Hello! I'm Afoma.
  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Reading Middle Grade

Books for Kids and Grown Ups

  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · September 29, 2020

Review | No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen

Book Review - No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen

Summary: No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen

In No Vacancy, Miriam Brockman’s family — who are Jewish — has just moved into a motel they bought in upstate New York. On top of the change from city to small town, Miriam has to work with her parents and uncle (who comes to help) to renovate the motel. Her parents are also struggling because the motel is in poor financial state, contrary to what the sellers had initially told them. This jeopardizes their plan to renovate and then sell the motel so they can buy a home.

Next door to the hotel is a diner owned by a Catholic elderly couple, whose granddaughter, Kate, befriends Miriam. Miriam also begins working at the diner, peeling grapes for grape pie. In a bid to help draw customers to the motel, both girls create the illusion of a Virgin Mary apparition in a local abandoned drive-in. Their plan works, and customers start flooding the motel, but Miriam can’t shake the guilt, even as she explores other questions about religion and disability.

The Good

Miriam is a deeply introspective character and has lots of questions about religion and the lack of tolerance she feels her mother exhibits towards Catholics. The book’s premise is also unique. I don’t think I’ve read anything about religious apparitions and the cognitive bias that accounts for this illusory effect in some people. This is also a summer story, which is always fun, and there’s a lot of hard work involved in restoring the motel to some kind of glory. It was refreshing that Miriam was so hardworking, both at the diner and the motel.

There’s a lot of discourse about religion and how different people in the same religion may practice differently. Miriam’s uncle Mordy is a “stricter” Jew than her parents. He won’t drive on the Sabbath or eat at a non-kosher restaurant. Even though he likes Maria, the motel’s housekeeper who is Catholic, he sticks by his decision to only date and marry someone who shares his religious convictions. I enjoyed learning about the root of Miriam’s mother’s feelings about Catholics, and even though both girls carry on a lie for a while, I liked how the author resolves the situation in the end. Finally, I really liked Anton, a disabled boy whose mother brings him to see the apparition for healing. He gives readers an excellent education in how to treat people with disabilities.

The Bad

This book is a sort-of slice-of-life, voice-driven novel. It progressed slowly in the beginning, and with all the pointed discussions and commentary, I felt like the author’s mission was “preaching” religious tolerance. Most middle-grade books have a message, but this felt really preachy to me.

Overall: No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen

Tziporah Cohen’s debut novel is a unique middle-grade book set in summer. Featuring a Jewish protagonist, No Vacancy is an exploration of religion, friendship, and discrimination. If you enjoy slice-of-life stories with motels, kids working, warm family dynamics, and eccentric characters, you’ll enjoy this one.


Buy This Book

no vacancy by Tziporah cohen
buy on amazon

More Books Like No Vacancy

  • Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
  • Summer at Meadow Wood by Amy Rebecca Tan
  • What Happens Next by Claire Swinarski

Have you read this book or any other middle-grade books set in motels? I’d love your recommendations! Want more books by Jewish about Jewish kids? Here’s a list of 18.

Don't Forget to Share!

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pocket
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn

Related

Posted In: Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · Tagged: friendships, jewish middle-grade, motel stories, religion

Join My Newsletter

Like what you just read? Sign up for my Friday kidlit newsletter!

Privacy Policy

You’ll Also Love

Review | Be Real, Macy Weaver
Review | Coming Up Short
Graphic Novel Review | Swim Team

Comments

  1. Tziporah Cohen says

    September 29, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    Thank you, Afoma, for taking the time to read and review No Vacancy!

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      October 1, 2020 at 7:37 am

      My pleasure, Tziporah 🙂

      Reply

What do you think? Leave a comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

Picture Book Love: Bunheads by Misty Copeland

About Me
Hi, I'm Afoma! Thank you for stopping by. Learn more about me here.

Get 2 Months Free on Scribd


Follow on Bloglovin’

Follow

We’re Social Too!

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Stock photos courtesy of our partners at DepositPhotos 📸
♟️ chess in MG lit ♟️ ✨a suspenseful middle grade book✨ ✨chapter books worth reading!✨ Welcoming a second baby? Here’s a delightful picture book with tips for big kids. Although there’s more text in this one than I’d like for a typical picture book, I love that the information is factual and can be very helpful for parents tackling these specific questions with their big kids ❤️ ❓What happened to Rachel Riley❓ As much as I love new releases, I like to make room in my reading plans for books released a couple (or more) years before. Here’s my current backlist stack for 2023.
  • Blog
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Reading Middle Grade · Theme by 17th Avenue

 

Loading Comments...