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OyMG

by Amy Fellner Dominy (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 288 ratings · 99 reviews

Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly.

Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. Hi...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by Walker & Company (first published April 29th 2011)

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2011 Debut Authors (Young Adult and Middle Grade Lit.)

85th out of 306 books — 2,029 voters

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May 17, 2012 Manda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a fairly simple read. It was a cute story about a Jewish girl going to a Christian day camp and her experience. I like that it dealt with prejudice and racism that is still happening in today’s society. It may not be as extreme as it used to be, but it still happens.

I like Ellie, the main character. She was a strong character who was dealing with herself and who she really was. Her strong-willed religious grandfather was an amazing character. I liked that he was very sure of who he...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Zabet The Dark Empress of Dark Chocolate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, contemporary-fiction

This review can also be found on Reading Between Classes

Cover Impressions: The cover is very cute. Covered in doodles, it looks like it could have been pulled from Ellie's notebook. I love the play on words in the title and hope that most teens would get it.

The Gist: Ellie has one goal: to attend the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp and win a coveted scholarship to St. Benedict's school, the posh school with the best debate team around. As a Jewish girl in a Christian ca...more
This review can also be found on Reading Between Classes

Cover Impressions: The cover is very cute. Covered in doodles, it looks like it could have been pulled from Ellie's notebook. I love the play on words in the title and hope that most teens would get it.

The Gist: Ellie has one goal: to attend the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp and win a coveted scholarship to St. Benedict's school, the posh school with the best debate team around. As a Jewish girl in a Christian camp, Ellie feels a little out of place and her plans are threatened when she discovers that the school's benefactor, and her the grandmother of her crush and main competition, may be prejudiced against Jews. Ellie must decide how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to win.

Review: OyMG is an enjoyable read about a young girl struggling to find her own identity in the face of what everyone else wants her to be. The plot is a little expected and predictable, but the characters are fantastic. Ellie is a strong and independent young woman who knows the value of a good argument and is willing to work hard for the things that she wants. Her parents are loving and supportive - something that is often all too rare in YA novels! The best friend has her own set of issues (can we have a book featuring Megan as the MC please?) the love interest is smart and interesting and the villain is realistic and complex. However the stand out (and in close competition with Sage from The False Prince for the prize of favorite character thus far in 2012) is her Zeydeh (Grandfather). He is so well written that I was convinced he was based on a real person (he's not - I asked) and determined to meet him. Zeydeh has the best lines enhances this novel with a wonderful spark of humor. It is not too often that I can "hear" a character speak, but I could hear Zeydeh, in fact, I am still hearing Zeydeh (right now he is telling me to finish my tappity-tapping so we can look up recipes for Motzo Ball Soup). He is uncompromising, he is funny and he is the one person who demands that Ellie expect more from herself.
Characters aside, the plot moves quickly and does not suffer from any lag. There is no InstaLove and it does not paint the world (and the people in it) in black and white. I am happy to add this to my Classroom Library and cannot wait to see if my students are able to draw any comparisons to their own lives.

Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 12 and up
Gender: Will probably be more appealing to girls
Sex: None
Violence: None
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Abuse: None(less)

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Mar 21, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, family-stories, high-school, religious-theme, washyarg, young-adult

What happens when a Jewish girl goes to a Christian camp for speech and debate? Ellie Taylor loves to debate. The best debate team is at Benedict’s High School, and if Ellie performs well and wins the oratory contest at the summer camp, she can also win a scholarship to the exclusive (& expensive) school. The first day of camp, she meets Devon who just happens to be the grandson of the benefactor who chooses the scholarship winner. When she finds out that Devon’s grandmother has a “problem”...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Kelly Hager rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ellie’s not entirely sure what she wants to do with the rest of her life, but she’s got her short-term goals set. She’s going to a summer camp at an exclusive private school in the hopes that she’ll nail the oratory competition and then get a scholarship. (Ellie LOVES debate and wants to turn that into a career, but the exact job is still TBD.) But there’s a tiny snag. Ellie’s Jewish and this is a Christian camp and school. Slightly bigger obstacle: the woman giving out the scholarship may disli...more Ellie’s not entirely sure what she wants to do with the rest of her life, but she’s got her short-term goals set. She’s going to a summer camp at an exclusive private school in the hopes that she’ll nail the oratory competition and then get a scholarship. (Ellie LOVES debate and wants to turn that into a career, but the exact job is still TBD.) But there’s a tiny snag. Ellie’s Jewish and this is a Christian camp and school. Slightly bigger obstacle: the woman giving out the scholarship may dislike Jewish people. So now Ellie has to choose whether to out herself as a member of God’s chosen people now or after she gets the scholarship.

Complicating things further? She really likes the woman’s grandson, the incredibly gorgeous Devon.

This is such a fantastic book. I think this would be a great classroom/book club pick because there are so many great discussions to have about it.

We all make compromises every day and I don’t think it’s necessarily a betrayal to act differently based on who you’re around. But it’s also a slippery slope, you know?

Here’s an example (an oft-cited one, so I’m sorry if you’ve heard this a thousand times before). I’m a lesbian and I went to church with my best friend. The pastor said something about “hang a homo day” and then said, “I don’t know, maybe we should.” I don’t remember the context, but there’s really no acceptable one. I didn’t say anything and I didn’t get up and leave. It’s been probably a good 15 years or so since that sermon and I am still beating myself up for it.

That’s a pretty extreme example, but there are some extreme examples in this book, too. It doesn’t start with those usually. It starts with small comments that you can absolutely let slide. After all, you don’t want to be Katie in The Way We Were, right? But really, all you have is your name and your self. Don’t sell it out.

Wow, this review got heavy, right? And while there are definitely major thought-provoking themes in this book, it’s also really funny and sweet and swoon-worthy.

Absolutely read this book now now now now.
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Jul 08, 2011 Cindy Hudson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ellie’s parents say she was born debating, and there’s no denying she loves a good argument. She hopes the skills she developed in presenting her side of a case will get her a scholarship into prestigious Benedict’s school, and her ticket in may be performing well at the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp.

Sure she’s Jewish, but that shouldn’t make a difference, right? OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy has everything needed to be a good book to read and a good book to discuss for m...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Midnyte Reader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This is not a book I would normally pick up, but the premise is intriguing and dealt with issues that I could relate to. It's a lovely contemporary story that is clear in its purpose. It made me think and think hard. The main characters, Ellie and her Grandpa, each made their case on religious issues and I could see both of their points of view. But in the end it is about being true to yourself as well as truthful and standing up for your beliefs. The vehicle in which this was presented is cleve...more

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May 05, 2011 Judith Starkston rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, strong-women

Amy Dominy’s debut young adult novel, OyMG will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud whether you are 13 or 53. With the precision of a stand-up comedian, Dominy hits every hilarious beat in the stressed-out world of high school speech and debate. With equal precision she portrays the confused inner world of fourteen year old Ellie, who wants more than anything to win the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts Summer Camp Scholarship to attend Benedict’s High School in the fall (even...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Cynthia ☮ ❤ ❀ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win an autographed copy of OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy back in April 2012 on the YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults!) Goodreads group. I was so excited to receive the book and join in the discussion on Goodreads, but alas the last third of the book waited for my summer break to finally see me complete this charming YA novel. Well, having just completed OyMG, I wanted to share my thoughts.

OyMG is the story of a young teenager, Ellie Taylor. Ellie is a born arguer, an...more I was lucky enough to win an autographed copy of OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy back in April 2012 on the YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults!) Goodreads group. I was so excited to receive the book and join in the discussion on Goodreads, but alas the last third of the book waited for my summer break to finally see me complete this charming YA novel. Well, having just completed OyMG, I wanted to share my thoughts.

OyMG is the story of a young teenager, Ellie Taylor. Ellie is a born arguer, and she has par-laid this talent into becoming a successful debater. However, Ellie has just finished middle school, and wants to attend the private and ultra-exclusive Benedict High School, which is known for having the best debate team around. Not having the money to attend, there is only one way Ellie can make her dream reality, and that is to win the scholarship that is offered at the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp that is held at the school. The one fly in the ointment is that Ellie has been raised in the Jewish faith, although her father is Christian, her family embraces her mother's Jewish heritage. How will she handle the problems that arise at camp?

I'll jump right in, the concept of uniqueness is one that has always intrigued me. OyMG addresses this theme in a big way. In movies we see memorable characters that are unique and different, and we love them. However, movies are not reality and even though these unique characters are placed on a pedestal and admired for their unconventional, unexpected, and unorthodox qualities-think Amelie-this is not the way of the real world. I guess the question I keep asking myself is does the majority of society really value this type of person? We tell children that everyone is unique and that this is something to be valued, but yet "sameness" and conformity is often what is expected, and ultimately more valued, especially at school. I don't want to explore why this is true, but rather state that it is and relate it to the novel.

The main character, Ellie Taylor, is faced with having lived her life as someone who is unique-different, but when her dream of attending an exclusive private school forces her to deny who she is, she is quick to conform. All the while, telling herself she still is the person she always has been, and this conformity is just a means-to-an-end. In other words, Ellie lies to herself. Ellie is lucky enough to have her parents and her grandfather in her life, each try to help her see that by denying who she is, she is selling out, and this choice has consequences. One of the consequences is that Ellie will never be the person she once was if she denies her heritage/race and her beliefs.

I truly enjoyed following Ellie's progress through the novel. It is an easy read, geared more to tweens, in my opinion. The main characters are believable. One of the most flushed out characters in the novel is Ellie's Jewish grandfather, Zeydeh, who truly helps Ellie value and accept herself-just as she is. The wealthy antisemitic antagonist is painted in a manner that helps teenagers see how someone can appear ever so nice on the surface, but harbor deep seeded prejudices. Throughout the arc of the story, young people learn that discriminators don't look different; it is their actions that make them appear ugly, and this is what sets them apart.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, ya, realistic-fiction

I loved this book! I keep thinking about Ellie, Zeydeh (her grandfather), Devon and Dynamite Doris. Eleanor Taylor is 14 years old, loves to argue, and is excited to be a part of a summer camp for debate and hopes to win a scholarship to the Benedicts School. Ellie has determination, quick wit, humor, and tenacity all going for her, but where she has a conflict is with her religion or should I say, she now has a conflict, but she was previously a very happy Jewish girl with an awesome grandfathe...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Cynthia (A Blog about Nothing) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books

Posted on: http://www.cynthial11.blogspot.com/

I love it when I go into a book without really knowing what to expect, thinking it might not be for me to just be proven completely wrong and end up loving it. That's how I felt about OyMG, I have to be honest and say that the cover is what made me judge it before reading it, I think it's cute don't get me wrong, but I didn't think it was for me. I thought it would be more middle grade than YA and more cutesy fluffy light read which it wasn't at all....more Posted on: http://www.cynthial11.blogspot.com/

I love it when I go into a book without really knowing what to expect, thinking it might not be for me to just be proven completely wrong and end up loving it. That's how I felt about OyMG, I have to be honest and say that the cover is what made me judge it before reading it, I think it's cute don't get me wrong, but I didn't think it was for me. I thought it would be more middle grade than YA and more cutesy fluffy light read which it wasn't at all. Yes, it's fun, definitely! It has its cute moments and made me giggle several times and smile through most of it but it also includes serious topics that are discrimination and stereotyping, but written in a way that is so well done that it doesn't feel like a heavy read but it still leaves its mark on you.

Ellie was such a fun character to read and connect with, I definitely loved her from the start. She was stubborn and smart, ambitious, competitive and always willing to speak her mind which was one of her best qualities, until she goes to camp and starts doubting her true self, her beliefs and who she really wants to be. I went into reading OyMG thinking it would be just a lighthearted read but was instead blown away by its dynamic set of characters, the depth of the story and how well and easy flowing the writing was. I literally immersed myself into Ellie's life that during the intense and wonderful scenes of love and courage I felt my heart warming and melting for her and her wonderful family, which by the way were one of the best I've read in YA.

Closer to the end of the book I was so caught up in the story that I got all teary-eyed and felt extremely proud of Ellie for the choices that she ends up making. I loved all the questions and doubts that the author brings out in Ellie, what is right and what is wrong? Is it right to overlook discrimination because it will get you where you want to be? Should you stand up for your beliefs even if it means you'll lose something you've been working so hard for? I loved all the heavy topics this story brings out and that it's all perfectly woven in this story that doesn't make it an intense read but an enjoyable one that leaves you with a great message at the end. OyMG was a wonderful book with well written characters that you'll easily fall in love with and a great plot without the heaviness but with hints of lightness and humor that makes it an all-around smart and fun read. I definitely recommend this one to everyone, from middle grade age to teens and adults, it's a book that anyone can enjoy.

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May 18, 2011 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, coming-of-age, humor, ya-fiction

Dominy's heroine, Ellie Taylor, has been arguing all her life. A born debater, confident, funny, and determined, Ellie signs up for Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp so that she can win a full scholarship to the best private school in her area, the school with one of the best debate societies in the state. Ellie realizes that winning the scholarship also means pretending to be Christian and repudiating her Jewish heritage and identity, this raises all sorts of problems. To...more

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May 10, 2011 Princess Bookie rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts: When I first heard about this one, I was very excited. Because of the arguing. I love reading about a girl and a boy debating against each other and than starting to "like" each other. It sounded really sweet.

We are introduced to Ellie who is a teenager. She isn't just any normal teenager. Her family is very religious. She comes from a mostly jewish family even though there is a Lutheran in there. Ellie’s father is Lutheran but mother is Jewish. She gets accepted into the Christian...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Ivy rated it 4 of 5 stars

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy is a cute and funny read about debate and looking for acceptance.

When I first heard about this book, I was really interested in reading it because of debate and religion. I was never good at debate, ever. I would fail at any debate. I have the proof for it too! Religion is such a controversially topic that it is interesting to know the thoughts and reasons behind each religion. I wanted to read this book to have a different take on debate and religion.

Ellie struggles f...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Ashley (Books Obsession) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The summer before ninth grade starts, Ellie wants more than anything to go to the private and exclusive Benedict's high school. But because her family doesn't have the money to pay for tuition, she must rely on winning a scholarship from the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp. The only problem? Ellie is Jewish, and the sponsor of the private scholarship is Christian, with negative feelings towards Jews. Ellie decides to hide her Jewish identity and try to blend in with the...more The summer before ninth grade starts, Ellie wants more than anything to go to the private and exclusive Benedict's high school. But because her family doesn't have the money to pay for tuition, she must rely on winning a scholarship from the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp. The only problem? Ellie is Jewish, and the sponsor of the private scholarship is Christian, with negative feelings towards Jews. Ellie decides to hide her Jewish identity and try to blend in with the other Christians at camp in order to win the money for her dream school.

This was a really fun, quick read with an interesting story line. Ellie was a likable character who loved to talk and share her opinion about things. I had never read a book dealing with debates/Speech tournaments so it was interesting learning more about it and seeing how the students prepared for their oratories. I also really enjoyed the mix of Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices. I grew more familiar with the Jewish religion, thanks to Ellie's crazy grandpa Zeydeh. His character was so humorous and I could imagine him perfectly throughout the story. In fact, the character development for all of the characters was spot on and I grew to know them all well.

Another leading role in the book was Devon, Ellie's love interest, who also happens to be the grandson of Mrs. Yeats, the lady in charge of the private scholarship to Benedict's. Even though Devon seemed arrogant and always won the debates, he was a softy and I liked him. His and Ellie's relationship flowed naturally and was very appropriate for their age. I'm so used to reading mature YA books with some steamy romance scenes, so this was a nice, innocent change since the two kids are only about to enter high school. I got some good laughs and kicks out of this book, and the author did a wonderful job incorporating religion and debating in the story. It's not a book that I'll remember for a long time or will leave a big impression on me, but it was definitely cute and enjoyable.(less)

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Mar 24, 2011 Alethea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome

OyMG, indeed! This made me very hungry for matzo ball soup, made me giggle and smile (a whole bunch of times) and made me cry (twice!) >> review: http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2011...

Finally booksellers will have a book to recommend to shoppers who want a good Jewish role model in a YA novel... even though she spends most of the book pretending to be Christian :)

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May 01, 2011 Danna rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book made me smile.
Why you ask? Because it was full of hilarity and cuteness. I never thought debate camp would be so much fun! The relationships in this story were nice and not too overdone, for example, Ellie and her best friend weren’t attached at the hip. Devon was the kind of sweet guy I would have a crush on and I was cheering for Ellie and him all through the book. They were great characters, but Zeydeh had to be my favorite. I wish I had a grandfather like him; he was funny and alw...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Zoe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, psychological, romance, squeaky-clean

4.5 Stars
It's a simple be-true-to-yourself tale but it puts a good spin on it.
Ellie has a Christian father but was raised Jewish and is close to her Yiddish grandfather, Zeydeh. She embraces both the modern and the traditional. I loved Zeydeh's character. He's so funny and ornery but so loveable. He has no finesse and is often inappropriate and he argues with Ellie all the time but he has a huge soft spot for her.

I thought Ellie was a wonderfully balanced character. Debating is an unusual topic...more

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Apr 20, 2011 E. Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Amy Dominy‘s debut tween novel, OYMG, faith and love — or at least “sizzle” — clash in one of the cutest stories I’ve read in a while. Of course, it’s not all cute — the book has some wonderful serious moments as well. In fact, for Ellie Taylor, the speech and debate program she’s attending at a Christian-sponsored summer camp will not only be her first experience with sizzle (what her BFF calls that crush-ing feeling), but also with antisemitism.

Ellie loves to argue. She’s awesome at it, a...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Magdala rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-stars-the-good-books

This book was easy to read, I liked how the author made it enjoyable for anyone to read-up to kids, teens, and adults. I liked how it was creative to- it was about competition,- not just a, "I saw it coming", it was unexpected because you don't see much authors who write about speech including in books, I'll give her props for that. Then I also liked how they kept mentioning about the Nazi Jewish camps n all that, so it's easy to tell she's putting real history in it. But the message I deeply go...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a deceptively cute title for what turned out to be a powerful little book. Ellie will be entering high school in the fall and would love to win a scholarship to an elite private school that the winner of a local speech camp receives. Turns out the speech camp is Christian based and Ellie, a product of a Christian/Jewish union, has really grown up Jewish and didn't know how proud she was of it until now. This tackled some tough subjects for teens as Ellie tries to decide how much of the...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Miranda Hardy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a very clean, well written book. Contemporary is usually not my first choice, but I enjoyed it immensely.

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Aug 29, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Ellie Taylor is excellent at one thing, and that one thing is argueing, so much so that she got excepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts School summer camp, which if she can win the competition with get her a scholarship to the best school in the country for speech. There's only one problem, She's Jewish. Will she sell herself out for her dreams, or will she stay true to her beliefs.

I'm going to be honest when I say that I was pretty hesistant about this book and wasn't sure...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Cathe Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just loved this tween novel about a Jewish girl attending a Christian Society Speech Camp in the hopes of winning a scholarship to a prestigious private high school. When she finds out that the scholarship's benefactor might have negative feelings about Jews, she tries to hide her true religion and things become even more complicated as she and the benefactor's grandson develop feelings for each other. This book is funny and sweet, but also has a great message about being proud of your heritag...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Sarah Rosenberger rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean-reads, teen-fiction, religion, middle-school-fic

Ellie loves to argue, so when she is accepted to a prestigious debate day camp at the school of her dreams, she is overjoyed. She knows that if she puts on an impressive performance during the camp, she could win a scholarship to the school. There're only two little problems...First of all, Ellie's Jewish, and both the school and the benefactor behind the scholarship are Christian. Secondly, Ellie has a crush on Devon, who is not only her main competition at camp, but also the grandson of the wo...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Ms. Drake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, contemporary-fiction

Cover Impressions: The cover is very cute. Covered in doodles, it looks like it could have been pulled from Ellie's notebook. I love the play on words in the title and hope that most teens would get it.

The Gist: Ellie has one goal: to attend the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp and win a coveted scholarship to St. Benedict's school, the posh school with the best debate team around. As a Jewish girl in a Christian camp, Ellie feels a little out of place and her plans are...more Cover Impressions: The cover is very cute. Covered in doodles, it looks like it could have been pulled from Ellie's notebook. I love the play on words in the title and hope that most teens would get it.

The Gist: Ellie has one goal: to attend the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp and win a coveted scholarship to St. Benedict's school, the posh school with the best debate team around. As a Jewish girl in a Christian camp, Ellie feels a little out of place and her plans are threatened when she discovers that the school's benefactor, and her the grandmother of her crush and main competition, may be prejudiced against Jews. Ellie must decide how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to win.

Review: OyMG is an enjoyable read about a young girl struggling to find her own identity in the face of what everyone else wants her to be. The plot is a little expected and predictable, but the characters are fantastic. Ellie is a strong and independent young woman who knows the value of a good argument and is willing to work hard for the things that she wants. Her parents are loving and supportive - something that is often all too rare in YA novels! The best friend has her own set of issues (can we have a book featuring Megan as the MC please?) the love interest is smart and interesting and the villain is realistic and complex. However the stand out (and in close competition with Sage from The False Prince for the prize of favorite character thus far in 2012) is her Zeydeh (Grandfather). He is so well written that I was convinced he was based on a real person (he's not - I asked) and determined to meet him. Zeydeh has the best lines enhances this novel with a wonderful spark of humor. It is not too often that I can "hear" a character speak, but I could hear Zeydeh, in fact, I am still hearing Zeydeh (right now he is telling me to finish my tappity-tapping so we can look up recipes for Motzo Ball Soup). He is uncompromising, he is funny and he is the one person who demands that Ellie expect more from herself.
Characters aside, the plot moves quickly and does not suffer from any lag. There is no InstaLove and it does not paint the world (and the people in it) in black and white. I am happy to add this to my Classroom Library and cannot wait to see if my students are able to draw any comparisons to their own lives.

Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 12 and up
Gender: Will probably be more appealing to girls
Sex: None
Violence: None
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Abuse: None(less)

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May 27, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic, religion, 50-book-2012, middle-grade

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy is one of those books that could easily be someone's favorite. It's cover is cute, entertaining and appealing to tweens (it's target audience) and its title is fantastic. It's insides are just as appealing, a speech and debater (seriously, first book I've read about one of my favorite extra-curriculars) who is Jewish must hide her identity to attend an all Christian speech and debate camp. It tackles the issues of race and religion and honesty...or does it?

And, that's...more OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy is one of those books that could easily be someone's favorite. It's cover is cute, entertaining and appealing to tweens (it's target audience) and its title is fantastic. It's insides are just as appealing, a speech and debater (seriously, first book I've read about one of my favorite extra-curriculars) who is Jewish must hide her identity to attend an all Christian speech and debate camp. It tackles the issues of race and religion and honesty...or does it?

And, that's were this book kind of leaves me, well, a little peeved. Ellie has been raised by her Jewish family and although she is raised Jewish, she doesn't question it, until being Jewish means losing a scholarship to a prestigious, definitely Christian, high school. From the very beginning we see Ellie as a strong-willed girl and then we see this girl become less willful and, well, less truthful as the Christian camp progresses. She begins to hide her Jewish grandmother's cross and is embarrassed by her very Jewish Zeydeh (her eccentric grandfather).

I sort of understand why her parents would allow her to lie about her religious affiliation, if they would have protested too much she would have done it anyway, but they don't really talk to her about what it means to be Jewish or about what it means to be Christian. In this respect they seem like good-natured hippies and I bought that. But, if they're so good-natured why must Ellie be anything at all? In fact, it seems that all the Christians in this book are in some ways the villains of the piece...because of an incident long ago, Doris hates all Jewish people, so much so that she wants to punish them horribly and Ellie's Lutheran grandparents seem to be those crazy Christians who feel that their son 'dun did 'em wrong' by raising Ellie Jewish only. Her father talks to her a little bit about how he doesn't go to church because he feels spiritual in the great outdoors gardening and such, but she doesn't say much about where she feels most spiritual. And, why is Ellie only Jewish, just because her father leans towards wanting no religion that doesn't mean they shouldn't teach her all they know, instead of just assuming she will be?

The story itself is adorable and the characters are developed and believable. Ellie has never been challenged before and there are speech and debaters there who are better than her. The speech she gives at the end is poignant and would truly convince any kid waffling on either side of the issue to chose one...Ellie is two cultures, yet she must give up one to be the other. As a person of mixed heritage I find that, well, sad.

Hmmm...maybe that's the true problem I have with this book...the fact that Ellie chooses a side. I like the novel Kissing Kate because it gives us all the information and definitely tells us were the main character is leaning, but allows us to see it for ourselves. Lissa is still learning and questioning, therefore so must we. I like that ending. Teaching kids to question is the best part of teaching. I'm not sure this book does that.

I suppose if Jewish kids are reading this it is important for them to identify with Ellie and her family and then understand that being Jewish is their heritage and their identity. And, that would have worked had Ellie not been part Lutheran and if Ellie hadn't had family members (ie. her Lutheran grandparents) to talk to about their religion. She never does talk to them, by the way, she only goes to church once and the whole time she sees both she and Jesus as outsiders.

All of that being said, I think that OyMG is a great book for those middle grade kids who may see that Ellie is truly conflicted, to me that did come across very well.(less)

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Dec 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rather predictable but still enjoyable. As a former speech team member myself (informative category, much like Ellie's), I really liked seeing kids in school participating in something other than sports or cheerleading or even drama. Speech and debate are great activities to participate in and I think Ellile showcases why very nicely.

Also enjoyed the religious angles of the story even as it bordered on predictable at times. But lots of good mini lessons hidden within a family that loves each ot...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Diana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: racism, young-adult, jewish

So, as a Christian, I never really understood what the beef was with Jewish people. I used to hear people say that they killed Jesus, but then I would get confused because they still believed in God, just like Christians. In this book, I find out that the big, huge difference is that Jewish people do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. They do not pray to him, nor do they celebrate Christmas or believe in the Holy Spirit. This is the most fascinating story to me. I could not imagine a life...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Michelle (FabbityFabBookReviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-young-adult

Okay, this has been a difficult review to write. I have been struggling to get this review cobbled together. Why? Well, for one, this YA book delves into serious (and wholly relevant) issues regarding religious affiliation and prejudice, so I do not want to sound at all casual (or insensitive) in my review.

For about two-thirds of the novel, I was really hooked. And then...my enthusiasm kind of teetered off. As a reader, I felt as though the overall message of the novel got lost in a shuffle. I t...more Okay, this has been a difficult review to write. I have been struggling to get this review cobbled together. Why? Well, for one, this YA book delves into serious (and wholly relevant) issues regarding religious affiliation and prejudice, so I do not want to sound at all casual (or insensitive) in my review.

For about two-thirds of the novel, I was really hooked. And then...my enthusiasm kind of teetered off. As a reader, I felt as though the overall message of the novel got lost in a shuffle. I think the premise, the characters, the writing, etc.- all of that are very solid. Ellie herself is a strong and intelligent young teen protagonist, which is a huge plus.

However, here's what really knocked the experience of the novel for me: I had a very difficult time processing was some of the characters' motivations and messages towards the end of novel.

One. I felt like some more insight and/or background for Doris Yates, the anti-Semitic benefactor, was needed. Not to explain or justify her prejudice, but to explore her motivations and history as a person. There is one major showdown between Ellie and Mrs. Yates towards the end of the novel, and I was shocked by the sudden verbal ugliness that Mrs. Yates expresses. Maybe the author felt that no more insight or background to the character was needed. And it is true that we get prejudicial and uncomfortable moments courtesy of Mrs. Yates earlier in the novel, but even so, it felt like something was missing...Her character is left as a mean and prejudiced elderly Christian. What do we take away from that?

Two. I also couldn't figure out what Ellie's true identity was that was meant to be expressed. By that, I mean, was it only when she felt the weight of her Jewish ancestors' history that she finally 'felt' Jewish? Was Ellie only (or mostly) able to identify herself through her mother's religion? Or was there something more to her journey of self-discovery?

Three. I was really hoping for the author to explore Ellie's parents' relationship a bit more. Ellie's mother being Jewish, and her father raised as Lutheran meant that she had parents from different religious backgrounds. SO. With her maternal grandfather seemingly orthodox, AND clearly expressing some unhappiness over the fact that his daughter rebelled and married outside the Jewish faith- there is familial history that we don't get a look into. The dynamic and relationship between Ellie's grandfather and Ellie's father is not even touched upon- and I thought this was a major part of the novel left unexplored!

Four. Why would Ellie's parents agree to let her hide her heritage on the application form to the high school (...or why couldn't they argue that that you can't ask religious affiliation questions...). Or, maybe the bigger question is, why hadn't anyone ever investigated the school's prejudicial scholarship or intake practices before?

Verdict: Okay to Good. Dominy has written a YA novel to make you think. (less)

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Nov 22, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Who hasn't tried to hide part of who they are because at the time it seemed like the best idea? Let's face it, in the society we live in today, "fitting it" seems to be more important that "being you". Sometimes life presents challenges that would be easier if we ignored certain characteristics of ourselves, but in the end, being true to you is really the best way to go.

Ellie loves to debate and is quite good. When given a scholarship application from the lady that makes the decision, she thou...more

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About Amy Fellner Dominy

Amy Fellner Dominy worked as a copywriter in the advertising business for twenty years before leaving to earn her MFA in playwriting. Her plays for adults and children have been staged in various cities around the country. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and two teenage children. OyMG is her first novel.

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“What do dreams matter if you lose yourself along the way?” — 5 people liked it

“I don't care if you care, I retorted. But in my religion, we're taught to admit our mistakes and to apologize for them...Oh, and there's one other thing I'm sorry about, I added. I should've spit in your eye and called you a szhlob weeks ago.” — 3 people liked it

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