Sarah Pekkanen, author of The Opposite of Me

“I just read the best book!” I’ve been saying that a lot lately about Sarah Pekkanen’s debut novel The Opposite of Me. The book is about fraternal twin sisters Lindsey Rose and Alex, the bond they share and the complexity of their relationship.  It’s extremely funny, but also thought-provoking as well and I just loved it.  The plot line is fresh and original and best of all, completely unpredictable.  It held my attention right to the last page.

Read my interview with Sarah posted on our website to learn more about this great book and why Sarah choose twins as her main characters.  This is definitely one author that you’ll want to keep an eye on.

Almost 200 votes came in and I thank everyone who participated! Now, on to the winners list…

Best Twin Pregnancy Book

Twins 101: 50 Must-Have Tips for Pregnancy through Early Childhood from Doctor M.O.M.
Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, M.D.
45% of votes

Best Raising Twins and Multiples Book

It’s Twins!:  Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy through Adolescence
Susan M. Heim
32.4% of votes

Funniest Multiples Book

Ready or Not…Here We Come:  The REAL EXPERTS’ GUIDE to the First Year with Twins
Elizabeth Lyons
44% of votes

Best Two Children’s Books for Twins and Multiples

I’m Having Twins
Paris Morris
65.7% of votes

Two Snowflakes
Jennifer Miller
15.7% of votes

Best Twin Specialty Product/Book

Twin Tie!

Twice Upon a Time:  Twins Baby Memory Book
Lynn Lorenz
38.5% of votes

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins:  A Step-By-Step Program for Sleep-Training Your Multiples
Marc Weissbluth, M.D.
38.5% of votes

Best Multiples Book from Dad’s Perspective

I Sleep at Red Lights:  A True Story of Life After Triplets
Bruce Stockler
57.1% of votes

Best Inspirational or Advice Multiples Book

Twin Tie!

Chicken Soup for the Soul:  Twins and More
edited by Susan M. Heim, Jack Canfield, and Mark Victor Hansen
43.6% of votes

Twinspiration
Cheryl Lage
43.6% of votes

Best Twin Memoir

One and the Same:  My Life as an Identical Twin and What I’ve Learned About Everyone’s Struggle to be Singular
Abigail Pobrebin
66.7% of votes

Best Multiples Psychology Book

Emotionally Healthy Twins
Joan Friedman, PhD
60.7% of votes

Congrats to all the authors that won and were nominated! Click here to see a list of all of the nominated books.

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh

A few months ago I was introduced to Therese Walsh through Twitter (@ThereseWalsh) who was getting ready for the release of her debut novel about identical twin sisters called The Last Will of Moira Leahy.  I emailed her, introduced Double Up Books as the “only bookstore specializing in all books twins related,” and told her that as soon as the book gets published (October 13, 2009) that we would stock it immediately.  I also asked her if she would be interested in giving Double Up Books an exclusive interview about writing about twins as characters which she eagerly agreed to.

I’m not a fan of generic interviews where it’s clear that the interviewer knows nothing about the interviewee (or doesn’t really even seem to care) so I like to take the time to first read the book and come up with thoughtful interview questions that add value to the book buying process.  I’m pleased to say that I finished the book last week and presented Therese with seven interview questions which she has since answered for us.  You can read Therese’s interesting interview here in our Double Up Books Author Interview area on our website.

The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a mesmerizing tale about identical twin sisters, the lives they share, and the bonds that tie them together forever.  Spanning from Maine, New York, and Rome, the novel is part family drama, suspense, and mystery with a little bit of the mystical and romance thrown it.  It is a classic and classy novel, the way they should be written, and a true pleasure to read.

Read Therese Walsh’s exclusive interview with Double Up Books here.

Not only is Dr. Friedman a practicing pychotherapist, she is also a twin and has twins herself.   Drawing on her unique experience, Dr. Friedman outlines seven key concepts for helping twins develop into self-realized, unique individuals and offers parents specific strategies for each stage in their children’s growth covering young and older twins.  She also offers suggestions for fathers of twins and explains how fathering twins is different from fathering a singleton.

Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D., author of Emotionally Healthy Twins

Read Joan Friedman, Ph.D.’s Author Interview
 

Get to know Dr. Le-Bucklin by reading her author interview on our site.

Twins 101 by Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, M.D. - Pediatrician and mom of twins.

To read more about her book or to purchase your copy, visit the Twins 101 page on our website.

The Siblings' Busy Book by Lisa Hanson and Heather Kempskie

At a loss for new ways to entertain the kids? YES! Then, we’ve got a book for you. February 2009’s featured book is The Siblings Busy Book. It is filled with over 200 activities that help promote a child’s growth and development and is geared for kids of all ages. What a great way to have fun and spend some quality time with your family.

What we especially like about the activities is that the list of items needed to complete any activity is everyday things that you would normally have on hand at home. No special trips to the store needed and no extra money to spend to complete the activity.

We were also lucky to be able to interview the authors of this book, Lisa Hanson and Heather Kempskie. Lisa and Heather are identical twins and mothers of young siblings. Together they came up with the activities in the book which they both do with their children. To read more about Lisa and Heather, read our author interview.

Buy your copy today for only $8.97 from Double Up Books.

I’m Having Twins is an inspirational children’s book about a 5-year-old girl coming to terms with her family’s upcoming expansion to include twins. It’s based upon the real life experiences of a little girl named Paris who lives in San Francisco. The story begins as Paris learns that she will soon have twin siblings and ends as the family leaves for the hospital for their birth. The book takes Paris through the trials and tribulations of a twin pregnancy from the big sister’s perspective and shows her how they are really hers too, easing her transition to being the big sister. The detailed illustrations are colorful and cute and tie in beautifully with the story.

In My Twins are Coming Home,  Paris Morris is back again with another book about being the big sister to twin siblings. This time, in the second of five books in the series, Paris describes her experiences once her twin sisters are born. Through her unique storytelling approach, she talks about seeing her sisters in the hospital’s intensive care unit, waiting three weeks for them to come home, why they came home at different times, and how she feels sharing her sisters with family and friends. This is one book you won’t want to miss!

There are 3 options to choose from:

1.  Buy I’m Having Twins and get a second copy FREE.

2.  Buy My Twins are Coming Home and get a second copy FREE.

3.  Buy I’m Having Twins and get My Twins are Coming Home FREE.

Buy 1 Paris Morris Book, Get 1 FREE!

Needless to say, this promotion is for a limited time only and only while supplies last.  Be sure to get your copies of her fantastic book before it’s too late.

We were delighted to be contacted and to help support Paris’ books.  If you are not familiar with Paris Morris, she is the big sister to twin girls, and lives in California.  She’s written two books that describe her life with her twin sisters from the moment she found out about them to when they come home from the hospital after their birth.  She captures every exciting moment in a way that only a child can.  The books are beautifully illustrated and are a real treasure to the children’s book industry.

If you’d like to learn more about Paris and her family, a few months ago we did an author interview.  Or, you can buy a copy of her books.  Currently, Paris is working on additional titles in the series that should be published in early 2009.