Jake and Lily

Beloved Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli, author of Maniac Magee and Wringer, addresses issues of identity, belonging, family, and bullying in this humorous and heartfelt novel about twins. 

Jake and Lily are twins. Despite their slightly different interests and temperaments, they feel exactly the same—like two halves of one person. But the year they turn eleven, everything changes. Their parents announce it’s time for separate bedrooms. Jake starts hanging out with a pack of boys on the block. And Lily is devastated, not to mention angry. Who is she without Jake? And as her brother falls under the influence of the neighborhood bully, he also must ask himself—who is the real Jake?

This is an often funny, poignant, and profound story of growing up, growing apart, and the difficult process of figuring out who you really are.

What happens when the one person you can’t live without starts living a life without you?
An Unbreakable Twin Bond: Jake and Lily share a secret connection they call “goombla,” a bond so deep they have the same dream on their birthday every year.Growing Up and Growing Apart: When they turn eleven, Jake starts hanging out with new friends, leaving Lily to wonder who she is without her other half.Navigating Friendship and Peer Pressure: As Jake gets drawn into the neighborhood bully’s circle, he has to decide what kind of friend—and what kind of person—he truly wants to be.Told in Alternating Voices: This heartfelt and funny story is told from both Jake’s and Lily’s points of view, putting you right in the middle of their fight to find themselves.