The Length of a String

Twelve-year-old Imani is preparing for her bat mitzvah when she inherits her great-grandmother's diary from 1941. Though Imani is the only Black Jewish student at her school and was adopted at birth, she has always felt secure in her identity and family. Through parallel storylines, the narrative follows both Imani in present-day Baltimore and her great-grandmother Anna in 1941 Luxembourg. Anna's diary entries reveal the circumstances that brought her to America as a refugee during World War II, while Imani searches for answers about her own history and identity. Both girls are twelve years old and navigating major life changes - Anna faces mounting dangers in wartime Europe, while Imani grapples with questions about her birth family. Their stories intersect through the diary, family artifacts, and shared cultural connections. The Length of a String explores themes of family bonds, cultural heritage, and how the past shapes identity. Through its dual narratives, the novel examines what makes a family and how individuals can honor multiple aspects of who they are.

Readers connect with the dual storylines and emotional depth in this middle-grade novel about family, identity, and Jewish heritage. Many reviewers highlight the authentic portrayal of both a modern 12-year-old's adoption story and her great-grandmother's WWII experiences. Liked: - Historical details and research accuracy - Treatment of complex themes at age-appropriate level - Integration of diary entries and letters - Character development of Imani and Anna - Jewish cultural elements Disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in early chapters - A few readers wanted more resolution with certain secondary characters - Historical timeline jumps confused younger readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (90+ ratings) BookPage: 5/5 Notable review: "The parallel narratives work seamlessly together, and both stories are equally compelling" - School Library Journal

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📚 The novel interweaves two compelling timelines: one following 12-year-old Imani in modern-day Baltimore, and another following her great-grandmother Anna in 1941 wartime Luxembourg. 🌟 Author Elissa Brent Weissman was inspired to write this story after discovering her own grandmother's diary from the 1940s. ✡️ The book explores themes of Jewish identity across generations, featuring both a Holocaust narrative and contemporary questions about adoption and racial identity. 📖 The title "The Length of a String" refers to an old Jewish folk belief that before birth, each soul is connected to their destined family by an invisible string. 🏆 The book received a Sydney Taylor Honor Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries and was named a Bank Street Best Book of the Year.