Being from Atlantic City, New Jersey myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this middle-grade chapter book about the Steel Pier! It was fun and easy to read, the vocabulary wasn’t too complicated.

The Prince of Steel Pier was a solid Middle Grade Debut about Joey Goodman, a thirteen-year-old Jewish kid who is spending his summer in Atlantic City in the 70's, working at his Grandparents' struggling hotel with his older brothers. He's reached the age where he's too old to be babied like his younger brother and too young to be given a load of responsibility like his older brothers. He's in that middle place where it feels like no one respects him. But while playing skee ball at a local bar, he gets noticed by a bunch of mafia guys who thinks he's a "Good Man." He gets hired to tour the mob boss's daughter around the city and gets in way over his head. This was a heartfelt and honest story about trusting in family and being wary of things that sound "too good to be true."

A fun ride from start to finish!

I read this book in a single day, which should tell you everything you need to know about how captivating THE PRINCE OF STEEL PIER is as Nockowitz weaves an utterly delightful storyline in the unlikeliest of settings. This has all the historical feels while providing every bit of excitement you’d feel if you were meeting Joey and his wonderful Jewish family today.

Speaking of Joey, the 13-year-old protagonist is utterly relatable. I so wanted to be friends with him and his energy kept me glued as he dealt with family, a new friend, and some figures that gave me the chills.

I can’t wait to read what the author comes up with next, but whatever that may be, know that you should read this book NOW. You won’t regret it!

This was a wonderful Middle Grade debut novel! Its fast-paced narrative held my attention from start to finish, and I was especially taken with the amazing job Nockowitz did with painting the atmosphere of her setting, a deteriorating 1970s Atlantic City in the midst of a sweltering summer. Simply put, 'The Prince of Steel Pier' follows Joey, a young Jewish teen, as a small white lie of Joey's quickly begins to snowball into something much more dangerous when he inadvertently falls in with a local mobster and puts his close-knit family in danger.

Religion is a theme throughout the novel, and for non-Jewish readers like myself, it gives a lovely, informative glimpse into Jewish traditions and culture, yet at the same time portrays the anti-Semitism and discrimination Jewish people have had to face. At the same time, the main character also has questions about his faith, which I feel is a pretty standard experience most young people have as they enter their teenage years, regardless of their religious affiliation; this subplot is woven into the story seamlessly and doesn't slow down the exciting narrative, either.