THE JUDGMENT OF YOYO GOLD

Yocheved “Yoyo” Gold is a good Orthodox Jewish girl.

She proudly does the family’s grocery shopping, the weekly Shabbos cooking, and even looks after her two younger brothers. When her closest friend, Esti, is suddenly put on a plane to attend boarding school in Las Vegas after kissing boys and breaking the laws of kashrut, Yoyo feels blindsided, depressed, and betrayed. She misses sharing absolutely everything with her best friend and only confidant. While she’s volunteering with Jewish Hunger Relief, Yoyo is paired for meal delivery with Mickey, who has a white dad and a Korean and white mom who’s a rabbi at a Reform synagogue. Through her, Yoyo is introduced to different ways of being Jewish. She soon decides to get the filter on her smartphone removed and turns to TikTok for comfort. As she attempts to navigate her sheltered upbringing on the outskirts of Philadelphia and the intoxicating world of social media, Yoyo confronts new situations and difficult decisions. Through her new friendship and a budding forbidden romance with Shua, her friend Chani’s older brother, Yoyo discovers more about herself and the role she wants to play within her family and the Orthodox Jewish community. The book’s well-written short chapters and fast-paced, first-person narrative will keep readers glued to the pages. Yoyo’s voice is compelling, and both she and her observant family are portrayed positively and respectfully. Blum’s fans won’t be disappointed.

A kosher coming-of-age story with a bissel of romance.