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No Vacancy

Tziporah Cohen (Goodreads Author)

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 118 ratings · 43 reviews

Buying and moving into the run-down Jewel Motor Inn in upstate New York wasn’t eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman’s dream, but at least it’s an adventure. Miriam befriends Kate, whose grandmother owns the diner next door, and finds comfort in the company of Maria, the motel’s housekeeper, and her Uncle Mordy, who comes to help out for the summer. She spends her free time help ...more

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Hardcover, 224 pages

Published September 1st 2020 by Groundwood Books

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Rating details

· 118 ratings · 43 reviews

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Jul 17, 2020 Francisco rated it it was amazing

I am careful about using the word love to describe how I feel about a book. I want to preserve the power of the word - save it for when it really counts. It is even rarer for me to use it on a Middle Grade novel. But - I loved this little book. I'm sixty-seven years old and I loved it. It is very difficult to create child characters that are both recognizably "ordinary" and "extraordinary" enough to keep an old man interested for two hundred and so pages - but Miriam, the main character and narr ...more

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Sep 24, 2020 Joanne rated it it was amazing

This book's premise was slightly ridiculous but hilarious and actually dovetailed well with the themes about religion and religious and cultural identity. It felt like Schitt's Creek meet's

Front Desk (Front Desk, #1) by Kelly Yang

in all the best ways. It was fun and had a lot of heart, touching on important and timely topics but was not heavy-handed. I also appreciated that it showed - even within a small family - a range of Jewish practice that felt authentic.
An excellent mirror and window book for all readers. ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Liza Wiemer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ownvoices

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I needed to know what would happen to Miriam's family and the decrepit motel that they purchased. Would they go bankrupt? How it's saved had my heart pounding. The exploration of Jewish practice and the relationship between the Jewish community and the Catholic community added an important dimension. With a beautiful cast of characters, Tziporah Cohen wrote a story that explores faith, friendship, and the impact that fear and hatred has on a family and a ...more

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Apr 11, 2020 Rajiv rated it really liked it

[BLOG]::[YOUTUBE]::[TWITTER]

A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Groundwood Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of “No Vacancy” for my review.

What I really liked about this story was how positive the characters were. I enjoyed reading about most of them, whether it be Maria, Father Donovan, Mrs. Whitley or Anton. Most of the characters are written very well. I also liked Miriam as the main character. She has many questions about life and notices that nothing is simple. ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Lori rated it it was amazing

A fun read that I really enjoyed. I loved exploring Miriam's world and didn't want to leave.
I like this new to me author's writing style and I thought she has done a fabulous job with certain subjects.
I certainly can relate to Miriam by moving to a small town. I moved from Ohio to Kentucky in 1982 but unlike Miriam I had trouble establishing friendships. I'm not good with making friends but eventually as I got older I did learn.
I love the theme of family, friends and learning to get along with ...more

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Feb 13, 2021 Leanne C rated it it was amazing

This was for me the right book at the right time. At a time when folks are feeling isolated and disconnected it was great to read a story about building relationships, connections and community. This is also a great book to facilitate discussions with students on religious diversity and inclusion. I loved Miriam's handling of the many challenges she and her family faced with the move and running of an old motel and how she handles her mistakes. ...more

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May 04, 2020 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

E ARC provided by Netgalley.com

Miriam Brockman is not thrilled when her family moves from New York City to a small town in upstate New York to run the Jewell Motor Inn. Since her father lost his job, the family thinks it is a good idea. There are some things that are interesting about the experience, like living in two adjoining motel rooms and having her Uncle Mordy spend the summer with them fixing the place up, but Miriam misses her friends. There are also so few Jewish people in town that th E ARC provided by Netgalley.com

Miriam Brockman is not thrilled when her family moves from New York City to a small town in upstate New York to run the Jewell Motor Inn. Since her father lost his job, the family thinks it is a good idea. There are some things that are interesting about the experience, like living in two adjoining motel rooms and having her Uncle Mordy spend the summer with them fixing the place up, but Miriam misses her friends. There are also so few Jewish people in town that the family would have to travel twenty minutes away for a congregation. Miriam manages to make friends with Kate, whose grandmother runs the diner next door, and even helps peel the grapes for the famous pie at the diner. She also enjoys helping out the one maid, Maria, who is worried that if business doesn't improve, she may be out of a job. Even though the Brockmans are making huge strides in fixing up the outdated business, there are still very few customers. When she and Kate are fooling around at the local abandoned drive in, they talk about how some communities had a lot of tourism when a picture of the Virgin Mary appeared-- it's not that hard to take a couple of swift knife strokes to the screen to get a reasonable apparition of their own. And it works... soon, the hotel is booked solid, the diner is doing well, and the Brockmans might be able to survive after all. Miriam feels somewhat guilty when she meets a boy her age, Anton, whose mother has brought him some distance to perhaps be cured. Anton is fairly comfortable with his disability, and doubts that the apparition will have any effect, but Miriam is bothered by the fact that many people do have faith in the fake image. There is also an incident where they hotel sign that Miriam has just repainted has a slur against Jews painted on it. Will Miriam and Kate come clean, and if they do, will the motel and diner survive?

Strengths: Summer vacation, kids working, a new residence that isn't haunted-- I love all of these things! The best part is that although Miriam isn't the biggest fan of moving and leaving her friends, she doesn't complain. She rolls up her sleeves and helps out with making beds, cleaning, and doing things to help her family and not add to her parents' burden. I also liked the bits of Jewish culture, including Uncle Mordy, who keeps kosher and won't eat in the diner, and also won't pursue a relationship with Maria because she is Catholic. The fact that the girls manufactured the picture of the Virgin Mary and let the ruse go on longer than it should have was interesting; on the one hand, it benefits their families and doesn't really hurt anyone, but on the other, it's lying. Since I file all religions under fiction, I was okay with this-- the girls have just added one more fictional story to a canon of fictional stories!
Weaknesses: This isn't currently available from Follett, which is disappointing! Also, I would have like the sign damage to have been followed up more completely.
What I really think: There have been a number of books iwth families running motels and hotels recently, including Swinarski's What Happens Next, Hurwitz's Hello from Renn Lake, Grabenstein's Welcome to Wonderland series, and I will buy this if I can get a copy. ...more

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Jul 12, 2020 Roslyn K rated it really liked it

Shelves: mg-lit, netgalley, 21st-century, religion, jewish, ownvoices, contemporary, no-romance, us-lit-project, wheelathon5

This was a wonderful story that explores moving to a new place and all the unexpected situations that can put you in. After Miriam's father loses his job, her family buys and moves into an old, run-down motor hotel in upstate New York. The motel requires a lot more work than expected and they are getting far fewer guests than they need to stay afloat. But the scheme Miriam and her new friend Kate come up with to bring tourists to their town brings up old, bitter memories for Miriam's mother and ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Tzipora rated it really liked it

Shelves: judaica, kids, own, read-in-2020, arcs, netgalley, ebooks, canadian

3.5 stars.

Eleven year old Miriam and her family have just moved from New York City to upstate New York to manage the rundown Jewel Motor Inn. After losing his job, her father could no longer afford the expenses of city living and bought the hotel with the intent to run it and save up some money for the family. Unfortunately, things are rougher going than anticipated and stresses run high. Miriam who is Jewish befriends Catholic Kate whose grandmother runs the restaurant next door to the motel, 3.5 stars.

Eleven year old Miriam and her family have just moved from New York City to upstate New York to manage the rundown Jewel Motor Inn. After losing his job, her father could no longer afford the expenses of city living and bought the hotel with the intent to run it and save up some money for the family. Unfortunately, things are rougher going than anticipated and stresses run high. Miriam who is Jewish befriends Catholic Kate whose grandmother runs the restaurant next door to the motel, and together they concoct a plan to drum up business and turn things around financially for both their families. But will it work? And what happens when an anti-semitic incidence occurs at the motel?

I really wanted to love this book a bit more than I did. I am absolutely here for books with Jewish characters, especially since they’re so lacking in Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. I personally can remember trying to find stories in the library about kids who were Jewish like me and remember how rare and special that was. I also really love that this book deals with religion in a broader and more ecumenical, complex way. I would’ve been especially drawn to this book as a kid because I grew up in Catholic neighborhood and was always curious to know a bit more about Catholics.

That’s also maybe one of my slight issues with the book though. I fully admit this could partially be my own bias but it felt as if the book was written for non-Jewish kids and Jewish aspects were explained in more depth than Catholic ones. I sort of understand that, even as a Jew, since I always knew much more about Christianity just by virtue of living in this country where Christianity is so much a part of the culture, even secularly, and often had to put more effort into explaining Jewish things than my friends who weren’t Jewish ever had to do in explaining their various Christian observances. Still, I guess I wish more books were written for Jewish kids. Though I’m sure many would be happy just to see themselves in this book. And I really did like the way that the book explained the variations in Jewish observances though this felt a little off balance or verging into “over explanation” because basic Catholic observance was never explained with near as much nuance. But again, I may be biased and I realize most take their Christianity kind of for granted and there maybe isn’t as much need to explain this whereas Jews are often assumed to be a monolith. And I suppose if you want your books to have the widest possible readership, perhaps this is the way to go. I couldn’t help but wonder though, given that the author and main character are Jewish, if there may have been a slightly different approach to take here that would’ve felt more natural to Jewish readers without alienating or confusing young readers who aren’t Jewish.

I really liked Miriam as a character. She’s given so much nuance and the concerns she has and desire to help her family feels very true to life and real. I loved the way the book made her so brave and smart in some ways yet she also had such a fear of water and swimming. I also adored how open minded she was- learning Spanish from Maria, the motel housekeeper, struggling to understand religious divisions and questioning why her mother is so uncomfortable with Christianity.

The antisemetic incidence was also well done and incredibly timely and I like that it wasn’t overdone yet the trauma is clearly explored as well as how much Miriam struggles to understand why someone would do such a thing. Miriam’s response felt very true and familiar to me and reminded me of my own early introductions to antisemeticism.

I don’t want to understate that there’s so much to like about this book and it has such a unique and important story to tell.

Unfortunately, I found the ending a bit overdramatic but more than that, I think it was all wrapped up too soon. There’s a sudden time hop between the second to last and final chapter that confused me as an adult reader- I had to go back and reread things and can only assume it will confuse other readers as well, especially since there are no other significant time jumps in the rest of the book and this was so abrupt and at such a dramatic point in the book. I also think we needed more than that final chapter to wrap the book up. Basically we reach the climax of the story or perhaps a secondary climax that ends up overshadowing what I suspect the author intended to be the climax which occurs more towards the middle. The event sort of threw the book for an unnecessary loop and was just overwritten as it and then some of what’s squished into the last chapter try to wrap too many different things up too neatly. I would’ve rated the book so differently until those last two chapters when things really took a turn. It seemed like the author wasn’t sure how best to fully wrap up the intended message and climax of the story so she wrote in this dramatic scene that in addition to being simply too much, blurred the whole point of the story for me.

And there’s a minor quibble or two towards two Jewish related things that made me pause and I think relate very much to the over-explaining that happens with Judaism in the book. Or felt especially jarring because of that. One relates to electric Shabbat candles and that they get lit by a priest though Miriam and her mother then come over and say the blessing over them. That seemed... weird. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t have lit them as I certainly would have. And shortly before that it’s mentioned that a pie is cooked in the motel oven by the Catholic restaurant owner so Miriam’s uncle can eat it. But... I doubt someone who keeps kosher would eat a pie prepared and cooked by someone who isn’t Jewish and there’s more to that than just the oven. And these may be nit picky things to point out (though I know what kind of child I was and am certain I would’ve been even more inflexible about these, especially the pie thing, as a 10 or 11 year old reading the book!) and I really think the bigger issue there is the over-explaining of Jewish practices. Neither of these things needed to be mentioned at all but in attempting to explain so much, inevitably it made me, as a Jewish reader, read it more critically. And are two prime spots where the explaining so much only takes away from the story.

I think there’s a great story here but one that needs more work. I think certain Jewish aspects could’ve been explained more naturally or not at all for the sake of the story but most importantly is that ending and how there on one hand needs to be more there but maybe also less trying to wrap every little thing up. It was so rushed while simultaneously trying to solve everything. It really threw me and hampered my overall enjoyment of the story. Until the last two chapters o really adored this little book. And I so want publishers to publish more Jewish stories for kids and teens!

Also, massive props to the author for this quote and the very wise priest who says this. This is the real message of the story too and exactly why I still want to champion this novel-
“At its worst, religion can make us hate each other, make us suspicious of people who believe differently from what we believe. But at its best, I believe religion can bring out the good in all of us. Be proud of who you are, Miriam, and don’t let any ignoramuses with a paintbrush make you feel otherwise.” ...more

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May 06, 2020 Megan rated it really liked it

No Vacancy follows Miriam, whose family has moved from Manhattan to a small town to manage a run-down hotel. This book is on the younger side of middle grade, and centers on a primary theme of inclusion. Miriam's family is Jewish and throughout the book, we are introduced to a variety of characters from diverse backgrounds and identities - Catholic/Christian, kids with disabilities, families struggling with poverty, and Spanish-speaking. She models what it looks like to learn about each of her n ...more

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Feb 19, 2021 Lisa rated it it was amazing

11yo Miriam has recently moved from New York City to Upstate New York where her parents have purchased a motel. Leaving her 2 best friends behind, this promises to be the worst summer ever. The next exit off the highway is a bigger town with a college, so The Jewel Motel gets very little business, and even though the diner next door makes the best grape pies ever, if the motel doesn't have customers, the diner doesn't see much business either. Kate is the granddaughter Myrtle, the owner of Mabel ...more

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Aug 29, 2020 Cori // ghostlightbooks rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases, netgalley-review, middle-grade

*3.75
Miriam and her family are now the proud owners of the Jewel Motor Inn. They're headed into the biggest transition period of Miriam's life and she's a bit worried it won't turn out how her parents envisioned. After realizing that the former owners may not have been truthful about how the motel was doing, Miriam and her newfound friend Kate hatch a plan to help save the motel and the diner next door, and possibly more.

This was a short and sweet novel about acceptance and how to overcome your ...more

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Feb 27, 2021 Pam Withers rated it liked it

Unfortunately, the pacing in this novel is off. For long stretches it's flat, yet in other places it's fun and engaging. Seems to me it doesn't really pick up till halfway through. Until then, the novel works over-hard at plot setup and description, without much action.
But hang in there. The main characters are fun and believable, the two girls' friendship and mischievousness is entertaining, and the novel's goal of teaching middle-graders something about both Judaism and Christianity, and how ...more

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May 03, 2020 Sarah Hanson rated it liked it

I was excited for this middle-grade read, as the synopsis reads close to "Front Desk" by Kelly Yang.

Miriam is struggling to leave behind her life in NYC as she finds herself a member of one of the only Jewish families in upstate NY. As her parents decide to buy the Jewel Motor Inn to save up for a nicer house, struggles over income, varying mindsets, and a battle of acceptance of Maria, staying on as a expert to the ins and outs of the motel, make tensions rise higher.

At the beginning, I heard ...more

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Apr 15, 2020 Misty Miller rated it it was amazing

No Vacancy is a spectacularly crafted story of a young girl struggling with new situations in her life. She must help shoulder the burden of financial troubles of her family by assisting in the new family business – running a motel. Through the efforts of her family and her new community she learns valuable lessons about life – not all things are as they seem. Cohen skillfully and with age appropriateness address the issues of bigotry, hatred, and small mindedness. Cohen also allows us to see in ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Yapha rated it really liked it

Shelves: jewish, children-s, realistic-fiction

After Miriam's father loses his job, they move from New York City to a super small town in upstate New York where they have purchased a motel. The previous owners lied about the financial state of the motel and disappeared instead of sticking around to show Miriam's family what they needed to know. Although Miriam is sad to leave her friends and move to the middle of nowhere, she strikes up a great friendship with the granddaughter of the owner of the diner next door. And just when it seems like ...more

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Aug 15, 2020 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s-books, 2020-books

No Vacancy opens as Miriam and her family (parents + little brother) arrive in a small town from New York City. They have bought a run-down motel and work together to get it ready for customers. Along the way, Miriam meets Kate (whose grandparents own the diner next door) and they form a fast friendship.

As the mom of two tween girls, I enjoyed this book thoroughly! Miriam's emotions felt real to me: missing her friends and 'normal' life back in NYC, annoyance and adoration for her younger broth ...more

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Apr 26, 2020 Allie Tackett rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen is a lovely tale of a Jewish girl learning how religion isn't something that needs to come between people. Miriam is a middle school student whose parents just bought the Jewel Motel Inn. Through some adventures during the summer she finds out that the community loves her and her family, it just takes a miracle for her to see that.

This was an absolute delight to read. I can't wait for publication day in September when I am able to get a phycial copy to add to my lib ...more

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May 28, 2020 Tina Athaide rated it it was amazing

Thank You to Netgalley and Groundwood Books for providing me with an e-ARC.
.
I couldn't wait to dive into Miriam's world and her community with Maria, Uncle Mordy, Father Donovan, Mrs. Whitley and Anton. Miriam's life is turned upside down when her family leaves NYC and move to a small town in upstate NY to run the Jewell Motor Inn. While this isn't how Miriam imagined her world, she doesn't complain, instead she dives right in to help in the process learns a lot about herself and others. What im ...more

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May 25, 2020 Wendy Thomas rated it it was ok

Shelves: juvenile-realistic, best-brightest-2020

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book. A Jewish family moves from NYC to a small town to run a failing motel. I appreciated the look into Jewish family life, but the discussions of religion were a bit too heavy handed for my taste. I also enjoyed the small-town atmosphere and the premise of the family working together to make the motel a success. However, the pace was pretty slow and when almost half-way through I found a pretty glaring error, I set this one do ...more

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Jun 12, 2020 Lisa McDonald rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc

No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen was a fun, enjoyable read about Miriam, an eleven-year-old girl whose family moved into a run down Inn as a last ditch effort to stay afloat financially. Unhappy about the move, Miriam, tries to make the best of it. She enjoys spending time with her uncle Mordy, and makes quick friends with a girl her age, Kate, and her grandmother who own the next door diner. She also befriends Maria, the maid. Unfortunately, the motel is not very busy and Miriam realizes that her f ...more

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Dec 17, 2020 Dianne Matich rated it it was amazing

A beautifully written middle grade involving a friendship between a Jewish girl Miriam, and a Catholic girl,Kate. The girls hope to save Jewel Motel and the town of Greenvale. Their solution is to find a miracle and if one isn't available, well, inventing one will do. As a Catholic, I felt the writing handled the delicate subject of religion and miracles with distinct skill and tact. Great characters! A story impossible to put down until the end, and when finish it, you'll be just a bit inspired ...more

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Feb 28, 2021 M. Wolkenstein rated it it was amazing

This book pulls you in with incredibly likable, quirky characters, a captivating conceit, and graceful storytelling that blends the real world we all know with a kind of elements of subtle fantasy -- where tolerance and mutual respect are abundant, and where a community comes together to show and share love. It's not that those places don't exist -- they do! But in today's world, it feels like a dream. No Vacancy reminds us that it's not a dream - but people have to make it happen. It shows us h ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 DJ rated it really liked it

No Vacancy is a story about a family that relocates from Manhatten to a very small town to run a motel. It is filled with a whole cast of interesting characters, who all have something to add to the story. I love that this book focuses on inclusion (religious, disability, cultural, etc.) in a way that young middle schoolers can relate to. As a reader, I fell in love with these characters and wanted to see them succeed. Great debut novel...I can't wait to see what else we will see from this autho ...more

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Aug 25, 2020 Laura rated it really liked it

This is the kind of book I would have loved and read again and again as a kid. I loved the main character’s authentic curiosity, frustration, and worries. As an adult, the ending is a bit too tidy, but it would be a great addition to 3rd to 5th grade class libraries and book clubs. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

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Aug 31, 2020 Beth rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-book

ARC provided by Groundwood Books. I’m waffling between 3.5 and 4 stars. It’s hard not to compare this to Front Desk. This is another “kid has to help run a motel” story, but this time the bigotry relates to religion, not immigration.
I really enjoyed the scheme that the girls come up with to save the hotel, and the ending really got to me.

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Jun 01, 2020 Brenda rated it really liked it

This was a quick read, and I enjoyed it. The characters were good and I thought it was a good way to introduce the idea that no everyone likes all religions. This book would allow a good conversation to start about it.

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Jan 30, 2021 Awallens rated it it was amazing

Definitely a five star read for me. The author did such a great job with inclusivity, exploring religion, and what happens between people of different religions. Also she did her homework on people with disabilities and portrayed them well. Lovely book!

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Jan 31, 2021 Diane rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s-lit

Lovely middle grade combining the familiar theme of trying to adjust after a move with unique elements, including the hotel setting and the examination of what faith can mean to people. Would be good for independent readers or parent-child book clubs.

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