Twins

Twins is about Maureen and Francine Carter, identical twins who struggle with the transitions in their lives in unique ways. As they start middle school,  they have different academic schedules for the first time ever. 

Maurine especially feels anxious without her sister around, and she also struggles to perform well in the youth cadet corps (An ROTC-type program at her school). Francine starts wanted to be called Fran, and she is becoming more invested in school chorus activities. Also, as the more outspoken and extroverted sister, she is going to run for class president. Maureen, partly in order to get some extra credit for YCC, also decides to run not only for a class office, but for president as well. The two sisters' lives get consumed with their competition, which tests their relationship with each other, their mutual friendships, and their family.

The clear, colorful, and vibrant artwork excels in telling the story and setting tones, depicting the characters as distinct while also highlighting their various emotional states.  Where this book excels is in capturing the tenor of family relationships. Francine and Maureen love each other, but they are frequently at odds and argue. As a sibling from a large family and a parent who has multiple children, I have found that interpersonal dynamics can be mercurial, volatile, and/or comforting. I saw much here I could empathize with, from both twins. It is refreshing to see a book that explores just how messy family relationships can be while also showing how they can lead to growth and self-actualization. I also admire how much the parents are involved in their daughters' lives, trying to make choices to help both, even if their overtures are not always welcome.

I think that it would have been very easy for this book to be formulaic, but the character work elevates the enterprise. It takes its genre conventions and spins them in a way that makes it unique and human, relatable but also surprising. I loved reading this book.

Twins was a collaboration between writer Varian Johnson and artist Shannon Wright. Johnson has received many accolades and honors for his books, the most recent of which is Playing the Card You're Dealt. Wright is an illustrator and cartoonist who has worked with several prominent publishers and platforms. Johnson and Wright both speak about their work on Twins in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been stellar. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a touching, relatable story of identity, sisterhood, and friendship." Avery Kaplan called it "a comic that you’ll want to start over from the beginning as soon as you’ve reached the last page." Renée Watson wrote that it is "a page-turner with moments that make you laugh out loud. Anyone with a sibling will appreciate the sarcastic and witty banter of these sisters."

Twins was published by Scholastic, and they offer more about it here. This book is titled Twins #1 in various places, though I have not seen a sequel solicited at this time. I very much hope to see more stories about these characters.