YA Book Review: My Basmati Bat Mitzvah

In 1970, Judy Blume featured an interfaith family in her seminal Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. The protagonist, Margaret Simon, not only has to worry about coming of age, but she also has to contend with the challenge of being torn between two religions (Judaism and Christianity) in a time and place where such a conflict is unusual. Margaret spends a year trying to figure out which religion she belongs to but comes to no final answer. Fast-forward 44 years, and Paula J. Freedman tackles a similar situation in My Basmati Bat Mitzvah, in which Tara Feinstein must figure out a way to negotiate both of her cultural heritages. In many ways, Feinstein’s work serves as a great companion piece of Are You There, God?. While it occasionally falls into sitcom territory and the ending might be a little too pat, the character interactions and the skillful way Freedman portrays Tara make this a worthwhile read.

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah tackles a situation that is both unusual and common. Tara Feinstein, the main character, must figure out a way to honor her Jewish and Indian cultural heritages even as she tries to discern where she belongs. Complicating matters are her uncertain relationship with Ben-o (her long-time neighbor who may or may not have a crush on her); her distracted and unreliable partner in robotics club; her ongoing conflict with Shelia Rosenberg, a schoolmate who seems too perfect and haughty for Tara’s liking; and her ambivalence towards her bat mitzvah. The plot follows Tara as she tries to navigate these different problems and culminates with her bat mitzvah celebration.

While the middle-school-drama portion of the plot is fine if unexceptional, the religious and cultural elements of the plot are thoughtfully drawn and developed. Freedman does an excellent job showing us Tara’s love for both of her cultural and religious heritages, and because of this, we sympathize with her when she feels torn between the two. Additionally, Freedman treats the topics of religion and culture in a manner that is honest and upfront without seeming too doctrinaire and without betraying her characters’ ages and abilities. Through Tara, the author gets to address issues such as belief in God or what makes someone belong to one religion or another. These questions certainly are ones that pertain to all people, and they don’t seem out of character for Tara. Furthermore, My Basmati Bat Mitzvah is a treat for those interested but unfamiliar with the cultures presented, since Freedman includes some interesting information about Jewish and Indian cultures. There is even a “handy Hindi-Hebrew-Yiddish-English” glossary at the end of the book to help readers with some of the less familiar terms.

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah’s other exceptional element is the way Freedman skillfully captures Tara’s voice. Unlike other books, television shows, and movies with early-adolescent protagonists, Tara is never overly precocious and cutesy. She bristles at her parents’ advice and edicts but in a realistic and understandable way, such as sulking when shopping dresses to wear to the numerous bat and bar mitzvahs she will have to attend. Her interactions with others are also genuine; whether she is getting into a physical fight with Shelia or trying to figure out what is happening with Ben-o, Tara seems like a real middle schooler. While there are a few moments where Tara’s vocabulary and phrasing seem too adult, these are few and far between.

Freedman does a nice job with most the other characters as well, and the relationships between them contain a nice balance between genuine affection, occasional exasperation, and underlying tension. While some of the characters fall into broad stereotypes (both Shelia and Tara’s paternal grandmother seem like they are out of central casting), this doesn’t detract from the overall book.

If you are looking for a fun but stimulating book for your students (or yourself), My Basmati Bat Mitzvah might be just what you are looking for. It is the perfect middle grade book since it tackles questions of identity in a way that is identifiable and accessible for middle school students. Additionally, Tara’s humor helps prevent the book from getting too heavy even when it addresses some of the more serious topics.