Are just as two as two can be!

For toddler twins—and all their friends—here’s a picture book celebration of the joys of "two-ness." Simple jaunty rhymes are paired with watercolor illustrations that have so much verve, they almost look like they’ll bounce off the page.

Two is for Twins

FROM THE PUBLISHER

What makes two?

All sorts of things.

A bicycle¿¿¿s wheels,

A bluebird¿¿¿s wings.

But twins, as you can plainly see,

Are just as two as two can be!

For toddler twins¿¿¿and all their friends¿¿¿here¿¿¿s a picture book celebration of the joys of "two-ness." Simple jaunty rhymes are paired with watercolor illustrations that have so much verve, they almost look like they¿¿¿ll bounce off the page.

Author Biography: Wendy Cheyette Lewison is the author of many picture books including Raindrop, Plop! (Viking). She lives in New York. Hiroe Nakata lives in Brooklyn, New York. This is her first book for Viking.

FROM THE CRITICS

School Library Journal

PreS-In bouncy rhyme, Lewison highlights things that come in pairs-a bird's wings, bicycle wheels, and a smiling child's hands, ears, feet, and, finally, sibling: "And twins, as you can plainly see,/are just as two as two can be." Aspects of this special relationship are briefly mentioned as the youngsters appear in matching clothes, pursue individual interests at school, play together, and end up in bed with chicken pox. While there is nothing new here and some of the phrases border on the banal ("Twins are two-er than anyone./Two times the hugs, two times the fun"), the rhythmic text reads aloud smoothly. Saturated with deep hues and painted with a whimsical touch, the artwork carries the story along as two curly haired cuties interact with one another and pursue typical toddler activities. With their round heads, pinpoint eyes, and expressive mouths, the characters are appealing, and the nonstop motion and humorous details in the illustrations maintain interest. One exuberant spread shows the tykes zooming down a slide, their faces glowing with excitement and their arms raised high, while a sneaker flies off a foot and into the pale blue sky. Consider this frothy offering for deeper collections or where tales about twins are perennially popular.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

"Twins are two-er than anyone." What better subject for a concept book on two than twins. Lewison's simple rhymes begin with the twos around us: "Two eyes look up. Two eyes look down. / Two ears can hear a jingly sound." They progress to describing the relationship of identical twin boy toddlers at home and preschool: "Sometimes they wear matching clothes. / Then they're two from nose to toes." Doubling the fun culminates at the twins' third birthday party. Although some rhymes are forced, this is a worthy selection for young readers, given the paucity of books about twins and children's keen interest in the subject. What will delight preschoolers the most are Nakata's colorful, spirited watercolors of children at play. Each illustration sports a plethora of pairs (snails, swings, braids, etc.) to discover and to help master the number two. (Picture book. 2-5)