Duringthefallleadinguptoherbatmitzvah,Tara(Hindiforstar")FeinsteinhasalotmorethanherTorahportiononhermind.BetweenHebrewschoolandstudysessionswiththerabbi,theredoesn'tseemtobeenoughtimetohangoutwithherbestfriendBen-Owhomightalsobeherboyfriendandherotherbestfriend,Rebecca,who'sgettingalittletoocozywiththesnottySheilaRosenberg.NottomentionworkingonherroboticsprojectwiththeclassclownRyanBerger,orfiguringoutwhattodowithapricelessheirloomsarithatsheaccidentallyruined.Amidallthisdrama,TaraconsidershowtobalanceherIndianandJewishidentitiesandwhatitmeanstohaveabatmitzvahwhilequestioningherfaith.Withthecross-culturalcharmofBendItLikeBeckham,thisdelightfuldebutnovelisaclassiccoming-of-agestoryandyoungromancewithuniversalappeal.PraiseforMyBasmatiBatMitzvah"Inmyopinion,MyBasmatiBatMitzvahshowsthateveryoneisdifferentintheirownwayandsomegettheadvantageofbeingculturallydiverse.Iratethebook5stars!"ShivaniDesai,age13STARREDREVIEW"ThelatestspunkyheroineofSouthAsianJewishheritagetogracemiddle-gradefiction,TaraFeinstein,12,charmsreadersfromtheget-gointhisstrong,funnydebut."KirkusReviews,starredreview"Tara'sinquisitiveness,openness,anddeterminationtochartherownpathstandoutinthiswarmstoryoffamily,faithandthewayspeopleareuniqueyetintertwined."PublishersWeekly"Withaconversationalandauthentictweenvoice,Tarainvitesreadersintoherworldassheexploresthelargerissuesoffaith,compassion,andtraditionwhileconfrontingtheawkwardnessthatispubertyherquestionsregardingGodarepoignantandrelatablewhileheropinionsontrainingbrasaresimplyspot-on..."