Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ling &Ting: Not Exactly the Same

Ling &Ting: Not Exactly the Same. Grace Lin. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010. 44 pages. $14.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-316-02452-5. Grades K-2.

Ling and Ting may be twins, but they are not exactly the same. Matching eyes, hair, cheeks and smiles make it hard for people to tell twin sisters Ling and Ting apart, but readers will quickly see their individuality. In six brief stories Ling and Ting show their many differences while showing that they still a very strong bond. Grace Lin has created an easy reader that will not only have readers giggling, but that shows how people that look alike do not necessarily act the same. Although fear about endorsing the “all Asians look alike” stereotype may arise, the expression of character differences voids this concern. Inspiration for the story and some of the illustrations may come from the Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka books; Lin has made a new tale for today’s children. Asian American children will be able to see themselves and their culture in these pages; while all readers will enjoy the cute interactions of childhood. The small, colorful illustrations tell the stories perfectly, showing emotions and action in a way that will help readers understand the text. The easy to understand dialog and sentence structure, along with the brief stories make this an excellent easy reader. Recommended

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