Frenemies in the Family

January 15, 2018
Krull delves into the intriguing subject of famous sibling rivalries.Krull's stories come from the worlds of art, entertainment, technology, politics, sports, and aristocracy. Among the most compelling is that of Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins from Siam permanently connected at the base of their chests by a thick band of flesh. "Peeing, pooping, sleeping, doing everything that humans do," Krull explains, is what they did for 62 years, "with never a moment's privacy." Both brothers married and had a total of 21 children. Fortunately, they were experts at living cooperatively, the only way to live happy lives. Less cooperative were queens Mary I and Elizabeth I. Elizabeth imprisoned her sister in the Tower of London, although it was Mary who paved the way for Elizabeth's long reign, proving that a woman was capable of ruling England. Other sibling relationships profiled include the Wright Brothers, the Romanovs, the Jacksons, Vincent and Theo Van Gogh, Serena and Venus Williams, and Roy and Walt Disney. Concluding each profile is information giving historical context to the subjects' times and accomplishments. Lam's frequent black-and-white cartoons add to both humor and context.Readers with siblings will relate to these stories of brothers and sisters who got along and who didn't, and only children may feel relieved to be alone. (Collective biography. 8-12)

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February 5, 2018
This entertaining compendium of 15 concise, chatty tales spotlights the relationships among siblings renowned for their achievements, foibles, eccentricities, or birthrights: Wilbur and Orville Wright, Serena and Venus Williams, the Jacksons, and others. Krull (One Fun Day with Lewis Carroll) opens with her most sensational entry, about Mary I and Elizabeth I, Henry VIII’s sparring daughters, revealing how Mary’s perpetuation of her father’s ruthless treatment of family and foes earned her the nickname Bloody Mary (“She revived the laws against heresy... and started torturing and killing Protestant heretics, displaying the rotting corpses all around London as warnings”). Among the most moving chapters are those on Vincent van Gogh and his devoted brother, Theo, and on Princes William and Harry, whose bond was strengthened by tragedy. Comics sequences at the end of each chapter offer supplementary details about these siblings and about families in general. Krull’s wry asides and droll observations make for a light and lively narrative, as do Lam’s loose caricatures. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary.

January 1, 2018
Grades 3-6 History is jam-packed with siblings, some who got along (like Chang and Eng Bunker), and others who decidedly did not (Queen Elizabeth I and her half sister, Mary). Krull's genial overview introduces readers to a wide range of famous siblings in short, lighthearted chapters accompanied by amusing illustrations and brief comics, which cover everything from theories about sibling personalities to descendants of famous siblings. Most of the selected figures will be recognizable, such as the Orville brothers, the Romanov children, Edwin and John Wilkes Booth, Vincent and Theo van Gogh, Princes William and Harry, and Venus and Serena Williams. However, the final two chapters, which feature Demi Lovato and her half sister, Madison de la Garza, and the Gosselin children from the TLC show Kate Plus 8, seem out of place among the rest of the notable figures. While none of the chapters are particularly comprehensive, they're full of interesting facts and helpful context, and elementary- and middle-school readers will likely get a kick out of the relatable angle.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)