The Horn Book

Cultural Diversity in Middle Grade
July, 2014
“A warm, humorous story about cultural identity, inner harmony, and ordinary middle-school trials and tribulations.”
Read more.

June 25, 2013
Mira and Tara: Jewish Indian tweens

Bank Street College of Education

2014
Children’s Book Committee named My Basmati Bat Mitzvah to ‘Best Children’s Books of the Year‘ list (PDF)

South Asia Book Award

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah named a 2014 ‘Highly Commended Book’

Asian Jewish Life

Issue 14 (April 2014)
Identity in Jewish-Indian Middle Grade Fiction (PDF)
Susan Blumberg-Kason reviews My Basmati Bat Mitzvah and Veera Hiranandani’s The Whole Story of Half a Girl

L.A. Times

Holiday book gift guide: Middle grade 2013

The New York Times Sunday Book Review

November 10, 2013
Matzo Masala: ‘My Basmati Bat Mitzvah’ and ‘Mira in the Present Tense’

School Library Journal

Who Am I? Why Am I Here?: Considering the Big Questions
“Lighthearted and entertaining, this novel deftly explores cultural, religious, and adolescent issues.” Read More.

December 2013 issue
“Freedman handles the ethnic and religious diversity of Tara’s family and friends with a light touch, but doesn’t shrink from exploring some of the complexities of a dual heritage. This will take its place beside Jenny Han’s Shug: that is, if you can keep it on the shelves.”

The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books

November 2013 issue
“A snapshot of modern adolescence, this deserves a spot next to Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret … and Naylor’s Alice series in the coming-of-age canon for girls.”

KidsReads

September 30, 2013
“MY BASMATI BAT MITZVAH is a charming and poignant coming of age story and highly recommended.” Read More.

Booklist

November 15, 2013
“this story will have resonance for many children of many faiths at the cusp of religious adulthood.”

The Jewish Daily Forward

October 17, 2013
The Sisterhood blog
‘My Basmati Bat Mitzvah’ — and Pew, by Hilary Levey Friedman

My Mom Loved It

Publisher’s Weekly

September 23, 2013
“Tara’s inquisitiveness, openness, and determination to chart her own path stand out in this warm story of family, faith and the ways people are unique yet intertwined.”
Read more.

Kirkus Reviews

August 15, 2013
Starred Review; The Best Books of 2013 “The latest spunky heroine of South Asian–Jewish heritage to grace middle-grade fiction, Tara Feinstein, 12, charms readers from the get-go in this strong, funny debut… As Tara learns in this skillful exploration, an important source of her special strengths—questioning spirit, empathy and strong ethical compass—is her mixed heritage.”
Read more.

Let’s Laugh! Book Reviews (Reading Today Online)

“Tara is a fun, likeable character and readers will relate to her struggles, strength, vulnerability, and honesty.”
Read more.

Goodreads

Head on over to my author page to connect.

LibraryThing

Some more nice reviews.

Bookish Blogs

• Bookworm1858
• Hobbitsies
• Kidsmomo
• Life is Like a Library
• Lit Up Review
• Luna’s Little Library
• Meloframa
• The Nerdy Reader (reviews the cover)
• The Outback Librarian
• The Pretty Good Gatsby (which is an awesome name, by the way)
• Queen Ella Bee Reads
• The Reading Nook Reviews
• The Streetlight Reader (with more cover lovin’)
• The Styling Librarian
• Tea and Writing
• Wrapped Up in Books
• Writer of Wrongs

On Twitter

@PJFreedman‘s My Basmati Bat Mitzvah reminds me how much I love the sweetness of youngYA/oldMG/being12 years old. #intotheBEAbox

— Ann Stampler (@AnnStampler) June 13, 2013

SUPER excited for My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by @pjfreedman, coming in Oct! Cover just released! http://t.co/AGQ1S700Df pic.twitter.com/Y23lPoP0rQ — Kidsmomo (@kidsmomo) May 22, 2013