The unfinished corner by Dani Colman and Rachel Petrovicz

Miriam has a lot of things on her mind, mostly how to tell her two best friends that she's been accepted into a prestigious art academy and won't be going to their Jewish school with them next year. When the three of them, plus one, set out on a bus trip for an art show, her worries are quickly subsumed by their bus turning into an eagle and crashing in a desert! Meanwhile, the rabbi escorting them turns out to be an angel and he's got a mission for Miriam, with the others along for the ride.

It turns out when Hashem created the universe, he left a corner unfinished and from there come all the evil demons that are causing all the ills of the world. Ma'alachiel thinks that Miriam can complete the corner, pushing all the evil creatures out where Hashem can destroy them once and for all. As Miriam, Avi, David, and Judith move forward on their task, they meet and experience creatures and people from Jewish history and legend, reveal their own pasts and struggles, and grow together as friends.

Colorful creatures, glowing blue power, and a diverse range of characters show not only the breadth of Jewish legend and tradition but the diversity within the faith. The fallen angels often have a stereotypical bright red skin, horns, and hooved feet and there is a fantastical element to the setting that is extended through Miriam's art that is expressed in drawn worlds.

This is a fascinating plunge into a culture and tradition that will be unfamiliar to many children in my audience. But it's also a thoughtful look at how people grow and change, how they define their culture and heritage, and the ongoing trauma of persecution and bigotry. Each of them expresses their Jewishness in their own way and struggles with growing up and issues of faith in individual moments of confrontation and reflection; Judith when she confronts a demon and defends not just her Jewishness but her power as a woman; David when he reveals his grief and despair over a tragic family loss; Avi when he has the chance to ask a powerful golem why he did not defend the Jews during the Holocaust. When the final push comes and Miriam and Avi have an argument that ends in her revealing her struggles and doubts, the friendship of all four is cemented and with their support Miriam goes forward and produces her own solution for the unfinished corner of the universe.

Verdict: The narrative does not run completely smoothly, but the rapid pace of action will draw readers briskly through the story and leave them with plenty of food for thought to consider after they've finished. Whether you have a Jewish audience or not, this will be of interest not only to readers who like strong fantasy adventures but also to those interested in exploring their own or other cultures and faiths. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781638490111; Published 2021 by Wonderbound; Borrowed from another library in my consortium