The Judgment of Yoyo Gold

A smart and powerful story set in the Orthodox Jewish community about what it means to fit in, break out, and find your own way, by the award-winning author of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen. This book is Gossip Girl + My Name Is Asher Lev + I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Yoyo Gold has always played the role of the perfect Jewish daughter. She keeps kosher, looks after her siblings, and volunteers at the local food bank. She respects the decisions of her rabbi father and encourages her friends to observe the rules of their Orthodox faith. But when she sees her best friend cast out of the community over a seemingly innocent transgression, Yoyo's eyes are opened to the truth of her neighbors' hypocrisies for the first time. And what she sees leaves her shocked and unmoored.

As Yoyo's frustration builds, so does the pressure to speak out, even if she can only do so anonymously on TikTok, an app that's always been forbidden to her. But when one of her videos goes viral--and her decisions wind up impacting not only her own life but also her relationship with the boy she's falling for--Yoyo's world is thrown into chaos. She is forced to choose which path to take, for her community, for her family, and most importantly, for herself.

Award-winning author Isaac Blum returns with a new novel that asks what it really means to be part of a community--and what it means to break free.

Author: Isaac Blum
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published: 10/15/2024
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780593525852
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/22/2024
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2024
Booklist 10/15/2024 pg. 52
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2024 pg. 82

About the Author
Isaac Blum (he/him) is the National Book Award-longlisted and Morris Award-winning author of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen. He's taught English at several colleges and universities, and at Orthodox Jewish and public schools. He lives with his wife in Philadelphia, where he watches sports and reads books that make him laugh while showing him something true about the world. You can visit Isaac online at IsaacBlumAuthor.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @IsaacBlum_.