Jake and Lily

Starred review from March 19, 2012
Spinelli (Wringer) adroitly balances emotional tension with introspective moments in this smart and funny story about a pair of twins growing apart. For almost as long as they can remember, Jake and Lily have shared a “special sense,” which they call “goombla.” Each knows what the other is thinking and if the other is in trouble. But their bond seems to be weakening as, at age 11, Jake starts spending more time with new friends than with Lily; upset and rejected, Lily has no one to confide in except her ex-hippie grandfather. Lily tries to find out who she is without her brother, but it’s hard work, and most of her attempts are unsuccessful. Her feeling of abandonment is as sharply felt as Jake’s need to test his independence. Though the twins eventually rediscover their “goombla” (“You can turn your back on it. Ignore it. Forget it. But it’s still here,” reminds their grandfather), Spinelli doesn’t suggest that the two will go back to being the people they once were; rather, he celebrates each child’s individualism and growing self-awareness. Ages 8–12.

June 1, 2012

Gr 3-7-Twins Jake and Lily share an extrasensory connection they call "goombla." When they are apart, they sense if one is in danger; they can't play hide-and-seek because they know where the other is hiding. The most bizarre aspect of their relationship is that since they were six, they have shared the same dream and sleepwalked to the same train station in the middle of the night on their birthday. When they awake, they are holding hands on the train platform. (They had been born minutes apart while riding on a train cross-country.) As their 11th birthday approaches, Jake begins distancing himself from his sister as he meets a group of guys with whom he prefers to hang out. Lily doesn't understand why he no longer wants to be with just her, and she is devastated. She seeks comfort from her grandfather, Poppy, a memorable character in his own right, and he offers his company and wise advice. Spinelli turns the plot smoothly in a new direction as readers meet Jake's friends, one of whom is a neighborhood bully. Bump delights in searching for "goobers," or people he thinks are "different." When they target Ernie, a boy whose indefatigable attitude takes their mean-spirited actions with a smile, things go too far and Jake must decide who he really is and what he stands for. The characters and situations mesh together perfectly, and in the end Jake and Lily both realize that they can live separate lives and still be connected.-D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH

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