Confessions of a Closet Catholic [Mass Market Paperback]

Sarah Darer Littman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Justine Silver's best friend, Mary Catherine McAllister, has given up chocolate for Lent, but Justine doesn't think God wants her to make that kind of sacrifice. So she's decided to give up being Jewish instead.  Eleven-year-old Justine pours her heart out to her teddy bear, "Father Ted," in a homemade closet confessional. But when Justine's beloved Bubbe suffers a stroke, Justine worries that her religious exploration is responsible. Worse, she must suddenly contemplate life without Bubbe. Ultimately, it's Bubbe's quiet understanding of Justine's search for identity that helps Justine to find faith in the most important place of all-within herself.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7 - Justine Silver, 11, has decided to give up being Jewish for Lent. Of course, this is a secret she keeps from her family, along with her regular confessions to her stuffed teddy bear, "Father Ted," who also administers the sacrament when she can sneak upstairs with grape juice and a few matzos. Mac, Justine's best friend at her new school, is Catholic, with straight blonde hair and a large exuberant family that's more fun then hers. And Justine's strange fascination with this "perfect" life and religion has her doubting her own faith, which people in her own family observe in very different ways. She explains to Mac and her family, "…being Jewish is all about suffering….People hate us, try to kill us, and don't want us to join their country club, while you guys get Christmas trees and Easter eggs." The exploration of faith is the central theme of this book, from Justine's illicit confessions in a Catholic church to the emotional shroud of her grandmother's death. Justine's world is deeply controlled by her guilt about her faithlessness, about how best to worship God, and her turmoil over pleasing her parents. But despite the seemingly profound context, the novel is injected with humor throughout and written with the voice of a contemporary adolescent. Readers can't help but laugh and cry with this winning protagonist. - Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Sarah Darer Littman lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142405973
• ISBN-13: 978-0142405970
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #489,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Religions > Fiction > Jewish

More About the Author

Sarah Darer Littman, writer, mother, and unpaid chauffeur, is a living example of the cliche, "Life Begins at 40." After spending much of her adult life doing things she didn't really plan to, including such diverse occupations as financial analyst and farmer's wife, she at long last found her true calling as a writer. Her first book, CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC won the 2006 Sydney Taylor Award for Older Readers and LIFE, AFTER was a 2011 Sydney Taylor Honor Book. She indulges her adult voice as a columnist for the Hearst Newspapers in CT and writes for CTNewsJunkie.com

Sarah lives in CT with her two teenage children and an adorable Havanese in a house that never seems to have enough bookshelves.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pride- it's a good thing, April 14, 2005

By 

The Accidental Reader "The Accidental Reader" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Confessions of a Closet Catholic (Hardcover)

On page 44 we find Mrs. McAllister (the mom of Justine's catholic friend called Mac) saying: "Be proud of where you come from, Justine.. . .if you aren't happy with who you are, then the grass will always look greener somewhere else. But when you get there, you won't be any happier, because you've taken your insecurities with you".

And Justine's beloved Bubbe says later (though I won't give anything away by stating exactly where, when and how!): "if you aren't proud of who and what you are, then changing the name of the person you pray to won't make you feel any better."

These two statements sum up the quest in this book. What an insightful look into the heart of the pre-teen Jussy as she wrestles with all kinds of issues, not just limited to her search for spirituality.

You know a book is good when it makes you cry several times and when the last line gets you. Funny, too!

"Confessions" would make a great gift for a bat-mitzvah, or for a confirmation, and any pre-teen happening to stumble on it is likely to feel a bit better about herself when she finds out she is not the only one going through these pre-teen insecurities.

A heartwarming peek into the pre-teen mind...........

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True teen voice exploring religion and the trials of being a middle child, December 25, 2005

By 

Jessica Lux (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Confessions of a Closet Catholic (Hardcover)

Justine Silver is a middle child in a modern Jewish family. Her parents have rejected some of the more orthodox traditions, but her grandmother still keeps kosher and rests on the Sabbath. Confused by her own religion, Justine becomes a (literal) closet Catholic, holding confessional and keeps a checklist of sins in her bedroom closet. Her "dialogue" with the "priest" in the closet (a teddy bear has to stand in) is absolutely priceless and comic.

When her dabblings in Catholicism are exposed, the family is shocked. Justine often wonders if her grandmother's stroke was caused by her own rejection of religion and tradition. In a funny and heartwarming tale, Justine explores two different faiths and finally comes to peace with her own faith, all while dealing with the usual traumas of being a middle child with a perfect older sister. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome book!, March 29, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Confessions of a Closet Catholic (Hardcover)

Confessions of a Closet Catholic is a great book! It's filled with many laughs and tears which I'll never forget. Justine is a well written character with many thoughts, which made me want to keep reading until the very last word. For Sarah Littman's first book, this absolutely deserves 5 stars.