A review by thereadingraccoon
Let It Glow by Joanne Levy, Marissa Meyer

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Let it Glow is a heartwarming middle-grade contemporary novel about two identical girls who decide to swap places to experience each other’s holiday traditions.

When twelve-year-old strangers Aviva and Holly unexpectedly meet at a local retirement home, they’re stunned to find they look nearly identical and even share the same birthday. Both girls know they were adopted, but neither had any idea they might have a twin. Instantly excited at the prospect of a new sister, they decide to swap lives for a few hectic days, fully immersing themselves in each other’s worlds—culminating in a performance in a holiday recital.

This charming holiday story captures the magic of the season as the girls find each other. It was wonderful to see Judaism and Hanukkah represented in a middle-grade novel, adding to its inclusivity. Though we never find out if the girls are truly sisters (and it’s hard to imagine an adoption agency or birth parent separating twins), that part of the story remains a mystery.