The Trouble with Twins

June 6, 2016
Twins Arabella and Henrietta Osgood were inseparable when they were younger, but although they “were both beautiful girls... Arabella was somehow more beautiful than Henrietta. And that is where the trouble began.” When Henrietta’s jealousy takes a vindictive turn (her sister’s bangs are involved), she is sent away to live with a grim, demanding aunt, which separates the girls for the first time in their lives. Meanwhile, the adults in the story have more than a whiff of Dahl—frequently ridiculous, useless, and even downright nasty. Henrietta and Arabella’s journey to overcome numerous obstacles to reunite is filled with physical trials and emotional growth as they realize how much they need each other. An unnamed mother recounts this tale to her daughter, whose frequent interruptions (“ ‘Spectacles?’ asks the girl. ‘Glasses,’ says the mother”) create a clever, warmhearted overlay to this eccentric adventure. Sardà’s angular, Gorey-esque spot illustrations capitalize on the story’s gothic atmosphere, a promising debut for Siebel. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Miriam Altshuler, Miriam Altshuler Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

June 1, 2016
If Lemony Snicket penned a story on twins it might be similar to this debut novel about the intriguing relationship between Arabella and Henrietta.Nobody can understand why the identical, white twin girls seem different, but the trouble begins at birth, when Arabella arrives more beautiful than Henrietta. And nobody notices that because of this difference, they favor Arabella and slight Henrietta with increasing cruelty. After years of mistreatment and neglect, Henrietta, as many jealous siblings have been wont to do, uses her mother's scissors to cut off Arabella's bangs. In a now oft-used metafictive style, a mother (whose identity readers discover later) narrates this tale to her daughter, whose questions interrupt the gothic humor and pithy commentary to expound on details and vocabulary. The real story focuses on the consequences of Henrietta's actions on both twins. Ever the scorned sibling, Henrietta is sent to live with her reclusive great-aunt, Priscilla, who dresses completely in black and requires her new guest to make fish-head soup. Once separated from Arabella, however, Henrietta begins to learn resiliency in unexpected ways--and likewise, Arabella learns a few lessons about empathy on her own. Black-and-white illustrations, reminiscent of Sophie Blackall and even Edward Gorey, enhance the mood and humor. Even readers without twins will identify with the universal truths of being a sibling. (Fiction. 8-12)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Arabella and Henrietta may be identical twins, but they are not alike. Arabella is outgoing, cheerful, and popular. She even has "good hair." Henrietta, on the other hand, is solemn and shy, and Rose, the nanny, never even gets to her hair because she has such a good time fixing Arabella's shining tresses instead. Even their parents quite obviously (and a trifle disturbingly) favor Arabella. When Arabella abandons Henrietta to go to a party, Henrietta exacts a minor revenge and is sent into exile with odd Aunt Priscilla, who turns out to be quite interesting, despite her strange dining preferences. While their parents quickly forget Henrietta, Arabella finds she misses her twin tremendously and sets off to reconnect. The twins' story is framed by a mother telling the tale to her daughter, just as her own mother told it to her. The daughter's questions and the mother's responses move the narrative along subtly while anchoring it in a more recent time. As might be expected, the relationship between the twins and the storyteller is revealed in the end. Although no time period is specified, the illustrations (rotary dial phones, sweater vests, knee socks) suggest the 1940s or 1950s. The story is imbued with the nostalgia of that era and includes tenderly humorous moments. VERDICT Filling a need for children's titles without an edge, this is recommended for most middle grade collections.-Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Grades 3-6 Twin sisters Henrietta and Arabella may look exactly alike, but their personalities are very different. Arabella has lots of friends and confidence, while Henrietta is reserved and unnoticeable. Their close companionship at home slowly gives way in middle school to tension and jealousy. One day, Henrietta attacks Arabella and is sent to live with their reclusive aunt Priscilla, where Henrietta begins to discover her individuality. Meanwhile, Arabella must conquer her own fears in order to be reunited with her sister, whom she misses in spite of their fight. With an abundance of quirky characters and odd plotlines that call to mind Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket, this first novel offers a gently mischievous exploration of both family ties and sibling rivalry. Young readers will laugh at the foolish adults, who cannot remember what is important in life, while Siebel's message of self-reliance comes through loud and clear. Sarda's black-and-white illustrations lend a tongue-in-cheek playfulness to the story and will make the book an easy sell to fans of Dahl's Matilda (1988).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)