
  You can purchase here.
  – You know what to expect from a Rabbi Spero story. Compact snippets of extraordinary moments for the whole family.
• Did This Ever Happen to You?
  You can purchase here.
  – Rabbi Schachter can make a story out of any encounter and find meaning in it. This collection features short essays that are candid and humorous and make for easy reading.