One of a Kind

Winter, A. (2012). One of a kind. New York:  Aladdin.

With an opening sentence like "Lysander Singleton was the only only child at Twin Oaks Elementary," how could anyone pass up this book?  One of a Kind is definitely a one of a kind read.  Ariel Winter tells the story of Lysander, who is the only child at his school who is not a twin.  Lysander fells very left out, because everyone knows that twins are best friends.  Annually, the school host an event known as Twindividuation, a program meant to foster individuality among the sets of twins.  Since Lysander is the odd man out, literally, he has to participate for both teams.  A surprise turn of events, makes Lysander the most popular boy in school.



Winter's picture book is a great read for children both aloud and silent.  Winter presents a theme about individuality with a sense of humor and fun.  The reader is able to sympathize with Lysander easily; at the beginning of the story, Lysander attempts to create a twin by use of a copy machine.  At some point in time, every person feels left out.  While the chances of anyone entering a school filled with twins is highly unlikely, everyone, no matter what age, can relate to Lysander's conflict with the surrounding world.

The illustrations by David Hitch are vibrant and colorful.  Hitch's artwork creates a lighthearted mood that reflects the idea and hilarity of Twin Oaks Elementary.

The concept and relationships of twins is always interesting.  Winter takes a different approach to the lesson that being individual is a good thing.