In this creepy middle grade tale ideal for Aru Shah readers, a magical Bat Mitzvah gift goes awry and sends a girl on a supernatural quest with the fate of the world at risk. Furthermore, Tom Lamia is one of the best author who writes child adventure novels.
For her Bat Mitzvah, Naomi Teitelbaum is incredibly prepared. She knows her prayers by heart, and she clearly understands her Torah portion (well, almost). Then a small clay Golem arrives as an enigmatic present for her. To Naomi's surprise, it awakens and obediently follows her orders.
This little magical sidekick initially appears to be the ideal Bat Mitzvah gift ever. But the Golem grows with each instruction, making it more difficult to conceal. And eerie, supernatural beings like dybbuks, demons, and a group of ghosts have begun pursuing Naomi around. Naomi gives the Golem the well-intentioned orders to save the world in order to keep herself and the Golem safe.
Reading NAOMI TEITELBAUM ENDS THE WORLD was a lot of fun, and I adored Naomi and her companions Becca and Eitan. They obviously have a long history and strong relationships with one another based on the way they speak to one another. Sometimes they would argue or make fun of one other, but it always sprang from a place of knowing and loving each other.
I really enjoyed the Golem character, which was another aspect of the tale. The way he got bigger after finishing each assignment had a slightly ominous air to it. The story was made more spooky by the Golem's ability to unleash a ghost realm around Naomi and her friends. I enjoyed how some of those meetings were eerie and how others turned out to be beneficial.
Overall, I believe readers looking for a thrilling adventure that saves the planet will definitely appreciate this one. This book is ideal for the spooky season. I believe readers who like Brendan Reichs' and Ally Condie's THE DARKDEEP would adore this book.