Twig and Turtle 2

October 16, 2020

K-Gr 3-In this series sequel, Twig and Turtle enter a competition to name a toy store in their neighborhood. The sisters meet Ms. Wallaby, who uses their mom's photography service and their father's comic artistry to create a sign for her new toy store. She is holding a contest to come up with her store name, and the girls and their friends become eager to enter. Twig's friend Angela gives her a doll, which Twig hides because of a family rule where she and her sister are only allowed five toys each because of their tiny house. She is eventually caught with the toy and confesses, which leads the family to come up with a fair solution. In this story, the girls learn to communicate proudly and fearlessly, including defending their names to Ms. Wallaby, an adult who makes comments about their names and also objects to them gender neutralizing her toys. The plot demonstrates the young siblings teaching an adult to be thoughtful and see a different perspective. VERDICT: A delightful installment in the "Twig and Turtle" series that touches on creativity, friendship, and expansive understandings of gender. Highly recommended for all public and school collections.-Annmarie Braithwaite, NYPL

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