Sydney Taylor Honor Book · Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
The Jake Show
In Joshua S. Levy’s hilarious and charming middle grade novel, a Jewish seventh grader caught between his divorced parents—an Orthodox mother and a secular father—concocts a web of lies to get to summer camp with his friends.
Katherine Tegen Books / HarperCollins · Hardcover, ebook, and audiobook
Honors
Sydney Taylor Honor Book
Middle Grade
Association of Jewish Libraries
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
PJ Our Way selection
Tablet
The Best Jewish Children’s Books of 2023
The Forward
The Best Jewish Books of 2023
About the book
For TV-obsessed Jake Lightman, his parents’ divorce is like his favorite show getting canceled: The worst. Now he’s stuck between playing the role of “Yaakov” for his mother and “Jacob” for his father.
On Jake’s first day at a new school, Caleb and Tehilla barrel into his life. Suddenly, he has two friends who seem to like the real Jake. And when they invite him to Camp Gershoni for the summer, Jake knows he has to go—even if his parents won’t let him.
With help from Caleb and Tehilla, Jake concocts a web of lies to get to camp. But he struggles to keep up the ruse—and be a good friend at the same time. As the cost of lying grows, he must decide what’s truly important, or risk losing the people he cares about the most.
Perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Erin Entrada Kelly.
Praise
“This comical, authentic, and firmly Jewish caper should play to rave reviews with both secular and spiritual audiences.”
— Booklist
“A relatable coming-of-age story filled with family strife, fraught friendships, and ridiculous decisions. Funny, heartwarming, and authentic, The Jake Show is a hit!”
— Rajani LaRocca
Newbery Honor-winning author of Red, White, and Whole
“Astutely depicts the pain of a contentious divorce, the balm of friendship, and the complexity of Jewish culture.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“You’ll root for Jake as he navigates friendships, parents, religion, and figuring out who he is—and who he wants to be. Heartfelt and hilarious, The Jake Show is a coming of age story you don’t want to miss.”
— Sarah Mlynowski
New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series
“[A] delightful read that charts one boy’s emotional growth with a delicate balance of humor and heart.”
— Jewish Book Council
“[A] great book about the meaning of friendships and love of families.”
— Association of Jewish Libraries
“A heartfelt story about discovering yourself while being pulled in two directions, Levy’s The Jake Show had me laughing through tears and cheering for Jake every inch of the way. Give this TV-loving kid his Emmy; he deserves it.”
— Nicole Melleby
Award-winning author of Hurricane Season
NEW · AUGUST 2027
The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Years
Stories of Jewish American Coming of Age
Illustrated by Alexander Mostov · Sourcebooks eXplore
Loved Jake? Josh’s next book is all true. Nearly four centuries of American Jewish history, told through thirteen coming-of-age stories—from 1654 New Amsterdam to Silicon Valley.
Cover reveal coming soon
Follow @joshuaslevy on Instagram to see it first.
Visits and group reads
Josh visits schools, libraries, synagogues, and b’nai mitzvah programs, in person or by Zoom. Reading The Jake Show with a class, Hebrew school, or book club? He’d love to join you.