Glow

When thrift-store aficionado Julie discovers a series of antique paintings with hidden glowing images that are only visible in the dark, she wants to learn more about the artist. In her search, she uncovers a century-old romance and the haunting true story of the Radium Girls, young women who used radioactive paint to make the world’s first glow-in-the-dark products—and ultimately became radioactive themselves. As Julie’s obsession with the paintings mounts, truths about the Radium Girls—and her own complicated relationships—are revealed. But will she uncover the truth about the luminous paintings before putting herself and everyone she loves at risk?

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  • 272 Pages
  • 5.5" x 8.25"
  • 9780807529652
  • March 2018

Buy from Albert Whitman

  • 9780807529645
  • September 2017

Reviews

  • Bryant brilliantly lures readers into an engaging mystery, a page-turner that begins beneath layers revealed in both paintings and chapters. A riveting story of ambitious and self-sufficient women, both in the present and past.

    - Kirkus Reviews starred review

  • This fictionalized take on the Radium Girls is by turns suspenseful, macabre, and, at points, quite gory. Bryant doesn’t shy away from the true horrors that befell these women—and worse, the abject neglect from their male superiors, many of whom knew the true dangers of radium….An eye-opening window into a troubling moment in history.

    - Booklist

  • As each girl tells their story, the true events and stories of the real radium girls are brought to light. Bryant’s novel will surely spur readers to learn more about this dark part of history.

    - School Library Journal starred review

  • Readers who love the historic side of this genre will crave more of Lydia’s story… gruesomely detailed and suspenseful.

    - VOYA

  • The historical background is intriguing, embracing chemistry, medicine, and labor and women’s histories…Builds nicely in suspense and tragedy.

    - The Horn Book

  • Students who love a good mystery and/or historical fiction will have no issue getting into this well-told story of historical significance.

    - School Library Connection

Awards & Accolades

  • Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2017 - Best Teen Historical Fiction
  • 2019-2020 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee

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