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 helping Kate’s grandmother make her famous grape pies and begins to face her fears by taking swimming lessons in the motel pool.
But when it becomes clear that only a miracle is going to save the Jewel Motor Inn from bankruptcy, Jewish Miriam and Catholic Kate decide to create their own. Otherwise, the “No Vacancy” sign will come down for good and Miriam will lose the life she has worked so hard to build.
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“Narrator Rachel Botchan irresistibly portrays eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman and her family…As Miriam is doing her chores, she meets the Whitleys—including granddaughter Kate—who run a nearby diner. Jewish Miriam and Catholic Kate become fast friends…As the girls learn about each other’s religion, including the Brockmans’ Shabbat prayers, Botchan is at her finest…This coming-of-age story, rich with appealing characters and situations, is a wonderful listening experience for those of all ages.”
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