The Break Up (It’s a Twin Thing! #1) (Kristin Darell, illus A Yi, Penguin)

Kristin Darell’s The Break Up, the first in a new series illustrated by A Yi, is a middle-grade novel that explores the complexities of primary school friendships with drama, humour and emotional insight. Identical twins Brook and Abi have always been inseparable. They share the same friends and interests, and even experience “twin–tingles” that tell them how the other is feeling. So when their parents and teachers decide it’s time for separate classes and activities, the girls are devastated. Brook finds herself in a new class without Abi or her two closest friends. The distance between the sisters grows when Brook is asked to help organise the school talent show and the girls are separated for their dance routine, with Abi missing out on the lead role they’d practised together. The once-synchronised pair must now learn what independence really means. Darell, a twin herself, captures the push and pull of sisterhood through accessible storytelling, engaging prose and first-person diary entries styled in distinct fonts to reflect Brook and Abi’s individual personalities. Readers of the Sweet Valley Twins, Baby-Sitters: Little Sister and Click series will enjoy the familiar mix of friendship drama, shifting relationships and sibling rivalry. Though the plot is occasionally predictable, the vibrant supporting cast and the book’s emotional honesty ensure The Break Up will find a welcome home in school libraries. Suitable for readers aged 8 to 11, it’s a thoughtful springboard for discussions about friendship changes, shifting interests and growing up.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kirsten Barich is a teacher librarian in South Australia. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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