One

A powerful and moving verse novel narrated from the viewpoint of one of a pair of conjoined twins.

Grace and Tippi are in their mid-teens and about to attend school for the first time, having previously been home-schooled. This significant change in their lives is not the only one that is documented by Grace over the months from August to March in verses that are contextualised within a page-turning narrative, but also work as standalone poems. Grace’s individual voice comes across very strongly. Readers have insight into her own very particular view of the world, distinct from the wry personality of her sister, and her sensitivity towards others and how the twins’ situation impacts on them, their younger sister Dragon, their parents, grandmother and two important friends they make at school. Grace’s positivity is consistent, she says: ‘I’m not sure/what I’m supposed to do with life/other than embrace it’ as is her love for her sister.

One is a KS3 recommended text and if you are in a primary school we do not recommend that you use this with Primary age children.  However, teachers may want to read this for their own enjoyment.

This collection was joint winner of the CLPE Poetry award in 2016.