Let It Glow

Winter is a tiring time of year for me. Not because I’m overwhelmed by all the Christmas – I actually enjoy winter villages and twinkly lights and such. It’s the early darkness that really gets my brain confused. Plus, this winter has come with its own challenges. It seems like everywhere I look there is division, side taking, and hate. I found my cure for all of that in the delightfully adorable middle grade novel, Let it Glow, co written by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy.

Let It Glow manages to seamlessly integrate both Christmas and Hanukkah into one novel that celebrants of any holiday can enjoy. Aviva and Holly are both adopted, and neither one knows she has an identical twin sister out there – until they meet at holiday pageant rehearsals for an assisted living facility. Aviva is there because her grandmother lives in the facility, knows Aviva loves to perform, and has encouraged her to provide the show with a Hanukkah number amidst all the Christmas performances. Holly is touring the facility as a potential new home for her grandfather, has the worlds biggest case of stage fright, and is reluctantly joining the backstage crew. When the two spot each other, and discover they share the same birthday, they make the logical conclusion that they are twins and the illogical decision to swap places and experience each others lives.

Aviva has been feeling down that while her family is Jewish they don’t practice all that much. She’s convinced them to have a full on Hanukkah celebration – which means after the swap Holly is getting a crash course in Jewish food and joy. Over at Holly’s house, Aviva finds out that cutting down a Christmas tree is real work but totally pays off when you get to decorate it. There are plenty of hijinks related to the swap, both holidays, and the girls having such different personalities. Not to mention one very grumpy cat that is not falling for the swap. When they finally reveal their sisters’ existence to their respective families everyone is too shocked to be all that angry about the swap.

The book covers important topics like respecting each other boundaries, facing our fears, accepting other cultures, and aging family members. It is unabashedly fun, full of excitement, and HAPPY. It was the perfect answer to all the divisiveness around me. Whether your curl up next to a menorah, Christmas tree, or on a coach, Let It Glow is a very cozy winter read that will give you the warm fuzzies.

Bote – BookishlyJewish received a copy of this book from one of the authors.

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