King of the Seventh Grade

by Barbara Cohen

Book Overview

Thirteen-year-old Vic hates Hebrew school and is indifferent to his upcoming bar mitzvah, until he is suddenly disallowed from participating in either. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688013023
• ISBN13: 9780688013028
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

An Adult Viewpoint

Who could resist this title? Victor Abrams is the king. To begin with, he's the best looking boy in seventh grade. He's the most popular. He has the respect of his peers, if not his teachers. Because of Vic's belligerent attitude, teachers at Hebrew School don't like him. The feeling is mutual. Vic doesn't understand why he must go through boring religious training. He resents the bar mitzvah his parents insist upon, even though they disagree about everything else. Since they divorced, Vic lives with his father, who doesn't cook, doesn't talk, doesn't do much of anything but work. Vic's peers are a round of toughs, boys who cause trouble for people inside and outside of school. One friend, Stewie, persuades the others to shoplift until they become proficient thieves. Although Vic is uncomfortable about the stealing, he goes along with it, swept along by Stewie's insistence. The story moves steadily toward its conflict: Vic wants to quit Hebrew School, and his parents and the rabbi want him to continue. But a turn of events causes the drama to reverse. Vic's mother lets slip to the rabbi that she is not a Jew. Because one can only be a Jew through the maternal line or conversion, Vic is suddenly not a Jew. At this point, the story becomes quite interesting. Vic slowly realizes he misses the identity he's taken for granted, but his parents veto the yucky conversion process (it involves another circumcision)! By the conclusion, Vic has grown up, accepted his responsibilities, made peace with those he hurt, become a Jew, and received a year's probation for shoplifting. A huge amount of story in a 190 page book, and every page worth it. Besides being a good story, King of the Seventh Grade contains lots of information on Judaism. This is a superior book: well-written, honest, and enlightening.

King of the Seventh Grade - this book rocks

A boy named Victor goes to Hebrew School and hates it! He has a lot of tricks up his sleeve and hopes that he will get thrown out of Hebrew School for them. He doesn't get thrown out though. But one day he finds out that he's not Jewish. I would recommend this book and, if you read it, you will find out if he converts or not. You probably think he won't because he hates Hebrew School so much, but you might be surprised. I learned a lesson from this book which was: if you hate something, you might change your mind and like it later. Why don't you go to the library or bookstore and get this book right now!

it was a great book

King Of the Seventh Grade I would rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. I liked the book a lot because it is like my life. He gets in trouble for the same stuff I do. I liked it because the guy was in 7th grade. I would compare it to Time for Andrew because I liked that book also. Another book I would compare it to is More than Meets the Eye. I like when Abby Greenglass reveals that she has always liked him. But she didn't anymore because.... Well anyway I would read it again if it were an assignment. By Ashley Shoemaker