Twins

Gr 3-7–The start of sixth grade has not been smooth sailing for identical twins Francine and Maureen Carter, who are both Black. Francine, “the talker,” is eager for new challenges and experiences and more time away from her sister/best-friend—oh, and she goes by “Fran” now, please. Meanwhile, Maureen, “the thinker,” misses dressing alike and having all her classes with her twin, and is especially intimidated by the lunchroom and Cadet Corp. When Maureen discovers that the girls’ separate classes are due not to a scheduling error but to Francine’s interference, her anger spurs her to action and she challenges her sister by running against her for student council president. As the girls develop campaign strategies and try to best each other, will they permanently ruin the bond they once had? The twins’ transforming relationship captures all the fraught possibilities of adolescence—the fear of change and the excitement of potential. A fully realized array of friends and family who help with (and occasionally add to) the drama create a world that readers will wish they were a part of. Wright’s colorful artwork brings this endearing cast of characters to life with a dynamic range of expressiveness that suits the story’s emotional highs and lows and many warm laughs.