Mendel the Mess-Up by Terry LaBan

In Mendel the Mess-Up, an accident-prone Jewish boy turns his weaknesses into strengths against rampaging Cossacks.

Mendel the Mess-Up by Terry LaBan. Holiday House, 2024, 200 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 8-14

I’m stuck in a tree with my worst enemy, looking down at a pack of half-starved wolves that can hardly wait to eat us alive, and some questions are running through my mind. [Beginning with] Why can’t I do anything right?

Mendel is a nice kid, but really can’t seem to do anything right. After almost impaling his sister with the ax or setting fire to the table while trying to set the table, all he can say is “Sorry.” It’s not his fault, Mama explains: It’s because Starface Matja put the evil eye on Mendel before he was born, so everything he touches turns to ash (sometimes literally). The result is that everybody in his village of Lintvint knows him as “the Mess-Up.” His brain seems to be messed up too; At the synagogue school he can’t seem to remember any of “the Book” (Talmud). How can he be Bar Mitzvah’d? Nuli, the smartest kid in town, shares a mnemonic trick that seems to work, but in front of the rabbi the words fly right out of Mendel’s head.

Soon, though, he has more to worry about: the Cossacks are coming! They’re wreaking havoc throughout Russia, and it looks like Lintvint is their next target. Efforts to redirect them fail—more mess-ups—and fleeing up the mountain is their only recourse. Burdened with guilt, Mendel banishes himself from the others but ends up accidentally letting the goats loose, just before running headlong into the Cossacks. During the wild ride that follows, he learns more about his enemies and uncovers secrets that just may help defeat them. For good.

Author LaBan aspired early to be a cartoonist, and his graphic-novel style is bold, exaggerated, and hilarious. The “comic” violence may be a bit much for sensitive readers, but there’s some depth and moral content, as well as hints at redemption. Mendel’s friend Nuli encourages him to think differently, study hard, and turn his weaknesses into strengths. God (Hashem) is not mentioned, but the Talmud, or rabbinic commentary on the Law, is a guide for doing the right thing. LaBan includes notes about what is historically accurate and what’s made up, and Nuli’s memory trick may even help some slow learners in the reading audience.

Bottom Line: A fast and furious read with heart.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: The Hereville tales are another fanciful representation of traditional Jewish life; see How Mirka Got Her Sword (starred review) and How Mirka Met a Meteorite.
• Resource: Children of Israel: Our Book List of Jewish Life and Culture.

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