The Book of Secrets

  • Interest Level: Grade 3 - Grade 5
  • Reading Level: Grade 3

This exciting graphic novel presents a series of puzzling mystical Jewish stories weaving together a daring adventure tale, following siblings Rose and Ben as they search for their missing grandparents, aided only by a mysterious book, a lantern, and their wits. Anticipating danger, the kids’ grandmother, Bubbe, appears to the twins in a cloud of flour and tells them to find a package that contains a book. The midrash stories they find—about the flying Ziz, the giant Og, the gatekeeper at a maze, and a treasure-seeker who lives in a mushroom hut—provide insights into defeating the creepy sorceress scheming to take the book. As the mystery deepens, the siblings must follow the Lamplighter’s wise advice, slip past a guard into a maze, reunite with their grandparents, and learn why they have inherited the responsibility to protect the book—and the Jewish people.

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Interest Level Grade 3 - Grade 5
Reading Level Grade 3
Genre Graphic Novels
Copyright 2020
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Kar-Ben Publishing ®
Language English
Number of Pages 208
Publication Date 2020-10-01
Text Type Fiction—Action/Adventure
BISACS JUV008040, JUV008070, JUV033020
Dewey 741.5/973
Dimensions 6 x 9
Lexile 540
Features Author/Illustrator biography, Awards, and Reviewed

Awards

  • 2021 Aesop Accolade, Winner, 2021

Reviews

Sydney Taylor Shmooze

“While the style of art is unusual and the story unconventional, the awards committee may just have a taste for something different this year, and will send the The Book of Secrets to the top of their list!” — Gigi Pagliarulo

Jewish Book Council

“This graph­ic book cel­e­brates Jew­ish her­itage with each sto­ry it tells, and encour­ages its read­ers to do the same.” — Ricahrd C. Kraus, Jewish Book Council

AJL Newsletter

“With artful, easily understood frames and vivid colors, the author/illustrator crafts an engaging read. The stories are taken from the Mishnah, Hasidic tales, Midrash, tales of the Ba’al Shem Tov, and a story by Kafka.” — Debbie Colodny, retired librarian, Cook Memorial Public Library District, Libertyville, IL; former owner Sefer, So Good; former member Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, AJL

Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will be happily confounded by every secret in this book.” — Kirkus Reviews