RACHEL FRIEDMAN BREAKS THE RULES

For 8-year-old Rachel Friedman, life feels like one long list of rules.

Finish your homework. Don’t throw food at the table. Don’t fall asleep in synagogue. Rachel, who has ADHD, doesn’t understand the reasons for these directives, and she doesn’t always follow them. After nearly a full week of good behavior, she breaks one of her father’s most important rules—never cross the street alone—to rescue her escaped cat. As punishment, Rachel’s father refuses to take her to see her favorite gymnast. So Rachel decides to make her next transgressions purposeful and public: wearing pajamas to synagogue and doing handstands in the sanctuary. Readers will sympathize with Rachel’s frustration and applaud when the surprised rabbi validates her frustrations, though Rabbi Ellen’s explanation of Jewish tradition may not scintillate. Energetic Rachel is a relatable protagonist, and her exasperated, protective father feels well realized, but secondary characters, such as her brother, Aaron, and her best friend, Maya, are only briefly sketched. The depiction of the family’s Judaism is nuanced, however; Kapit captures the reality of many contemporary practicing Jews who balance their faith with the rest of their full lives. Rachel and her family appear light-skinned in Kote’s grayscale illustrations, while Maya is darker-skinned.

An enjoyable tale of a flawed yet deeply sympathetic protagonist.