Starred review from October 15, 2024
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Many young readers will find the central conceit of Mendel the Mess-Up irresistible. Ever eager to be helpful, young Mendel always makes things worse--chopping wood, milking the cow, even setting the table all result in disaster. And that "always" is quite literal, as Mendel was cursed while still in the womb by Starface Matja, the local witch. So, when the Cossacks show up and Mendel is the only one in a position to defend his small Russian village, his determination and his belief in himself are put to the ultimate test. In this pitch-perfect paean to the time in life when our need to show our competence charges headlong into our shortcomings, LaBan offers a heartfelt, characterful, and exciting lesson in learning to meet our limitations with thoughtful consideration and patience with ourselves, while meaningfully embracing the adjacent concerns of scholarship and empathy. Given that this work involves both Judaism and Russia--it's a historical context, but some associations may be unavoidable--the scene of villagers wandering among their decimated homes offers ample opportunity for more far-reaching consideration. LaBan's art exemplifies what the cartoonish style does best: capturing and exaggerating characters' physical and behavioral foibles and making them both ridiculous and lovable. And, indeed, it rings perfectly with a story all about mistakes but filled with so much to love.
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November 1, 2024
Can a boy who was cursed to mess everything up save his village? Twelve-year-old Mendel's incapable of doing anything right. When he hugs his mother, he knocks her into the washtub. While setting the table, he lights the table on fire. And when he chops wood, he almost decapitates his sister. Mendel's mother tells him it isn't his fault: Years ago, Starface Matja cursed Mendel when his pregnant mother refused to share the last cabbage at the market. But knowingwhy he's Mendel the Mess-Up doesn't make it any easier to bear. Now the Cossacks are coming. If they destroy the village, it will be Mendel's fault, but the only weapon he has is his greatest weakness. Simple, entertaining cartoons bring Mendel's adventure to life. An author's note speaks to an attempt to render a historically inspired invented setting, a shtetl in a fictional Eastern European country. While some silly touches amuse (a happy goat grins as he trots on a machine designed to collect goat sweat), others (like the shtetl with the linguistically improbable name "Lintvint") are disconcerting. Despite the comedic art style, the stakes can be surprisingly high; panels, sometimes unexpectedly, rocket from lighthearted to grim to inspirational. All characters are depicted with the same shades of peachy skin; Jewish characters are differentiated from the Cossacks primarily by hairstyle and clothing. A coming-of-age fable, humorously told and illustrated. (author's note)(Graphic fiction. 9-11)
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Starred review from September 16, 2024
Put Fiddler on the Roof and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in a blender, add a jigger or two of Seinfeld, and the result is this boisterous and affirming graphic novel. “Everything I do turns into a DISASTER!” bemoans the 12-year-old eponymous protagonist as he clumsily maneuvers his way through Lintvint, his financially struggling shtetl. He blames his inability to “be GOOD at something” on Starface Matja, the village witch who cursed Mendel’s pregnant mother for purchasing the last of a vendor’s wares. When murderous Cossacks invade Lintvint, Mendel becomes the last line of defense. But can a “mess-up” like Mendel save the day? According to Starface Matja—who, in a
climactic apology, claims “I’ve always had poor impulse control” as the reason for her curse working—“the most effective curses are the ones we put on OURSELVES,” opening the door to limitless potential and personal introspection. LaBan (Edge City) skillfully unspools the jokes and fast-paced plot with broad cartooning reminiscent of classic Sunday comics and wraps it up with a triumphant depiction of a quintessential Jewish coming-of-age tradition. Back
matter provides historical and religious context. Ages 8–12.