Twin Spin by Adam Cece

Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742991856.
(Ages: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Twins, Musicians, Reporting, Deception. Twins Anna and Steph are so identical, their mother only buys the best looking set of their school photos. While Anna is super-organised and extremely neat, rapper Steph lives for her music and doesn't worry about her clothes or room. Told from alternate viewpoints we gain insight into the ultimate case of deception and sibling rivalry! Anna's a reporter for the Kidz Beat TV show; she's ready to meet Odd Socks the ultimate boy band and set up for their live interview next weekend. Steph loves their music so much, she's followed them from their early days and their first EP.
Early on Saturday morning, Steph borrows Anna's clothes, turns off her alarms and races to the studio ready to meet Hamish, Thomas and Duke. She leaves an apology note for Anna, who's in shock when she realises what her twin has done. What follows is a madcap ride, unfortunate accidents and fan dramas, with Steph's encounter with a large microphone resulting in a black eye. Anna realises the swap needs to continue and she's forced to take Steph's place in an acapella rap contest, even though she isn't musical! Heightened dramas with aging TV stars, humourous scenes and farmyard encounters all make for a disastrous week for both Anna and Steph. When Steph insults Evian Lockwood the band's manager, then tells Thomas he should return to the band's earlier style of music, not pleasing their millions of pop fans, things go from bad to worse. Anna's stress levels rise as she's forced to perform a Freestyle rap at the Pitch Pilgrimage concert. Both girls even begin budding romances and come to appreciate their sibling's talents and abilities.
Adam Cece's Twin Spin is an enjoyable novel filled with a cast of slightly crazy characters, set in the exciting world of music and television. He realistically portrays the individuality and style of each protagonist, as he shares their passions, talents and points of view. Funny scenes and slapstick humour add to the excitement of this junior novel just right for readers from nine to twelve.
Rhyllis Bignell