Set in the 1970s, Things That Shimmer is about eighth grader Melanie Adler, who, like many girls her age, wants nothing more than to become a member of the Shimmers, her school’s in-crowd. Admission into this particular golden circle seems to Melanie to be the very pinnacle of success. She is painfully aware that her best friend, Vicky, is closer to that shimmering goal than she is, and she feels all alone.
Meanwhile, Melanie has been asked to guide and mentor a new student who has recently moved to the neighborhood: Dorit Shoshani, an Israeli girl who so far has no friends or even acquaintances. Dorit is different from Melanie’s other friends — she doesn’t understand the appeal of the Shimmers — but she’s a great kid and easy to like. Melanie soon realizes they have much in common. They’re both interested in academics, and they both have a parent who suffers from anxiety to a nearly crippling degree. Melanie’s mother survived a serious car accident, and Dorit’s father has PTSD as a result of serving in Israel’s Six-Day War and watching a close friend die in battle.
Most of the girls in their circle are Jewish. Their days are filled with bat mitzvah parties, Jewish holidays, and special foods. The 1970s setting also adds to the story’s atmosphere. The author alludes to Watergate and gas shortages, among other events.
Readers watch a young girl slowly mature, gaining confidence as she navigates difficult social and familial terrain. Although she at first struggles to understand where she fits in and how she can be a good friend, she ultimately learns much about herself and the world around her. This is a well-told story that will be savored by preteens and young people who find bits of themselves in it.
Michal Hoschander Malen is the editor of Jewish Book Council’s young adult and children’s book reviews. A former librarian, she has lectured on topics relating to literacy, run book clubs, and loves to read aloud to her grandchildren.
