Review: Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz
Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz
by Diana Harmon Asher
PJ Publishing, 2025
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Esty Schachter
It’s hard to know where to start in describing the depth and heart of delightful must-read, Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz. The characters are highly engaging and relatable, managing serious themes but also infusing humor throughout. Evie is interesting and complex, and so are her friends and classmates, which is, in fact, one of the many themes of the book. Other themes include coping with grief, bullying, ignorance and intolerance, as well as finding strength and understanding in unexpected ways and more. The book deftly explores the idea that sometimes taking a stand for something that feels right may lead to a bit of trouble, but is nonetheless a risk worth taking.
Jewish themes are woven into the book naturally because they are key elements of Evie’s life. From reflecting on having been a cantor’s daughter, to her insightful thoughts following his death and subsequent two years of mourning, the synagogue which was her second home and place of comfort is also one of the places where Evie begins to discover who she is now that her life has profoundly changed. The story highlights the concept of fellowship, with threads of kindness and connection woven into a tale that captures the thoughts and feelings of middle school kids so well. This includes reconsidering labels often assigned to people – the quiet one, the odd one, the one who has “trouble written all over him.” Evie comes to see how limiting and sometimes harmful these labels can be. Readers are along for the journey as she comes to see herself and others as layered and complicated, with the potential to change, stretch and grow. “Nothing gets better if you don’t talk about it,” Evie says to a friend, sharing a realization that is part of what makes this book so hopeful and powerful. The story is highly accessible to Jewish and non-Jewish readers, who will all gain much from meeting Evie.
Jewish themes are woven into the book naturally because they are key elements of Evie’s life. From reflecting on having been a cantor’s daughter, to her insightful thoughts following his death and subsequent two years of mourning, the synagogue which was her second home and place of comfort is also one of the places where Evie begins to discover who she is now that her life has profoundly changed. The story highlights the concept of fellowship, with threads of kindness and connection woven into a tale that captures the thoughts and feelings of middle school kids so well. This includes reconsidering labels often assigned to people – the quiet one, the odd one, the one who has “trouble written all over him.” Evie comes to see how limiting and sometimes harmful these labels can be. Readers are along for the journey as she comes to see herself and others as layered and complicated, with the potential to change, stretch and grow. “Nothing gets better if you don’t talk about it,” Evie says to a friend, sharing a realization that is part of what makes this book so hopeful and powerful. The story is highly accessible to Jewish and non-Jewish readers, who will all gain much from meeting Evie.
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Reviewer Esty Schachter has written three books, PICKLED WATERMELON, WAITING FOR A SIGN and ANYA'S ECHOES, and is currently working on several picture books. She is a clinical social worker in the Boston area.
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