"Now, what happened?
I chose to run for president. She copied me!
You told me I should run for an office!
NOT PRESIDENT!!!!
What type of sister runs against her own
flesh and blood?
What type of sister tells her other sister
she doesn't have the self-confidence to - "
It's the first day of school at O'Connor Middle School, and twins Maureen and Francine are attendees. Up until now, the two have been together at home and at school. For the first time in their lives, they will not be in the same classes, or even in the same extracurricular activities. It is quite the change, and not totally acceptable to Maureen. Francine, on the other hand, is keen on being herself rather than an oft-misidentified twin.
While Maureen is signed up for Cadet Corps, Francine goes in a different direction, more in keeping with her more gregarious nature. The friends in their shared circle also branch off, leaving the quiet, introspective Maureen to wonder at the many changes developing. Francine decides to run for class president, and has her campaign up and running. When pressed, Maureen agrees to run for an office, too. She surprises herself and everyone else when she chooses to run for student council president against her sister.
Needless to say, that choice leads to conflict - at home and at school. This is a strong graphic novel debut for Varian Johnson. He creates a strong family dynamic, a close look at the relationship between sisters, and an entertaining story that deals with adolescent issues of identity and the changes that middle school often brings. Ms. Wright's bold, emotion-filled art adds depth and context to each scene; backgrounds are detailed and telling, as well as being real and often humorous.
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