Personally, I find the construct of twins separated at birth who find each other by happenstance a bit tired and hard to believe. We're really exercising our willing suspension of disbelief here. Circumstance aside, the writing is strong. Characters are distinct and well developed.

Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy team up to deliver Let It Glow, a delightful and heartwarming holiday tale that blends humor, family, and the magic of the season. This middle-grade novel captures the essence of holiday traditions while embracing themes of acceptance and self-discovery.

The story follows Mira, a spirited young girl excited for Hanukkah, and Will, who celebrates Christmas with his family. When their neighbor's over-the-top holiday display threatens to overshadow Mira’s own festivities, she embarks on a mission to make Hanukkah shine just as brightly. The novel explores the intersection of different holiday traditions with warmth and humor, making it a perfect read for the season.

Meyer and Levy craft engaging, relatable characters who bring charm and depth to the story. Mira’s determination and Will’s unexpected friendship create a compelling dynamic that will resonate with young readers. The writing is crisp, accessible, and infused with holiday joy, making it an enjoyable read for middle-grade audiences.

While the plot is predictable at times, the book’s heartfelt message about inclusivity and celebrating one’s heritage shines through beautifully. Readers will appreciate the fun, lighthearted tone and the touching moments that highlight the importance of family, friendship, and finding joy in one’s traditions.

Overall, Let It Glow is a festive and uplifting read that will appeal to young readers and families looking to explore different holiday traditions together. A great addition to any winter reading list!

DNF a few chapters into it. I just found myself not really caring about the characters or how the story would end up. It didn't feel like there were enough stakes at that point in the story, and ultimately, I had other books I needed to read.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

This was a cute mg novel. I really enjoyed the juxtaposed religious aspects. It would be a great book for anyone in the mg age range but lacked some of the depth for adult readers.

The Parent Trap and Christmas slapped together for one jolly good time? Um, yes please!

Aviva and Holly didn't even know the other existed so to find out they are twins was quite a surprise! They truly couldn't be more different seeing as Aviva is outgoing and will sing loud for all to hear while Holly is more timid and prefers to shine in writing. Follow along as the two navigate family dynamics, identity and heritage.

I loved how fun this was but also getting to learn more about Hanukah and jewish heritage.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for my early copy!

5 stars = Outstanding!

I loved these two girls - individually and together. I loved the emphasis on the holiday swap and the families of both girls. I even enjoyed the shenanigans when they almost blew their secret.

This would be a great holiday read aloud for families and for classrooms. It would even make a good reading group choice for the end of the calendar year.

This is a super cute book! I loved how the authors teamed up to share their winter Holidays. The story takes the identical twin trope and gives it a Haunnuka/Christmas spin. While there ae many places where it is hard to suspend belief, it's basically just a holiday fairy tale and younger readers will enjoy it!

Marissa Meyer is a beloved author in my Middle School classroom, though she's best known for her fantasy series (Lunar Chronicles and Renegades), so when I saw she was releasing a holiday collaboration aimed at younger MG students, I knew I had to pick it up. I really enjoyed this one, and I'm excited to recommend it to my students.

What I loved:
- This holiday twist on the Parent Trap/It Takes Two plot: As a millennial who was raised on these storylines, I am all for an identical sister swap story.
- The Christmas & Hanukkah representation: As someone raising children in a household that celebrates both holidays, I appreciated the way the authors portrayed the religions, traditions, and holidays in this book.
- The grandparents: Bubbe and Gramps are the best!

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

Though I haven't read other works by Marissa Meyer, I'm a fan of Joanne Levy's work, and was looking forward to this one. It's a sweet holiday story and I think kids will really enjoy it.

When Holly Martin and Aviva Davis sign up to perform at a holiday pageant at a senior’s residence, they discover that they are identical twins. Both the girls know they’re adopted but they didn’t know that they had a twin. Holly’s family celebrates Christmas and Aviva’s family celebrates Hanukkah. They are both curious about each other’s holidays, so they decide to switch places for a few days until they can reveal their identities at the pageant. However, the girls don’t know much about each other, so they have to work hard to hide their identity in their new families.

This was such a fun holiday story! The Parent Trap is one of my favourite movies, and this story was like a holiday version of it. My family celebrates Christmas so I knew the Christmas traditions that Holly’s family did. I liked learning about Hanukkah in this story. Aviva was also learning about her family’s traditions, so her and Holly were both being taught throughout the story.

Let It Glow is a fun middle grade holiday story!

Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing a digital copy of this book!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a current retelling of the Parent Trap and a Hallmark Christmas story. I think kids will enjoy this fun story.

I am in Love! This was so freaking cute and good wintery cozy read!I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

In LET IT GLOW, in a chance meeting during rehearsals for a holiday pageant at a senior citizen’s center, Holly and Aviva discover they are identical twins. They hatch a plan to swap identities with a big reveal to their families coming at the pageant performance, allowing each to experience the different holiday traditions the other’s family celebrates. Lots of hi-jinks ensue as the girls assume the other’s identity and evade close calls to try to keep the switch a secret while learning about each other’s holiday traditions and developing a greater appreciation for their own. One of the highlights of the book is the wonderful relationships the girls share with their grandparents—Aviva with her grandmother and Holly with her grandfather. Playing out from the alternating points of view of each girl, this one is a fun and cozy holiday themed twist on the classic “twins trading places” story.

A lovely holiday story with a very fun plot and relatable family and sibling dynamics! Aviva and Holly are endearing protagonists, and readers will love seeing their adventure unfold. Sweet and satisfying!

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of Let it Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy. This book was dubbed "The Parent Trap, but make it Holiday themed," and it did not disappoint. I found this book to be so whimsical and fun.

Aviva Davids was adopted into a loving Jewish family, but she never feels "Jewish" enough to claim her culture. Holly Martin was adopted by a single mother and lives with her and Gramps. Neither are aware that near by, they have a twin! A chance encounter at the local retirement home changes everything. The girls decide to experience each others' lives and reveal the secret to their families at the retirement home pageant. Through the process, both girls discover a lot about each other and themselves.

It was a delightful story with a lovely cast of characters. I would highly recommend this book!

A wonderful, holiday season story with characters you can relate to. Meyer and Levy have carefully crafted these characters to make readers find commonalities with both and show that even if we don’t believe or celebrate the same things we can learn from each other.

Two adopted girls discover they are identical twins; one is Jewish and the other celebrates Christmas, so they decide to secretly swap places. This is not only a fun holiday book but gives a wonderful peek into two very different sets of holiday traditions. The authors do a fabulous job creating realistic characters with believable families, making this story one I can recommend for all middle grade readers.

This book is everything. I think it is such a fresh perspective on twins finding each other and trading places. I love that both twins have a different cultural background and ways to celebrate the holiday. That when they trade places, they get to experience each’s unique holiday celebrations is just perfection. I think that having kids see and learn different celebrations is so important. I know that my daughter last year was fascinated by Hanukkah, and while I personally am not Jewish, I tried to find different food experiences we could try and got books from the library so she could learn more about it. It can be hard during the holidays to figure out how best to celebrate your true self. Especially if the whole world is promoting Christmas, but I loved grandma’s perspective on the situation. Overall, this is a beautiful book highlighting how amazing and unique each holiday is. I think it will resonate with children who celebrate either Hanukkah or Christmas.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Let it Glow is an adorable middle grade novel featuring two identical twins separated at birth! Though both girls knew they were adopted, somehow neither family knew there was a sister living in the same town, until the girls meet at a retirement community talent show audition. Shenanigans follow as Holly and Aviva switch families for a few days to learn about each other's religions and winter holiday celebrations.

This was a charming, feel good middle grade holiday story that sees two adopted identical tweens meeting at an old age care home and signing up for the only Jewish holiday performance. Full of a great cast of diverse characters and lots of Parent trap esque family swap vibes, this was an enjoyable story about found family, Jewish heritage, identity and traditions that was also good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Not your all-American girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and authors like AJ Sass. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!