Review
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Title: Make-Believe Twins: A Best Friends Story
Author: J. D. Newman
Publisher: Leicester Bay Books
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Year Published: 2019
Number of Pages: 97
Binding: Paperback
ISBN13: 978-1080818068
Price: $8.99
Reviewed by Michelle Magnusson for the Association for Mormon Letters
Reading together is the only thing that will slow my first-grade son down enough to sit; even then, he prefers to stand on his head while listening. His top topics are ninjas, pirates, and ancient Egypt. Any hint of a “book about being nice” and he is immediately skeptical. As we sat down to read a book about being friends in 1970s Magna, Utah, I was not optimistic about the outcome of our reading session.
I was wrong. Two thumbs up for Make-Believe Twins by JD Newman from my assistant reviewer. We read the entire novella in one session, while actually sitting.
Glenn is the fastest reader and runner in the first grade, until Janet comes to Magna. She is skilled, persistent, and unfazed by the teasing and ostracism that comes from being the new kid. Glenn is initially threatened by Janet until a house fire connects them and helps them find friendship. Sharing the same birthday celebration at school brands them as “make-believe twins,” giving them license for a deeper friendship than first graders typically allow. The book follows them through several adventures, including playground games and interpersonal struggles, field trips, after school play, family health challenges, and ultimately, a special interfaith visit. The epilogue was an especially nice touch.
Perhaps because of Newman’s theater background, the dialogue between children is richer than the typical children’s story. It doesn’t feel smoothed out in the ways that adults might express their feelings. It also doesn’t shy away from complex topics or oversimplify them through asides or internal dialogue. There are many smaller conflicts or issues that the characters work through in natural ways, rather than one large misunderstanding that gets magically resolved near the end. The first-grade teacher’s use of fables supports the children’s understanding in the story and also in your home. Parents who are subjected to some of the most popular contemporary children’s books will be happy to note there is no mention of bathroom humor or rude dialogue, a welcome relief.
I was pleasantly surprised by the conversations my family had during and after reading the Make-Believe Twins. We talked about Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, the space race and our family’s role in it, how to deal with playground aggression and isolation, and the important topic of respecting different religions and family traditions. I was particularly impressed with how the book gave my child language about how to talk to and about those from other faith traditions. Because of our employment and service commitments, our children are often exposed to individuals from different countries and different religions. It’s typically more of a chance for us to support these neighbors in their own celebrations, and less appropriate to talk about our own. With many faith traditions in our own extended family, we have spent a great deal of time talking about how different families make different decisions than our own. The discussions we had together after Make Believe Twins helped model respectful and genuine dialogue. This was especially important for our family during an especially contentious political election and a global pandemic, all of which seemed to destroy any last vestiges of adult civil discourse.
A few minor typographical errors are present, but not enough to distract from the story’s flow. My biggest area of suggestion is improving the cover to appeal to younger readers. A dated font and sketch art are not appealing to young children (or this adult) and make the work appear amateurish. Make-Believe Twins is a great book to read together as a family, with bite-sized themes to allow character-building discussions to develop naturally.