Let It Glow and What Jewish Looks Like

Meyer, Marissa and Levy, Joanne. Let It Glow
October 1, 2024 by Feiwel & Friends

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

Aviva Davis loves visiting her Bubbe at her home at the Rowena Village senior living facility, and she's very interested in trying out for their holiday pageant, since she loves to perform, but she's a little irritated that the director wants her to sing Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel as the token nod to Hanukkah. She also doesn't feel very Jewish; after all, she's adopted, and her family is not observant. It also doesn't help that people question her brother's Jewish identity, since her father is Black. She decides that she would like to know more about this part of her family history. Holly Martin comes to Rowena Village when her mother wants her Gramps to visit; he suffers from arthritis and has recently had a fall. Her single mother is very busy with her work at the bank. Holly loves hanging out with Gramps, though, since he is a writer of adult mysteries, and she loves to write as well. During the tour, Holly is encourage to check out the pageant, and when she runs in to Aviva, they are shocked that they are not only identical to each other, but are both adopted and share the same birthday! Holly offers to help Aviva write something better to perform in the pageant, since it gives them an excuse to hang out and get to the bottom of their past. They eventually decide to switch homes for four days, so that they can learn about each other's families and prepare for a Big Reveal during the pageant. This has lots of rocky moments, since Holly hasn't practiced Hebrew and Aviva doesn't hit it off with Holly's cat Sherlock! There's also a charming scene where Aviva's younger brother is sure that his sister has been killed, and Holly is an alien who has taken her place! While this is all going on, Bubbe and Gramps start hanging out together, and Gramps starts to realize that Rowena Village is an interesting place to live. When he falls at the facility and there is a nurse right there, that also helps cement his decision to move. Eventually, of course, they have to come clean to their families and open letters that their birth mother left for birth girls, but first have to deliver a stellar performance for the pageant. 

Strengths: The only middle schoolers who don't want a twin are the ones who have one. There is something very intriguing about a built in friend and confidant at this age that is very appealing, and books about twins always circulate well. Books about holidays are also in great demand, and this takes a very realistic look at the relationship that many tweens today have with religious holidays. Aviva's desire to understand her heritage more is perfect. I really appreciated that there weren't any dead parents; Holly's mother has always been single, and the Davis parents run a busy dental practice and often don't have time to celebrate in the way that Aviva would like. The most brilliant part of this for me was the depiction of the grandparents. They are still active and engaged, although struggling somewhat with failing eyesight and mobility issues,  and Rowena Village is portrayed in a positive light. Grandchildren are even encouraged to be involved in the community events. This is very representative of the situation that many middle school students have with their grandparents. The fact that Bubbe and Gramps hit it off was the sour cream on the latke! 
Weaknesses: As a parent, I wasn't completely sold that the girls could trade places for two days, but that's what makes it fun. Tweens absolutely think they could pull this off. 
What I really think: Levy (Crushing It) and Meyer (Cinder) must have had a lot of fun writing this book together. It was an endearing tale that has a lot of staying power. The cover will help it fly off the shelves. I'm definitely looking forward to having a copy of this to put on display for the winter holiday season. 

Kleinrock, Liz, Pritchard, Caroline Kusin, and Gottlieb, Iris (Illustrator)
What Jewish Looks Like
September 24, 2024 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This collective biography focuses on a wide range of Jewish people who have made their mark on the world and showcases the diversity and intersectionality of what this can look like. Starting with a map, the different subgroups from different areas of the world are briefly described, and the effects of the Jewish diaspora and colonization are briefly addressed. There are also a number of "big questions" that are useful before delving into the biographies. Unlike many collective biographies, which are usually organized by name or dates, this is divided by concepts like repairing a broken world, courage, the unique value of each person, and saving a life. What really makes this book stands out is the inclusion of figures from all over the world, not just the US, and the presence of some very young people. While there were a few better known historical figures like Emma Lazarus and Harvey Milk, there were many people of whom I have never heard, which is always interesting. Most of the individuals depicted had very intersectional backgrounds. The most interesting one to me was Bessie Moses, who worked with Margaret Sanger on mother's health and pregnancy planning services, since Judaism teaches that a fetus is part of the mother, which often leads to the support of abortion rights. 

In between the chapters, there are short descriptions of different Jewish organizations, like the National Council of Jewish Women, Camp Be'chol Lashon (which promotes diversity), the Jews of Color Initiative, Keshet (an LGBTQIA+ concern), and Kamochah (which supports Black Orthodox Jews). While these pages are brief, they are a great way to find out more about the wider Jewish community. 

There are also some fun facts sprinkled throughout the pages, like the information about many Christmas carols being created by Jewish songwriters, and there's even a page or two on Jewish culinary arts. 

The artwork is engaging, and I especially liked the patterns behind some of the title pages. This is one of those biography books that librarians will want to buy two of; one to circulate, and one to cut apart and laminate to use for bulletin boards. Add this to the 920s along with Faruq, Mumtaz, and Khan's The Wonders We Seek: Thirty Incredible Muslims Who Helped Shape the World, Bayne and Avelino's Black Trailblazers: 30 Courageous Visionaries Who Broke Boundaries, Made a Difference, and Paved the Way, or Calkhoven's Women Who Changed the World.