Finding books that are both educational and exciting can be a real challenge, but the Elisha Davidson trilogy written by M.R. Attar accomplishes both by weaving fantasy, adventure, Judaic traditions, and mysticism into a modern-day story that will enthrall readers.
Set in Jerusalem’s Old City, the story focuses on an ordinary 11-year-old boy and the truly extraordinary things that begin to happen when his family starts renovating their home, unearthing a uniquely magical ancient stone. With a slow, deliberate pace, the wild and wonderful world of Elisha Davidson unfolds with many Kabbalah elements essential to the plot (great fire, visions, rainbows, the sephirot, the struggle between good and evil, etc).
Though it’s marketed to teens, adults will become equally wrapped up in the story’s complex themes. (Because of some violent and potentially scary elements, very little children wouldn’t be the right audience for a read-aloud.) Though some have described Elisha as a Jewish version of Harry Potter, I think the characters are very different, though the fantasy genre is the same.
Want to read this awesome series? Enter the giveaway and you could win books 1 and 2 in the trilogy, Elisha Davidson and the Letters of Fire and Elisha Davidson and the Ispaklaria.