For years the numbers of twins have been on the increase, but it seems to have take the children's book industry a while to significantly represent this reality in children's books. In the last several years, however, there have been an increase in titles to match the growth of multiple births.
I am fond of books that represent well without an obvious purpose. For close to a decade, multicultural representation has been big in children's books, but twin representation is not. I think it's important for children to see themselves portrayed in groups and in the foreground. Twins are pictured in some books, like Nan Bodsworth's A Nice Walk in the Jungle (Ages 4-8; Viking, 1989); Adele Aron Greenspun's Daddies (Ages 18 mo and up; Philomel, 1992); Debi Gliori's New Big House (Ages 3 and up, Candlewick Press, 1992) andCatherine and Laurence Anholt's What I like (Ages 18 mo-5 yrs., Putnam, !992)
Nothing is said about the stars of Chocolate Chip Cookies by Karen Wagner. This is a description of a warm homey chocolate chip cookie baking afternoon, what's different is that the cookie-bakers are twins. What brings this quietly worded picture book to life is the illustrations by Leah Palmer Preiss who captures her twin boys delighting expressively over the making, baking and tasting. (Ages 2-5; Holt, 1990)
Siblings who are expecting twins can be aided by picture books. Babies are pictured even in utero as in one of Lennart Nilsson's photographs in Sheila Kitazinger's Being Born so that young siblings can be shown what their twins look like "inside." (Ages 4-8; Grosset and Dunlap, 1986). And twins are some of the focal characters in the Ahlburg's The Baby's Catalogue which lists implements and baby necessities for a cast of small babies. (Ages 2-5; Little Brown, 1983, 1986).
new BIG sister by Debi Gliori had a title that made me curious. Why is BIG capitalized that way? The book is written from the point of view of a sister-to-be, beginning with her mother's morning-sickness passing through child-time markers of birthday, kitten arrival and Christmas...until the birth of her twin siblings, an event that gives the title a special clarity. Ages 3-6. (Bradbury, 1991)
Another big sister has trouble telling her toddling identical twin brother apart in Aliki's Jack and Jake Ages 3-5. (Greenwillow, 1986) Friends have trouble telling twins apart , too, in Pat Hutchins Which Witch is Which when Halloween disguises complicate twin puzzlement. (Ages 4 and up, Greenwillow, 1989)
Much of the focus of Danielle Steel's series about Max involves his adjustment to twin siblings. The books begins with their birth in Max's New Baby (Delacorte, 1989) and the five book series has much to say about the joys and troubles of twin siblings continuing through Max Run's Away (both books for ages 4 and up; Delacorte, 1991)
And what about twins themselves? Two writers have teamed up and penned under one name, Jeffie Ross Gordon, a book about Two Badd Babies. When Mrs. Badd puts her twins down for a nap, this devilish duo rocks and bounces their baby bed out of the house, into town and adventures! Repetition and lots of silliness may prompt parents of twins to substitute their own last name in stories about their "good Badd babies". (Ages 3-5. (Boyds Mills Press, 1992)
No one knows twins like the parents of twins. Catherine and Laurence Anholt have collaborated not only on their book, Two by Two, but also on their own set of twins. In the foreground of Two by Two are Minne and Max, twins who have an obvious affection for each other. In the background is a set of understanding and playful parents who set the tone. Two by Two begins with a cozy bedtime reading of Noah's Ark and the twins imagine themselves a whole cast of ark animals en route to sleep. The authors know well the way children imagine from story, the way stories can weave in and out of family life and the way that twins inspire and comfort each other. This the kind of succinct and skillfully written book that says a great deal with carefully chosen illustrations and very few words. (Ages 2-5) (Candlewick Press, 1992)
Twins are figured in fairy tales for older listeners too. Sheila Mac-Gill-Callahan retells The Children of Lir which is based on an ancient Irish legend, beleived by some to be beth basis for Shakespeare's King Lear. King Lir has two sets of twins, a boy and a girl who are bewitched by their evil stepmother and turned into swans. Illustrations by Russian artist Gennady Spirin add magic and richness to this tale. (Ages 5-10; Dial, 1993)
Lauren Mills retells a Norwegian folktale of twin princesses in Tatterhood and the Hobgoblins. Isabella is a perfect princess--sweet, beautiful and mild. Tatterhood is wild, strange, and headstrong. Despite differences, the twins have a strong affection for each other and when hobgoblins bewitch Isabella, Tatterhood comes bravely to her rescue. In addition to showing fairy tale twins, Mills gives a wonderfully strong heroine who demands to be seen for who she is, not what she looks like. (Ages 5 and up; Little Brown and Company, 1993)
Newly reading twins will enjoy Susan Beth Pfeffer's short novel, Twin Surprises. Betsy Linz loves her twin sister Crista and decides that because she and Crista love the same things, that she will organize a surprise party for her twin on their birthday. Though somewhat predicatable to adults, this short book captures the world of eight year old girls who love intrigue, giggles, and friendship and may very well be surprised to discover that Crista has also planned a surprise for her twin. It's a warm day filled with all the best things birthday's hold--friendship, new kittens and dolls, a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and of course realizing that being a twin is "the best thing in the world." Ages 5-8. (Holt, 1991)
Girl Wonder and the Terrific Twins by Malorie Blackman tells the story of Maxine and her twin brothers who are aspiring superheros who get themselves into more trouble than glory. (Ages 7-10; Dutton, 1993)
One of the most popular first reads for all kids is Marion Markham's Dixon twins series. The series features a mystery solving duo, one twin is intuitive and the other is scientific. Together they join forces to solves mysteries like their latest, The April Fool's Day Mystery, wherethe two defend the class trickster. (Ages 7-9; Avon, 1993).
Many times twins are part of a supporting cast. Some of the more famous children's books twins are: Madeleine L'Engle's Sandy and Dennys of A Wrinkle in Time series fame. Ann Martin, famous for her Baby-sitter's club series, has a new series about the thirteen member Russo family. Ten Kids, No Pets and its sequel, Eleven Kids, One Summer includes animal loving identical twins Faustine and Gardenia who are age ten in the newest book. (Ages 8-12, Holiday House)
For nine to twelve years who enjoy word play and mystery there's a new series by Kathryn Lasky featuring the Starbuck family. The first in the series, Double Trouble Squared, weaves mystery and adventure, a London setting, Sherlock Holmes lore, two sets of twin stars and even another twin who figures into the mystery's resolution! All characters are three-dimensional and well-written and the twinology discussions will be enjoyed by kids and adults. The twelve year old twin protagonists, July and Liberty, born on July Fourth, are loving, supportive, and good at combining their inductive and deductive talents to solve their dilemnas. The younger set of twins, five year-old mirror-image identical twins, Charly and Molly, are appealing and annoying alternately. Both sets greatly amuse readers with their teleflashing (talking without saying a word aloud) skills. (HBJ, 1991)
Twins have found stardom in books other than series. Katherine Patterson's Jacob Have I Loved, the story of two twin sisters dissimilar in look and living, won a Newberry award in 1980. Beverly Cleary, herself the mother of twins, wrote several books about twins including Mitch and Amy, a book that has recently been reillustrated. (Ages 7-10, Morrow, 1967)
For an older more mature young adult reader, suspense writer Patricia Windsor' The Christmas Killer tells a chilling story of adolescent Rose who receives frightening dreams that become clues to the whereabouts of murder victims. A subplot reveals Rose's worry about her separation from her twin brother Jerram, with whom she has always shared everything. The unraveling of the mystery leads to an intense conclusion and the discovery that the murderer is a twin as well. Ages mature 12 and up. (Scholastic, 1991)
Side Bar: As your twins continue to grow chronologically, so will their interest in hearing and reading books about other twins. The children's book market will probably grow too, but here are some recent twin books for upcoming ages to keep for guidance in your search to nurture your twins' love of reading and of being a twin.
Twins in Older Picture Books:(5-8) Kismaric, Carol, The Rumor of Pavel and Paali (HarperCollins, 1988) Wiseneski, David, The Warrior and the Wiseman (Lothrop, 1989)
Twins in Beginning Novels:(7-10) Adler, David, Fourth Floor Twin series (Puffin) Fakih, Kimberly, Grandpa Putter and Granny Hoe (Farrar, 1992) Follett, Ken, Power Twins, (Morrow, 1990) Flournoy, Valerie, The Twins Strike Back (Dial, 1980) Marham, Marion, Birthday Party Mystery, etc. (Dixon Twin series) (Houghton Mifflin, Avon) Pfeffer, Susan Beth, Twin Surprises. (Holt, 1991) Ross, Pat, M&M and the Bad News Babies (Avon)
Twins in Middle & Young Adult Novels (9-12) Christopher, Matt, The Great Quarterback Switch (Little Brown, 1984) Cooney, Carolyn, Paper Caper (Coward-McCann, 1981) Duncan, Lois, Stranger With My Face (Little Brown, 1981) Hamilton, Virginia, Justice and Her Brothers (Greenwillow, 1978) Lasky, Kathryn, Double Trouble Squared, (HBJ, 1991) L'Engle, Madeline, Many Waters (FSG, 1986) Mara, Kay, One Small Clue (Crown, 1982) Martin, Ann, Ten Kids, No Pets and sequel, Eleven Kids, One Summer (Holiday House) Pfeffer, Susan Beth, Rewind to Yesterday; Future Forward (Delacorte) Sleator, William, Singularity (Dutton, 1985) Windsor, Patricia, The Christmas Killer (mature 12 and up. (Scholastic, 1991)