You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah! (Hardcover)

by Fiona Rosenbloom (Author) "Well? Am I Andy Goldfarb ready?" I asked..." (more)
Key Phrases: Rabbi Sherwin, Andy Goldfarb, Sara Langley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7–Stacy Friedman, 12, is in the midst of preparing for her Bat Mitzvah. For her, the mitzvah translates to three imminent concerns: to wear a $250 designer-label dress, to be popular with her friends, and to acquire a boyfriend. Add to her woes numerous misunderstandings with her friend Kelly and you might have a comedic, lighthearted novel. Unfortunately, this one reads like bad reality TV. While the author tries to be hip, her writing appears to be little more than one large advertising campaign for designer-label merchandise. In a poor imitation of Judy Blume's Margaret, Rosenbloom's protagonist speaks to God: Okay, God, we really, seriously, without a doubt need to have a one-on-one here. WHERE ARE YOU? While it is realistic that the 12th year of a Jewish girl's life is stressful and that many cannot fully appreciate the religious concept behind this ceremony, Rosenbloom fails to create a rounded character who grows or awakens to at least some of the values and meaning behind the ritual. Instead, Stacy is flat and shallow and, in a sitcomlike climactic scene, realizes the importance of the day and makes an apologetic cell phone call to Kelly in the middle of her speech. She then resumes an adlib version of her understanding of the meaning of sacrifice and giving of yourself. Sarah Darer Littman's Confessions of a Closet Catholic (Dutton, 2005) provides a much better view of Jewish values from a preteen's witty perspective.–Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI
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Product Description
Stacy Friedman is getting ready for one of the biggest events of her young life--her bat mitzvah! All she wants is the perfect BCBG dress to wear, her friends by her side, and her biggest crush ever, Andy Goldfarb, to dance with her (and maybe give Stacy her first French kiss .). But of course, things never work out quite the way you'd like them to.. Her stressed-out mother forces her to buy a hideous beaded sequined dress that she wouldn't be caught dead in. Her mitzvahs are not going at all well. And then the worst thing in the entire world happens--Stacy catches her best friend, Lydia, making out with Andy! And thus she utters the words that will wreak complete havoc on her social life ...You are so not invited to my bat mitzvah!

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (August 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786856165
• ISBN-13: 978-0786856169
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #798,226 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for post Bat Mitzvah teenage girls!, October 11, 2005

By	Jennifer L. Shoer "Mom 3 Kids Book Lover" (Portsmouth, NH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My 14 yr old (very picky reader) daughter was drawn to read this book by the cover. She had her Bat Mitzvah last year. Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its' cover. She read it constantly, even walking around the house and then told me I HAD to read it. I am glad I did as it is laugh out loud funny and true to the highs and lows of teenage emotions. Some events were definitely more (advanced) than my daughter has lived through, but the book exposed her to far less than a typical PG-13 movie. I highly recommend this book and plan to share it with other teenagers through our Temple library. Although we read the book from the post Bat Mitzvah stand point, this is a book that would appeal to anyone who is experiencing or has lived through that time of flucuating emotions and friendships that is so common to the teenage years. We loved it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, May 8, 2006

By	Jordyn (New York USA) - See all my reviews

I just turned thirteen years old and my bat mitzvah is in four weeks. I started to get nervous and my mom noticed. She bought this book for me to read thinking it would help me. I read the whole book in two days. When i first opened the book i expected a novel about the preperation a twelve year old girl had to do until her bat mitzvah, but with a twist of humor. Instead, i got just the twist of humor and not as much of the religious concept. I was really hoping this book would ease my nerves about my upcoming bat mitzvah, but instead it just gave me a good laugh. I would recommmend this book to most people because you dont actually have to have knowledge of the jewish religion to read this. But if your looking for help with YOUR bat mitzvah, this is not the best book to turn to.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Mitzvahs, November 30, 2006

By	A&W (Washington) - See all my reviews

A book review by Aria Wexler
You Are so Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is an outstanding novel written by Fiona Rosenbloom. The book is Rosenbloom's first and only book. Miss Rosenbloom writes the book in the perspective of a Jewish teenage girl's emotion as she becomes a young adult. Throughout the book Rosenbloom uses shorter sentences to get the point across. The protagonist of the book is Stacy Friedman. She is only asking God for a few things.
The, realistic fiction, book mainly focuses on a young girl growing up. It explains the emotions that Stacy has to go through with her parents divorce, a younger brother, her crush, and friendship. Just when Stacy thought that her mother and father would get back together she finds out her father has a girl friend, and she has to watch her mother suffer without a husband anymore. Stacy feels humiliated about her brother, Arthur, who is at least 20 pounds over weight and extremely intelligent. Stacy has a huge crush on Andy Goldfarb, but she just isn't sure if he likes her back. Most importantly Stacy ends up uttering the words that she has been dreading, and she ends up saying it to someone very close in her life. She screams at them "You are so not invited to my Bat Mitzvah!"
Since Stacy is planning and studying for her bat mitzvah, a Jewish ceremony of coming of age, she needs to meat with the Rabbi. After talking with Stacy he fills that it would help her to do 3 Mitzvah projects, (community service work) before her bat mitzvah. Stacy struggles with the mitzvahs (good deeds) she chooses to do. The day before her bat Mitzvah she feels like she has done three failed mitzvah projects. In the end do Stacy's Mitzvah's finally work out or has she completely failed?
I would give this book two Thumbs up! Through Stacy Friedman's thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences Fiona Rosenbloom has made the book inspiring throughout. The book was a real cliff hanger! I highly recommend this book for especially girls ages 11-15. You don't need to be Jewish to read and relate to this spectacular book
Number of pages: 190