Gr 5 Up–A tale of two girls from different families who meet and determine they are identical twin sisters. Aviva Davids has always known she comes from a blended family; she was adopted at birth by a Jewish mom and a Protestant father and enjoys an outgoing life with her two brothers. She feels closest to her Jewish grandmother and wishes her family celebrated more religious traditions—she even insists that her family celebrate Hanukkah this year. Holly Martin, who’s also an adoptee, lives with her overworked mom, elderly grandfather, and pet cat. She leads a quiet life, loving to read and write stories. She is looking forward to getting a Christmas tree and celebrating the holiday. When Holly and Aviva meet at a talent show rehearsal at a local retirement center, they are shocked at their similarities. They realize they must be twins and want to learn more about each other's traditions and family members. Aviva learns that families can be quiet and subtle, while Holly learns all about Jewish traditions. After a few days of living with each other’s families, the girls reveal their true identities at the talent show. Once the shock wears off, both families are delighted and surprised that they didn’t know that the daughter they adopted was a twin.
VERDICT Meyer and Levy bring warmth and depth to the classic separated-at-birth trope with this gentle story. Recommended for tween fiction collections.
Be the first reader to comment.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!