The Effects of Pickled Herring

 The Effects of Pickled Herring is the newest graphic novel by author and cartoonist, Alex Schumacher.

Reading this graphic novel for middle school and high school students will help any teenager who is grappling with the changes that are happening to them and the changes that happen to our grandparents as they age.  

Micah Gadsky and his sister, Alana are preparing for their B'nai Mitzvah.  As they are learning their prayers, Torah and Haftorah portions, they are also learning many life lessons. This story follows Micah as his voice cracks while practicing his Hebrew prayers, as he worries about not remembering what to say when he gets up on the bima and as he struggles to get up the courage to ask a girl he likes to his Bar Mitzvah.

Drawn with colorful exaggerated comic characters we follow Micah as he goes to school and negotiates  the trials of adolescence.  While Micah finds the social scene in Middle school difficult, his sister is working hard to fit in, joining the cheerleading team and be careful to stay thin and wear the right clothes.  Micah has one close friend who is encouraging and supportive.  Omar is Mexican and together they stand up to anti-Semitic taunts from the bullies at the school.

At home things are getting serious when Micah's grandmother, who he is close to, is starting to experience signs of dementia.   As Micah and Alana are getting closer to the B'nai Mitzvah date, Grams is getting more forgetful.  The novel shows how the family learns that staying strong is easier together rather than divided.

The characters are drawn in colorful exaggerated cartoon style. There are easy to read fonts and well laid out pages.  Big sound effects and bold backgrounds add a pop to the story.  There is even a dramatic dream scene similar to Tevye's dream scene with Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof.

This graphic novel covers the discussion about what a Bar Mitzvah is and why Jewish children have one at thirteen.  Other Jewish holidays are discussed also as the family goes through the year before the Bnai Mitzvah.  The family has a Passover Seder and tells the story of Passover.