From School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-Jackson blends scientific facts with interesting personal anecdotes to create an informative and intriguing look at twins. The text is clearly written, and the tone remains lively throughout. Separate chapters on identical and fraternal twins present a clear idea of the differences and similarities between these sibling sets. Other subjects include conception and birth, multiple births, and nature/nurture studies of twins separated at an early age. The final chapter is a bit of a catchall, as it discusses stories of twins who faced unusual circumstances (e.g., a brother and sister born months apart), animal twins, twin brothers who married twin sisters, and twin survivors of the Holocaust. Throughout, the author peppers the text with easy-to-understand explanations, updates from the latest scientific research, and the gripping personal stories of twins and their parents. Quotes and family photographs bring these individuals to life. One- or two-page "Profiles" highlight such topics as twins in ancient cultures, the annual International Twins Day Festival, and Eng and Chang Bunker ("the original `Siamese' twins"). The numerous, well-captioned, full-color and black-and-white photographs spread around the edges of the pages give the book an open look and will catch the attention of browsers. Written for a younger audience than Daniel Jussim's Double Take (Viking, 2001), this title will appeal to both report writers and children who are interested in learning more about this fascinating subject.-Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library JournalCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. The author of the Bone Detectives (1996) acknowledges the fascination people have for twins and supertwins (three or more) and elucidates the science behind multiple births. She shows her respect for young readers by clearly explaining such concepts as lyonization, cryptophasia, and zygosity and by quoting doctors and twins researchers, including some of their theories--for example, the idea of "late-splitters" and the possibility that certain foods, such as sweet potatoes, contribute to twinning. Commentary from multiples and their families appears throughout the book, and Jackson ends with the powerful story of twin sisters who survived Mengele's "twin studies" at Auschwitz. Jackson steers clear of sensationalistic attitudes about multiples, and her emphasis on twin science is a welcome change from the focus of most children's books about twins. Readers, including a good many older than the target audience, will come away with a better, fuller understanding of twins and how they come to exist. REVWR
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Kirkus, 2/15/01
"...a fascinating compilation of human interest stories, mythical, historical, and scientific information...will amaze and mystify twins and singles alike..."


Booklist, 5/15/01
"...a welcome change from the focus of most children's books about twins."


Book Description
From fantastic, televised stories of separations at birth to the identical sisters in your fourth-grade class, the phenomenon of twins has always been an enthralling and mysterious subject, especially for children. This comprehensive look at multiple birth answers the questions that all kids and adults ask most frequently. Dealing with such issues as identical and fraternal twins, conjoined twins, legendary pairs, and twin telepathy, Donna M. Jackson has created a captivating book that is as entertaining as it is educational.


About the Author
Donna M. Jackson is the author of the award-winning book The Bone Detectives, which received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and was named an ALA Best Book. She lives in Louisville, Colorado.

ANNOTATION

Explores aspects of the topic of twins, including why and how they are born, twin telepathy, identical and fraternal twins, separation of twins, and more.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From fantastic, televised stories of separations at birth to the identical sisters in your fourth-grade class, the phenomenon of twins has always been an enthralling and mysterious subject, especially for children. This comprehensive look at multiple birth answers the questions that all kids and adults ask most frequently. Dealing with such issues as identical and fraternal twins, conjoined twins, legendary pairs, and twin telepathy, Donna M. Jackson has created a captivating book that is as entertaining as it is educational.

Author Biography: Donna M. Jackson is the author of the award-winning book The Bone Detectives, which received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and was named an ALA Best Book. She lives in Louisville, Colorado.

FROM THE CRITICS

Kirkus

...a fascinating compilation of human interest stories, mythical, historical, and scientific information...will amaze and mystify twins and singles alike...

Children's Literature

Multiple births seem to captivate people and legends about them stretch back thousands of years (Castor and Pollux, Romulus and Remus). The opening statistics are fascinating. In the U.S. alone there are an average of 143 sets of twins born every day, which is a 52%, increase in the last 20 years. Among the contributing factors are advances in reproductive technology and births to older women. Basic facts about twins, the different types, support groups, vignettes about famous multiples such as Eng and Chang and the Dionne quintuplets (referred to collectively as Supertwins—multiple births) and the astounding births of octuplets, septuplets and sextuplets will fascinate. There is factual information but without an index; report writers will need to ferret it out. The book is more for browsing and is full of charming photographs of twins and other multiples and lots of tidbits to drop on friends and family. 2001, Little Brown, $16.95. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

The Five Owls

The wide-eyed twins on the front cover beckon you to open this book and discover what makes twins so special and more than just a bit unique. Once inside the pages, readers will discover profiles of well-known twins and very interesting case studies of some special twins. In addition to the typical information one would expect to find in a book about twins, it is the unusual information that makes this book a lively read. Donna Jackson covers the scientific reasons for twins and multiples thoroughly and in a style younger readers will appreciate. The language has not been brought down to their level, rather, scientific terms are used and clearly explained in context. Definitions of specific terms may also be found in the glossary, which includes page numbers for the terms. The research that went in to this book is top notch. She quotes specific doctors and twin researchers throughout the text. This gives the work an air of authority that is sometimes lacking in nonfiction works with a picture book format. When covering some of the more recent and highly publicized cases of super multiple birth, we get the facts without the sensationalism that so often accompanies these reports. The book closes with vignettes of extraordinary twins. She contacted a survivor of the Holocaust's twin studies led by the infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. Jackson conveys the horror of the twin experiments without being overly graphic in her descriptions. She always keeps her young audience in mind. The magic and mystery of multiple birth awaits, and one would be hard pressed to find a better presentation than this spirited and informative book. 2001, Megan Tingley, $16.95. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: ToddGrazier SOURCE: The Five Owls, September/October 2001 (Vol. 16, No. 1)

School Library Journal