Twins!

by Elaine Scott

Takes a look at the daily lives of young twins, both fraternal and identical, while explaining some of the special dynamics associated with being a twin. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689803478
• ISBN13: 9780689803475
• Release Date: May 1998
• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 11.4" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 3 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Excellent for children, but fraternal twins deserve better

The photos and kid content in this book are simple and wonderful. It is a great book to show young children, as they start to ask questions and become more aware of twins in their class, or try to understand their own twinship.I'd read (with some editing) the book to my preschoolers - and it is probably worth purchasing for the pictures alone - but I wouldn't want adults to read it and take what she says as gospel.As a parent of fraternal twin boys, I have a strong objection to some of the author's comments in the parent's note, especially as it applies to her poorly researched understanding of fraternal twins. I felt her comments perpetuate a general lack of understanding in our society as to what defines a twin, which makes it harder to dispel the myths and attitudes parents of multiples face when trying to make decisions that effect their children, such as whether to separate twins in school, etc. I found it especially troubling when the author stated "and the truth is, fraternal twins are no more alike than any other siblings-they simply share a birth date." At another point, when explaining fraternal twins, the author states "these children are really no more alike than other brothers and sisters who arrive one at a time." These statements are simply not true, and take a very simplistic, and inaccurate view of what twins are, as if their looks are what define them. Fraternal twins do not "simply" share the same birthdate, and by virtue of the experiences they share and their unique world view, they typically are much more alike than siblings who arrive one at a time. More and more of the scientific research supports this notion, and shows that twins hold a unique bond which is very different than typical sibling relationships, whether the twins are mono-zygotic or di-zygotic.My guess is that the author is not the parent of twins (as I have never read or heard any parent of fraternal twins say that they are simply siblings who share the same birthdate) and that the author's note to parents at the end is her own "common sense" approach that many naively take, without really knowing what they are talking about.

Down to earth, pleasant book

Twins! shows twins and their families in various activities realting to their twinness. The photographs are colorful and exude a sense of joy, while the parent/adult information section at the back may be of interest to the non-children reading the book.