Golemcrafters

An unanticipated bar mitzvah gift—“a box of uncured clay” for 11-year-old Faye’s older brother Shiloh—results in a visit from the siblings’ estranged paternal grandfather in this ethereal fantasy novel by Watanabe Cohen (The Lost Ryu). To combat rising antisemitism, including the bullying Shiloh has been experiencing, their grandfather wants them to learn golemcrafting: creating humanoid figures from clay that are “brought to life with the Hebrew alphabet.” Their father disagrees, but their Catholic mother, a second-generation Japanese American, believes this will help them learn more about their Jewish heritage. Faye feels secretly triumphant when she demonstrates a gift for golemcrafting over academically inclined Shiloh. But when, in a shared dream, the siblings are transported to a fantasy realm where innocent people are being hunted, Faye’s pride turns to rage. Suddenly saddled with incredible power, Faye’s rage evolves into fear she struggles to overcome alone. Watanabe Cohen explores centuries of antisemitism through the eyes of two characters experiencing it in the present to show the import of personal resilience and reliance on family in the face of adversity. Ages 8–12. Agent: Mary C. Moore, Aevitas Creative. (Nov.)

Update: The text of this review has been adjusted for clarity.