Becoming Gershona

Although more than 10 years have passed since the end of World War II, the Holocaust has left its mark on all the adults in Gershona's world; everyone, even her new friend Nimrod, has a sad and secret past. A life spent skirting the miseries of others has made Gershona awkward and lonely. But when her long-lost grandfather comes to live in Tel Aviv, Gershona's life takes a turn for the better. As various family secrets are revealed, the girl comes to understand and accept her place in her family and the world. This is a thoughtful novel of a girl's growing up; its strongest components are Gershona's delicate, precise observations. Unfortunately, perhaps because of the translation, these moments are often obscured by ponderous narrative and stilted dialogue. Still, readers capable of sifting through the stiff writing will enjoy both Gershona's story and the author's depiction of everyday life in the young state of Israel. Ages 10-14. (July)