Books
D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.
Cover Artist: Angie Kang
Reviews
“What would have been a standard (though still appealing) whodunnit is elevated by the book’s poignant exploration of grief and loss. White never exploits Rachel’s death but masterfully delves into the different ways grief impacts people and how they respond [. . .] Readers will be initially intrigued by the potential mystery, but it’s D.J.’s beautiful and painful growth that will stick with them.”
“A fresh new voice, Abby White delivers the perfect dose of humor and heartbreak with her debut D.J. Rosenblum Becomes
the G.O.A.T. Readers will root for D.J.
as she navigates a new home, friends,
even a crush, with such insight and
truth. A standout especially-young adult from an exciting new voice!”
“White does not go easy on topics like mental health, suicide, honesty in relationships, and how to give help even when someone is failing to ask for it. She simply does it in a hopeful way that focuses on younger readers–—the twelve to eighteen set–—rather than trying to ‘age it up’ to also appeal to adults. Some older teens might find they’ve moved beyond this and into the adult section. Some younger ones will probably shed tears of relief that finally there is a book designed specifically for them.”
“A poignant mystery exploring coming-of-age themes [...] the engaging, emotionally moving narrative deftly highlights the different ways people navigate the grieving process. The work is steeped in Jewish lifecycle traditions, but readers of all backgrounds will easily identify with the exploration of middle school stresses and friend and family relationships.”
“Voicey and full of character, yet also layered with grief and accountability and how tragedy can affect us all in different ways. [. . .] White does such a phenomenal job demonstrating that grief is not always tears, that death can feel like utter betrayal, that friendships are not always supportive but can call us in and call us out when obsession brings out the worst in us. This book is going to be powerful for young readers.”
—— Deke Moulton, Award-Winning Author of Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf
“Readers will get caught up in the mystery and hope D.J.’s instincts are right. They will also appreciate D.J.’s engaging, often humorous voice. [. . .] D.J. does the genuine work of questioning her Torah portion and finding meaning within it. There is never any doubt that D.J. and her family believe Jewish observance is important. They choose to celebrate the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Passover despite their grief. And when D.J.'s Bat Mitzvah is delayed because of Rachel's tragic death, they proceed with the ceremony a year later. In D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T., readers will find a deeply touching story about accepting hard facts and learning to move forward.”
A “powerful debut novel.” ——Booklist
“Such a fun read!” ——Rick Riordan
“Written in warm, ebullient prose, D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. handily mixes the bouncy audacity of its main character with a gentle——but no less real——meditation on grief. Readers will be utterly charmed by D.J.’s tenacity and brightness as she navigates a new school, an upcoming bat mitzvah, and a somewhat-undercover investigation into her cousin’s unexpected passing. White’s debut is a beautiful, lovingly rendered tale of growing up and letting go.”
“It’s difficult to believe that the powerful, moving D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. is Abby White’s first novel. [. . .] Those pages are among the most moving that I’ve ever read about people dealing with grief. Parents may want to read D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. with their tweens and discuss what happened to D.J. and Rachel, focusing on letting their children know that they don’t need to be perfect and that almost everyone needs outside help sometimes during their life. However, you don’t need to have children to appreciate this absorbing and emotionally touching work. It comes highly recommended for adult readers.”
Published August 5, 2025!
“It’s such a fun read! . . . Looking for Alaska + You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah [is] about right!”
—— Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times-Bestselling Author and Abby’s Childhood Hero
WHERE: Middle Woods, Briar, Ohio
VICTIM: Rachel Simon
HERO: D.J. Rosenblum
VILLAINS: …?
It’s the beginning of the school year——and Briar’s newest resident, D.J. Rosenblum, is not here for it. Ever since her cousin Rachel died, D.J.’s family has been a mess: Her aunt and uncle are catatonic. Her mom is even more scatterbrained than usual. She had to postpone her Bat Mitzvah a whole year. Worst of all, she and her mom had to move——leaving her best friend, Eva, behind.
Briar does have one redeeming factor, though: Here, in Rachel’s hometown, D.J. can finally get to the bottom of her death. With the help of a chatty journalist and a queen-bee hacker, D.J. can fill in the last days of her cousin’s life. And if she can just figure out her Torah portion——with help from her cute tutor, Jonah——maybe, just maybe, she’ll be able to solve a bigger mystery.
For fans of Looking for Alaska and Never Have I Ever comes Abby White’s debut novel, D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. It’s a basket of matzo ball soup dumplings for anyone learning to chart their own path, navigate new friendships and crushes, and figure out how to love——and live——after loss.
“This powerful debut novel showcases D.J.’s humorous observations about life and family as well as her pain surrounding Rachel’s death [. . .] The ending is hopeful, tying things up in a neat book-ended way without answering every question raised. An in-depth study of trauma told from an adolescent point of view; D.J. does indeed become a ‘goat,’ but in different ways than anyone expects.”
—— Booklist
