What Happened to Heather Hopkowitz?

Rating:
Summary: What Happened to Heather Hopkowitz?
Review: Heather desires a more Orthodox life after she lives with an Orthodox family for a month, while her parents are on vacation. This book emphasized the struggle between Heather, who wants to become an Orthodox Jew, and her mother, who couldn't stand the idea of no twinkies, lard,frappes and hamburgers etc.

If anything was faulty about this book it was the fact that it slightly over emphasized. The only other fault I could think of is that the end is too happy go lucky, too fast. This was a great book for roughly 5th or 6th graders.

Rating:
Summary: Good book for junior high or high school
Review: When Heather, from a non-observant Jewish family, spends some time with a friend from a religiously observant family (despite her mother's hesitation about the idea), she discovers there is much to respect and admire in a more religiously observant lifestyle and starts to follow it at home, trying to keep her secret from her parents.

This book is good reading for high school students and advanced readers of junior high age, as well. Watching Heather discover more about her religious background can be quite enriching for Jewish students, from observant and non-observant backgrounds. Non-Jewish readers may enjoy the book as well, but may not find themselves identifying with the characters and siutations quite as much. However, if they have ever had questions about their religious background, they may find Heather's journey quite intriguing.