Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues [Paperback]

Ferida Wolff (Author)

Book Description

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

A busy young girl struggles to understand her Jewish identity and balance the demands on her everyday life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Alyssa has become an adult, according to Judaism; since she has completed her Bat Mitzvah, she is expected to make her own decisions. And, instead of joining the temple's confirmation class, concentrating on schoolwork or socializing with friends, Alyssa chooses to pursue her dance lessons. Her priorities shift, however, when her best friend Ellen becomes ill, and when Alyssa's Jewish identity becomes more important to her. Alyssa realizes that a delicate balance between avocation and responsibility can exist if she is strong enough to make difficult decisions. Readers will enjoy the universal conflicts Wolff eloquently delineates; her characters are well realized and lend additional credibility to the story. Ages 11-14.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-- Alyssa can hardly wait for her Bat Mitzvah celebration to conclude her obligatory attendance at Hebrew School classes twice a week. The major interest in her life is ballet; those extra two days of lessons and practice each week will allow her to land a serious part in "The Nutcracker." However, there are serious demands on her time from her best friend, Ellen, who has physically recovered from pneumonia but has apparently lost all interest in the external world. Torn between her desire to dance and her realization that Ellen desperately needs her attention to snap out of the depression, Alyssa struggles with the need to examine personal priorities and commitments. Guided by Jewish precepts, she is able to make some serious decisions. The suburban middle-class setting provides a sturdy anchor for this story. Rabbi Pearlman is exemplary; he works well with teens and is able to empathize and discuss problems with them in a realistic yet good-humored manner. Although there is some tendency to stereotype, characters do retain sufficient individuality. Alyssa is a wholesome teen who deals with her problems in a mature and thoughtful manner. The fact that the demands on Alyssa are placed within a Jewish context will not limit general reader interest. Touches of humor throughout provide a nice counterpoint to the realistic problems. --Susan Kaminow, Westover Branch Library, Arlington, Va.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827605315
• ISBN-13: 978-0827605312
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,175,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book!, November 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues (Paperback)

I am an 11 year old Jewish girl. I think this story is really fun to read. I've read it about 10 times. I love the ending the best! I think any girl who goes to hebrew school would relate to this.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pink Slippers, Bat MItzvah Blues, March 10, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues (Paperback)

Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues

Alyssa, a typical 14 year old girl, loved to dance. All's she wanted to do was dance for the rest of her life. She had one little problem, Confirmation class. She had been going to church everyday for the past five years to learn about her religion and learn how to speak Hebrew. After Alyssa's Bat Mitzvah, Alyssa didn't have to go to church anymore. Alyssa didn't want to go to Confirmation class, but rabbi wanted her to stay so bad, and wouldn't let her go. Alyssa said no that she wouldn't go to Confirmation class, because she would rather dance. Alyssa went to Ballet everyday after that. She had to convince her parents that if she would go to church every other day and only go to Ballet every other days, her body wouldn't be very flexible. Alyssa's dream was to be like Fawn, a girl in her Ballet class that her teacher always showed off, because she was the best. Fawn always got the lead parts in all of the Ballets, but Alyssa just wishes that she would be able to get that lead part for the annual Nutcracker Ballet. The rule was that Alyssa could only miss three days of Ballet, and if she missed more, she would be kicked out of the play. Alyssa's best friend came down with phenomena. Alyssa had a choice. To lose her best friend or get the lead part that she has always dreamed of.
I would recommend this book to any kid or teenager between the ages of 10-15 years. I liked this book, because I am a dancer myself and I know what it is like to get your parents to believe you that you have to go to dance everyday and that you can't miss or skip class. At the beginning of the book when Alyssa is taking her religious class, she really stayed true to her religion and I thought that that was very good. Her brother was Mr. Perfect and she just tried to be like him, and I give her credit for trying really hard to please her parents. Everyday at Ballet she would dance her heart out like she was really performing. She was never lazy or late to her classes and that is what I call a good dancer. I really like to hear that she is so much into dancing that she would do anything to just dance everyday. That's what I call commitment. Alyssa didn't really like to go to church because she just wanted to dance, and she did what she wanted. She just wanted to go to dance. I thought that she did a really good job of still being nice to her family, and she wasn't being rude to her parents when she asked them if she could just go to dance and not to church. She did a really good job of that. Really anyone could read this book and I think that even parents could read this book to their kids, because it would teach the parents that a kid would do anything just to get what they want, but also being very nice and not rude about it.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book for dancer WANTABEES!!!!!!!!!!!, March 10, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues (Paperback)

Alyssa wanted to dance after her Bat mitzvah, and nothing else. Then many pressures occur in Alyssas life. Although Alyssa just wants to dance she just cant leave out her religion and lifes challenges. Alyssa has to decide if dancing is more important then her religion and the obstacles that come before her. Alyssas dance teacher already thinks shes behind. Alyssa tries to focus on dance but life is just to complicated. I think this was an excellent book. It was just the right length and it didnt bore me. I cant stand extremely long books that just drag on and on. For me this book was perfect. I loved the plot of the book. Im a dancer and recently I have had so many obstacles in my life that have interfered with dance. I wanted to join a new sport that I really wanted to do but it was either that or dance and we all know the answer there. I think I liked this book so much because it really appealed to my life. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.