It’s a festive month and what better way to get into the mood than by reading a holiday story. I start this special time by going back to my favorites from past years:

(CLICK ON A BOOK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EACH ONE).

After I’ve revisited these classics I start searching for a new holiday book. You’ll find a fresh batch each year on the shelves. I found the perfect choice for 2024.

A familiar plot of two 12-year-old girls finding out they are twins takes a fun, memorable turn in this holiday story. The girls were both adopted at birth by separate families but discover each other at tryouts for a holiday pageant. They look alike but their personalities go separate ways.

Aviva loves to perform by both singing and acting on stage. Much quieter Holly enjoys writing stories like her Grandpa, an established author. Holly also has a bad case of stage fright. The springboard for this plot is discovering they each celebrate the holidays in different ways. Traditional Christmas for one and Hanukah for the other. The girls decide to swap places and experience their twin’s family traditions during the holidays. The dramatic reveal of the other’s existence will hopefully occur at the pageant.

Alternating viewpoints turns out to be the perfect way to experience this story. A lot of unexpected events happen as they try and fool their relatives. Readers who know little about the Jewish or Christian celebrations will grow in their understanding without this being a religious themed story. The twins adjust to their “new” family and in doing so find comfort and a deeper perception of each other. The ending is heartwarming.

LET IT GLOW makes for a great read aloud with your own family.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In addition to writing, Marissa hosts The Happy Writer podcast. She lives near Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and twin daughters.

Joanne Levy has always loved stories. As a kid, she read books and made up stories. As an adult, the stories she makes up are sometimes turned into books. In her non-writing hours, Joanne helps other authors as a virtual assistant. Joanne lives in rural Ontario, Canada…

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Be sure to check out all the other great features and reviews on today’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday!