twins

Review: The Twins’ Blanket by Hyewon Yum

| Tasha

twins blanket

The Twins’ Blanket by Hyewon Yum

Two twin girls look just alike and share everything, especially a blanket that they have had ever since they were born.  But now the blanket has gotten too small for them to share.  Neither girl wants to give it to the other though.  Their mother tells them that they are going to be moving to big kid beds and that she will make each of them a new blanket.  They each pick out a fabric, one yellow with flowers, the other pink with birds and flowers.  They wash the fabric, dry it on the line, and then their mother sews the blankets.  When they are done, they have two new blankets that each have a piece of the original as well as their own personality.  Then they have to see what sleeping apart for the first time is like!

Yum has created a charming story about twins that shows the sibling relationship in all of its complexity, yet remains accessible for small children.  The girls both want to be alike and together, yet yearn to be different and apart at the same time.  Down to their stuffed animals that are alike but different, the story is really about their relationship rather than the blanket which is more of a symbol.

Yum’s illustrations are done in deep, rich colors and strong lines.  They have hints of color in unexpected places, creating an additional richness.  The girls while identical are always seen separately and uniquely in the art.

Charming and honest, this book about twins has a clever storyline and lovely illustrations.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!

| Tasha

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin

Twin sisters Ling and Ting are twins, but definitely not the same.  Sure, they look the same, up until the end of the first chapter when a sneeze on the barber’s chair changes that.  But they like different things, have different skills, and approach projects in different ways.  At the same time, the girls are obviously great friends as well as sisters despite their differences.  In short friendly chapters, readers get to know these young sisters and will be able to happily identify with both of them.  This is an early reader with depth and something to say.  It never loses its friendly, lightness and still offers an amazing amount of story. 

Lin excels at creating universal characters and these two twins are definitely that.  She also has woven Asian culture into the story in ways that make sense for the story.  Her superb choices in the book work very well.  Lin also did the art for the book, which has the same engaging style as the story itself.  The art is filled with bright, bold color and will serve new readers well as they read this book.

Highly recommended, this is an impressive easy reader.  Let’s hope that Ling & Ting return for many more adventures.  Appropriate for new readers, ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.