Prince William, Maximilian Minsky, and Me

Nelly Sue Edelmeister is a brainy Berliner who believes she is destined to marry Prince William. To get closer to him, she decides she must make the school basketball team to attend a royal function. She enlists the help of her neighbor, the cynical Maximilian Minsky, to teach her the game. Along the way, she navigates her intellectual passions for astronomy, her mother's pressure regarding her Bat Mitzvah, and her evolving feelings about what a crush actually looks like. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book touches on the history of the Holocaust and its impact on Jewish families in Germany. Parents should be aware that the book includes a character's anxiety about antisemitism. Nelly's internal struggle with her Bat Mitzvah is resolved through personal growth rather than strict dogma. EMOTIONAL ARC: The book starts with a lighthearted, almost delusional comedic tone and builds toward a more grounded, hopeful maturity as Nelly moves from fantasy to real world connections. IDEAL READER: A middle schooler who feels like an outsider due to their niche interests and is starting to feel the friction between their family's expectations and their own developing identity. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might see their child withdrawing from family rituals or expressing embarrassment over a hobby that isn't considered cool by peers. PARENT PREP: Parents should be aware of some frank discussions regarding puberty and potential questions about antisemitism and the Holocaust. The book may prompt conversations about family history and cultural traditions. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers will focus on the humor of the basketball training and the crush, while older readers will better appreciate the nuances of Nelly's search for authentic identity and the cultural stakes of her Bat Mitzvah. DIFFERENTIATOR: It is a rare, vibrant look at modern Jewish life in Germany, blending high intellectualism with the raw vulnerability of a middle school crush. """