Alexa Moses (text) and Sofya Karmazina (illustrator), Skipping Stars (Twinning #2), Scholastic Australia, October 2024, 192 pp., RRP $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781761293399
Grace and Isabel (Izzy) Tomic are in Year 5 at Rocky Point Primary School. They are 10-year-old identical twins and are closer than BFFs. Grace and Izzy developed a secret language as babies but can also communicate with a simple gesture or facial expression. And even though the girls are identical to look at, they are both very different individuals with different interests and personalities.
In Skipping Stars (Twinning #2) lunchtime skipping is the popular pastime and latest craze in the Rocky Point school yard. Izzy is determined to be named as the best skipper in the school skipping competition but knows she must beat her former BFF and now her ‘mortal enemy’ Clover Williams who likes to be the best at everything.
The school principal ‘Mr Crome Dome’ announces to the school community that a special video to promote local schools is planned, complete with a TV crew on campus doing the filming.
The students are abuzz with excitement as they set to work to choreograph routines, design costumes and plan a rehearsal schedule that will ensure them victory.
Clover has access to the best skipping ropes and an abundance of talent within her chosen group. However, Izzy and everyone else know that although she is the best skipper at Rocky Point school, the rest of her group members are nowhere near as skilled as she.
Clover manipulates the situation to her advantage by returning Izzy’s stolen key ring (the reason for their split) and asks Izzy to help her perfect a difficult skipping move. Remembering how close she and Clover used to be she agrees to help her.
Izzy’s sister Grace and their other friends are astonished by Izzy’s decision, and they begin to question just where her loyalties lie. However, Grace thinks there could be more to Izzy’s decision than what meets the eye.
Izzy and Clover working and rehearsing together to formulate a spectacular skipping routine. Yes, they are both very talented and share similar interests and athleticism. But is Clover genuine about mending their friendship or does she simply want to use Izzy’s skipping prowess to ensure her first place in the skipping competition?
The overarching themes of friendship, trust and the special connection that is shared between twins are explored in this very relatable story.
There is a certain allure that surrounds identical twins and so the characters have instant appeal for the reader. The ability to ‘read’ each twin’s diary entries in diary format with different fonts used to reflect their individual personalities makes the tense less dense and accessible for younger readers. The variety of amusing typography and images also add additional appeal.
Outstanding illustrations by Sofya Karmazina add realism to the story, due to the amazing emotions reflected in the characters’ faces and actions.
This is a well-crafted story that has undeniable appeal for the Junior Fiction age group of readers especially those who enjoy a text presented in diary format. Students who enjoy the Ella Diaries books and Billie B Brown are sure to enjoy this second instalment in the series, The Top Secret Diaries of Twin Sisters: Skipping Stars.
Recommended for readers 7 Years +
Reviewed by Julie Deane
