Whether you’re lazing by the pool, relaxing on the beach, or just staycationing, summer’s the time to catch up on reading.

Here are some suggestions for great Jewish-themed books. Because of budget constraints, our library does not have all the books mentioned here. But your local public library consortium should.

Historical fiction fans, especially those who loved The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish , will enjoy Jodi Picoult’s latest, By Any Other Name. Picoult frequently writes about women’s lack of empowerment. This split screen novel posits that a lowborn British converso wrote much of Shakespeare’s work. This plot is set against a contemporary female playwright’s attempt to have her feminist play produced. This well researched book is filled with authentic details as well as the requisite romance.

On Her Own by Lihie Lapidus has all the elements of a good read: a bit of a mystery, an evil man, a disaffected young woman looking for love and acceptance. The book is set in Israel and also deals with the role of the expat and the question of where is home.

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden takes place in post-World War II Netherlands. Isabel lives alone in the family home in Amsterdam. Her peaceful routine is upset when her brother’s girlfriend begins a long stay. Intense with psychological family drama, passion and questions about the fate of Dutch Jews in the war, this novel was judged one of the best of 2024.

Younger readers-and adults, too- should read award winning author Adam Gidwitz’s duology, Max in the House of Spies and Max in the Land of Lies, featuring young Max who pre-World War II is trying to return to his family in Germany. He becomes a spy and infiltrates Nazi Germany. Gidwitz is able to infuse real humor into a serious book for middle grade readers and beyond. Also by Gidwitz is the very funny, but likewise serious, The Inquisitor’s Tale: or the three magical children and their holy dog about three children who journey through France in 1242 on their quest to save Jewish books that are to be burned. It’s a cross-generational book- a sort of Jewish Canterbury Tales- that’s a great read-aloud, too. Who can resist a book about kids and a dog?

Next time, the focus will be on non-fiction. Happy Reading!

Image: “Reading” by Pedro Ribeiro Simões is licensed under CC BY 2.0