Lost and Found Book

The Grayson twins are moving to a new town. Again.

Although it's a drag to constantly be mistaken for each other, in truth, during those first days at a new school, there's nothing better than having a twin brother there with you. But on day one of sixth grade, Ray stays home sick, and Jay is on his own. No big deal. It's a pretty nice school, good kids, too. But Jay quickly discovers a major mistake: No one seems to know a thing about his brother. Ray's not on the attendance lists, doesn't even have a locker, doesn't even have a student folder. Jay almost tells the school almost but then decides that this information could be very...useful. And fun.

As Ray and Jay exploit a clerical oversight, they each find new views on friendship, honesty, what it means to be a twin and what it means to be yourself. Entertaining, thought-provoking, and true-to-life, this clever novel is classic Andrew Clements two: twins!

Publishers Weekly

Identical twins Ray and Jay Grayson prepare for yet another year of being perceived as "two peas in a pod, two ducks on a pond, two spoons in a drawer," when their family moves from Colorado to Cleveland before the start of sixth grade. But when Ray gets sick on the first day of school and Jay discovers that Ray's school records have been misplaced, the two hatch a plan to alternate attendance, at least for the first week or so, and see what it feels like to be viewed as an individual. This slim story has all the elements readers have come to expect from Clements (Frindle): a school setting, likable secondary characters, supportive adults and a challenge to the audience to see things from a different perspective. While verisimilitude is never a priority in Clements's storytelling, this plot strains more than usual for effect: the Grayson parents seem particularly obtuse to their sons' switches, given how sensitive they turn out to be, and the case against twindom seems heavily (and gratuitously) stacked. The result: an entertaining story in a minor key. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. (July)

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