On the surface, the story, The Two Shining Families reveals a family carving pumpkins to make a family of glowing jack-o-lanterns. The story depicts the shining of not one, but two families. The human family shines as they work together. The jack-o-lantern family shine their glowing faces, too. The author communicates the importance of family. Without Dad, Mom, and Toddler working together, there would be no One, two, three jack-o-lanterns. There would be no shining of any kind. Delving deeper, the reader realizes that the Halloween season is a special time for families to shine be it in celebrating together or in LED lighted faces.