TWINDERGARTEN

How will twins assigned to different kindergarten classrooms survive the first day of school?

Biracial (black/white) twins Zoe and Dax are inseparable…until school starts, that is. On the night before the first day, Dax has jitters and doubts, so he pushes his bed closer to Zoe’s, while Zoe is confident, holding her brother’s hand as they go to sleep to reassure him. But in the morning, when their parents drop them off at school, their roles suddenly reverse. Dax quickly makes a new friend and has a great day. But Zoe just longs for her brother. The two make the most of their joint recess time, but all too soon it’s over. A note from her brother turns out to be the key to helping Zoe feel more secure, and she finally joins in with new friends. While this turnaround seems a bit too quick to be believable, it’s nonetheless encouraging that both have good days in the end. The white backgrounds in the colored-pencil illustrations keep the focus on the twins and their emotions, made clear through body language and facial expressions. Their classes (and teachers!) are nicely diverse, and Wagner gives readers a peek at kindergarten goings-on.

Not just for sharing with twins or separated best friends—readers will be reassured that the hot-and-cold seesaw of emotions they may be experiencing is normal.