THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF HOODIE ROSEN

Josh Bloomberg's resonant voice is perfect for 15-year-old Hoodie Rosen, who shares classic Jewish stories and the words of his Rebbe (a Hasidic spiritual leader). But Hoodie's instincts are beginning to conflict with Orthodox teachings, and Bloomberg's narration captures Hoodie's irony, sarcasm and introspection. Central to the story is an act of goodness: Hoodie and 15-year-old Anne-Marie remove swastikas spray-painted on Jewish gravestones. Instead of affirmation, he is condemned for consorting with a non-Jew. In a further complication, Anne-Marie is the daughter of the mayor, who opposes Hoodie's father's proposed high-rise project, which is meant to bring more Orthodox families to the community. Bloomberg guides listeners expertly through Jewish terms and traditions, Hoodie's experience of first love, and the hatred mounting in a conflicted community. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]