Do you love the movie The Parent Trap? It was one of my favorites growing up. (Of course, I saw the original Haley Mills version, not the Lindsay Lohan one. Hard to believe that each “pair” of twins was just one kid in both parts!) Anyway, one of my favorite books was Lisa and Lottie, which is the book that The Parent Trap was based on. It was written in 1949, but it’s definitely stood the test of time!
If you loved the idea of identical twins switching places, or kids plotting to get their parents back together–or even just together in the first place–you will love these books! Check them out and see what you think.
Our “Five Books…” lists include 5 books (or sometimes more!) on a specific topic, with a short synopsis so you can decide if it sounds like something you would like. Five Books–one old, one new, one popular with kids, one well-reviewed, and one staff favorite. (But you’ll have to guess which is which)!
Let the scheming begin!
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The House Swap by Yvette Clark
Allie is British and dreams of being a spy. Sage is an only child from sunny California. They meet when their families swap houses for the summer.
Although they’re polar opposites, Allie and Sage quickly realize that they’re both dealing with family issues–Sage’s parents may be on the brink of divorce, and Allie’s struggling to feel heard in her big family. It may take a trip around the world for them to find their place at home.
The Parent Trap meets The Holiday in this heartwarming and funny story of two girls, one American and one British, who become friends and confidantes when their families swap houses.
The Sister Split by Auriane Desombre
Autumn is looking forward to summer vacation. She and her best friend plan on going to all the most-excellent ice cream places their stomachs can handle-and in NYC, the possibilities can’t get any sweeter.
Linnea is still not over the fact that her dad has found love after her parents’ divorce. Luckily, she can take out all her feelings on the tennis courts for a winning summer.
But then Autumn and Linnea discover the news- their parents are getting married. Autumn will be moving to the suburbs to live with her soon-to-be stepdad and stepsister, which means kissing the fun summer with her best friend goodbye. For Linnea, she knows her dream of getting her parents back together is officially over.
Devastated, the two of them come up with an idea- if they can split up their parents, their lives can go back to normal. As Autumn and Linnea secretly try to sabotage everything from date nights to wedding planning, the two of them discover that having a sister is not the worst thing after all . . . but will they learn about love in a whole new way? A sort of anti-Parent Trap story!
Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo
Mattie Gomez feels directionless after being uprooted from her beloved Minnesota and forced to move in with her new stepfamily in California. So when she meets a girl at her new middle school who looks exactly like her, she’s not sure what to make of it.
But her doppelganger, the popular Mercedes Miller, doesn’t like it one bit.
Mercedes is used to getting what she wants, when she wants; Mattie would rather be invisible and blend into the background. Mercedes lives in a big empty house with her nanny; Mattie’s new home is packed-to-the-gills, twenty-four/seven chaos. Mercedes has a short fuse; Mattie is a planner. Though they may look alike, the two of them couldn’t be more different.
Soon enough, however, Mattie and Mercedes learn that they have at least one thing in common: a dad from Colombia that neither of them has ever met. Determined to meet the father they’ve never known, these polar opposites suddenly have to work together to fake sleepovers, evade their friends, and plot daring escapes from school field trips in an effort to track down him down.
If only they could stop bickering long enough to get the show on the road. Less Parent, more Trap…but definitely twins!
Make a Move, Sunny Park! by Jessica Kim
This is the story of Sunny Park, a seventh-grade student at Ranchito Mesa Middle who loves the K-pop band Supreme Beat, hanging out with her cool grandma, dancing when no one is watching, snacking on shrimp chips, and being there for Bailey, her best friend since third grade. When Bailey decides that she and Sunny should audition for the school dance team in a ploy to parent-trap Bailey’s divorced mom and dad, Sunny agrees even though the thought of performing in public makes her pits sweat. After all, she’d do anything for Bailey. In a twist of fate, Sunny makes the team and Bailey doesn’t, and when Sunny reluctantly joins, it’s the start of a painful and drawn-out parting of ways for the two girls. As Sunny takes her first steps out from behind her friend’s shadow, she’ll have to figure out who she wants to be when she’s in the spotlight–and who she wants dancing alongside her.
A funny and utterly charming novel about friends–how to make them, how to let go of them, and how to be your own BFF.
Lisa and Lottie by Erich Kastner
Lisa from Vienna–bold, with a head of curls–meets Munich’s buttoned-up Lottie at summer camp. It’s dislike at first sight–the girls are too much alike and too different to get along. But then a newspaper clipping tells the tale: they’re identical twins, Lisa living a colorful, big-city life with her father while Lottie keeps house with their gentle mother. Why have their parents separated? And how can they get to the bottom of the mystery? They decide to switch hairstyles, manners, and addresses–and that is where the adventure begins.
The book that spawned the beloved movie The Parent Trap…and all the books on this list!
Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca
Maya is the pragmatic twin, but her secret anxiety threatens to overwhelm her.
Chaya is the outgoing twin. When she sees her beloved sister suffering, she wants to tell their parents–which makes Maya feel completely betrayed. With Maya shutting her out, Chaya makes a dramatic change to give her twin the space she seems to need. But that’s the last thing Maya wants, and the girls just drift further apart.
The once-close sisters can’t seem to find their rhythm, so they make a bet: they’ll switch places at their summer camp, and whoever can keep the ruse going longer will get to decide where they both attend high school–the source of frequent arguments. But stepping into each other’s shoes comes with its own difficulties, and the girls don’t know how they’re going to make it.
An evocative novel in verse about identical twin sisters who do everything together–until external pressures threaten to break them apart.
Bhai for Now by Maleeha Siddiqui
Ashar is busy with the ice hockey team, studying to get into the best school, and hanging out with his friends.
Shaheer and his father are always moving, following his dad’s jobs. Shaheer has given up hope of finding a place where he can put down roots, a place that feels like home.
The two boys have nothing in common.
But when they meet on Shaheer’s first day at his new school, it’s like looking in a mirror.
They quickly figure out that they’re twins, separated as babies. And they are determined to do whatever it takes–including secretly switching identities–to get to know the parent they’ve been separated from.
This is the story of two long-lost brothers who, while they might not like each other, just might need each other. Bhai for Now is by turns heartwarming and hilarious, and with an unforgettable Muslim family and friendship story at its core.
To Night Owl, From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
Avery Bloom, who’s bookish, intense, and afraid of many things, particularly deep water, lives in New York City. Bett Devlin, who’s fearless, outgoing, and loves all animals as well as the ocean, lives in California. What they have in common is that they are both twelve years old, and are both being raised by single, gay dads.
When their dads fall in love, Bett and Avery are sent, against their will, to the same sleepaway camp. Their dads hope that they will find common ground and become friends–and possibly, one day, even sisters.
But things soon go off the rails for the girls (and for their dads too), and they find themselves on a summer adventure that neither of them could have predicted. Now that they can’t imagine life without each other, will Bett and Avery (who sometimes call themselves Night Owl and Dogfish) figure out a way to be a family? No twins, but some major parent-trapping!
Revenge of the Flower Girls by Jennifer Ziegler
One bride. Two boys. Three flower girls who won’t forever hold their peace. What could go wrong with this wedding? Everything!
The Brewster triplets, Dawn, Darby, and Delaney, would usually spend their summer eating ice cream, playing with their dog, and reading about the US Presidents. But this year they’re stuck planning their big sister Lily’s wedding. Lily used to date Alex, who was fun and nice and played trivia games with the triplets, and no one’s quite sure why they broke up. Burton, Lily’s groom-to-be, is not nice or fun, and he looks like an armadillo.
The triplets can’t stand to see Lily marry someone who’s completely wrong for her, so it’s up to them to stop the wedding before anyone says “I do!” The flower girls will stop at nothing to delay Lily’s big day, but will sprinklers, a photo slideshow, a muddy dog, and some unexpected allies be enough to prevent their big sister – and the whole Brewster family – from living unhappily ever after?
Did you know there was a 1980s Parent Trap 2 and a Parent Trap 3 featuring the original “twins” from the first movie and one of the twin’s triplets? They were made for Disney movies, and may still be found to watch.
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So…do any of these sound good to read? I want to read them all! Check one or two or three out, and let us know which one is your favorite!
Happy Reading!
::Kelly::
BellaOnBooks's Blog 