The Trouble with Secrets
CCBC Review:
Becky (white) would much rather practice her flute than prepare for her upcoming bat mitzvah. She worries that her Torah reading will pale in comparison to those of her talented older siblings, and she wants to audition for the All-County Band. When her dad refuses to grant permission for her to try out, Becky forges her mom’s signature on the form and secretly earns herself a spot. Becky and her three siblings are all close, but 16-year-old Sara is Becky’s most trusted confidant. When Becky learns that Sara is dating Sean, a boy who’s not Jewish—against her parents’ express wishes—Becky and Sara promise to keep one another’s respective secrets. Predictably, this requires increasingly elaborate and stressful lies and cover-up, and one terrible night, Sara sneaks out to meet up with Sean with tragic consequences. While the specifics of this heartbreaking story may speak most strongly to Jewish readers, the sibling dynamics, drama of secret-keeping, and personal exploration of one’s religious practice will resonate widely. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: 8-12
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Faith, Spirituality and Religion
Grief and Loss
Jewish People
Milestones
Secrets
Sisters
Diversity subject:
Jewish
On CCBC Booklist:
Religion in the Lives of Children and Teens
Publishers:
HarperCollins, Quill Tree
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 325
ISBN: 9780063311640
CCBC Location: Fiction, Milliner