My own flesh and blood accused me of stealing the other day. When it was I, not she, who procured the book, and I, not she, who was part way through it…and then she stole it from me! Hid it, really, intentionally or un- beneath her bed. I practically had to clean her room to find it. It’s gone back and forth this whole week. (I’ve been trying to extend my reading of it and not just gulp it down all at once — I suspect she’s doing the same.) Last night I finished, and I put it in my To-Do pile (casually, under a few things) so that I could write about it today.
And it was gone this morning. I immediately went across the hall to my daughter’s room. Found it after a brief search. I consider myself lucky, because the bookmark indicates she’s almost done — I’m surprised she didn’t squirrel it away in her backpack.
Speaking of squirrel, there’s a squirrel in The Tapper Twins Run For President. But she’s not to that part yet, I see from the bookmark. The squirrel is pretty much the cherry on top of some pretty elaborate icing and sprinkles on a very fun cupcake. (Claudia Tapper, one of the Tapper twins, uses many slightly over-the-top metaphors — I think it’s catching.)
I’ve written about The Tapper Twins before; but I must again, because this book has the power to rekindle your sense of humor about politics in the midst of this horrendous campaign season we are currently subjected to. The premise is this: Student Government elections are taking place at Culvert Prep and both Claudia and Reese Tapper wind up running for sixth grade president.
As it says on the author Geoff Rodkey’s website: A presidential election between a thoughtful, policy-minded female and a guy without a shred of experience who’s constantly spouting off the first thing that comes to his mind. The really great thing? You can laugh at this one without experiencing a gnawing sense of existential dread for the future of American democracy. (Watch the 42 second trailer!)
It is practically an allegory, friends. And it’s hilarious. And your kids can read it without you fearing “mature themes.” Claudia and Reese are so well drawn — as are their friends. The very best of the middle school mind and temperament, I assure you. There is zaniness (not just the squirrel) throughout and you can’t help but keep reading.
As I said the last time I wrote about the Tapper Twins, this is not the usual kind of book I’m drawn to. It’s part screen-play, part mixed media, part…scrapbook, maybe. When I stray off of the traditional novel form, which I don’t do that often, it’s generally something in the epistolary genre. The Tapper Twins offers something else all together — these books have expanded my horizons considerably.
Do yourself a favor — find a copy and then find a middle-school (or older) kid and fight over who gets to read it first. It’s a quick read and a fun one. This is the third Tapper Twins book I’ve more or less inhaled — ditto for Darling Daughter. It makes me smile to even say Tapper Twins. I’m thrilled to see another is coming.