Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf

(Paperback)

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Benji Zeb has to balance preparing for his bar mitzvah, his feelings for a school bully, and being a werewolf in this heartfelt, coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers, now available in paperback. For fans of Sydney Taylor-honor book Don't Want to Be Your Monster and Too Bright to See. Benji Zeb has to balance preparing for his bar mitzvah, his feelings for a school bully, and being a werewolf in this heartfelt, coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers. For fans of Don't Want to Be Your Monster and Too Bright to See. Benji Zeb has a lot going on. He has a lot of studying to do, not only for school but also for his upcoming bar mitzvah. He's nervous about Mr. Rutherford, the aggressive local rancher who hates Benji's family's kibbutz and wolf sanctuary. And he hasn't figured out what to do about Caleb, Mr. Rutherford's stepson, who has been bullying Benji pretty hard at school, despite Benji wanting to be friends (and maybe something more). And all of this is made more complicated by the fact that, secretly, Benji and his entire family are werewolves who are using the wolf sanctuary as cover for their true identities! Things come to a head when Caleb shows up at the kibbutz one night . . . in wolf form! He's a werewolf too, unable to control his shifting, and he needs Benji's help. Can anxious Benji juggle all of these things along with his growing feelings toward Caleb

Reviews

A National Jewish Book Award Finalist
A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
One of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids for 2024
A School Library Journal Best Middle Grade and Best Fantasy Book for Kids of 2024

"Moulton (Don't Want to Be Your Monster) explores relevant issues surrounding anxiety, faith, prejudice, sexuality, and prioritizing others' safety over personal comfort in this allegorical creature feature." STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"Highly recommended for readers looking for a unique take on the werewolf trope. Readers will root for the gentle and introspective protagonist." STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"Benji's adultish inner voice, and lessons for Caleb about Jewish traditions and history, frequently eclipse both character development and plot, tilting this contemplative, profoundly allegorical story into teachy but never preachy territory . . . . A sweet, informative, and somewhat hairy coming-out and coming-of-age story." Booklist

"An author for children does best when that person embodies a kind of fearlessness about their own material. Deke Moulton doesn't just embrace their material, though, they celebrate it. Even as they pile on the different elements and attempt to make each one work in its own right, it takes a gutsiness to not only try but get the bulk of it all right AND in a svelte, handsome package. It would be difficult to overstate the impressiveness of Benji Zeb. With that in mind, hand it to your young readers that read fantasy not to escape the real world, but to highlight some of its most difficult elements. Elegant, smart stuff." Betsy Bird, School Library Journal

A masterful blend of Jewish folklore and gripping adventure. . . . A must-read contemporary fantasy with wonderfully authentic anxiety, queer, and Jewish representation. A. J. Sass, award-winning author of Ellen Outside the Lines and Ana on the Edge

This is a book ravenous readers will be eager to devour! Sweet and sincere, Benji Zeb is the exact kind of friend you want in your pack. Michael Leali, award-winning author of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy and Matteo

Nobody does heartfelt paranormal middle grade like Deke Moulton. Benji Zeb is sweet, fun, and fierce in equal measure, dousing the classic werewolf tale with wonderfully sincere heapings of queerness and Jewishness. Benji stole my whole heart from page one. I cannot wait to see what this author does next. Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

Author Bio

DEKE MOULTON is a writer currently living in the US Pacific Northwest. She is a former US Army drill sergeant and trained as an Arabic linguist during her time in service. Deke is the author of Don't Want to Be Your Monster.