Parents' Guide to

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!

By Monica Mehta, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Twins embrace individuality in funny book for new readers.

Book Grace Lin For Beginning Readers 2010
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Everyone thinks twin sisters Ling and Ting are exactly the same, but they're not. Here's one obvious way: When they get haircuts, wiggly Ting sneezes during hers, resulting in a particularly unique style. Throughout the six chapters, readers see more of their differences: Ling can always sit still, and make smooth dumplings. Ting can use chopsticks and tell fun stories. They also see how the twins make mistakes, come up with clever solutions, and always love each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

A simple, funny, unpredictable storyline, accompanied by bold and colorful illustrations, makes this a delight for beginning readers. Young kids will be tickled as they read about the twins' various escapades, as activities such as getting a haircut, doing magic tricks, and using chopsticks go awry. The simplicity of the words makes this an excellent book for 4- and 5-year-olds to try reading, with the help of an adult or older child.

Clear and colorful illustrations of Ling and Ting's escapades accompany every page, with frames around each bold illustration. The pictures make the two funny protagonists come to life -- and clever drawing of a haircut mishap makes it easy to tell them apart.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about individuality and what makes a person unique. How are Ling and Ting are different? What makes each one unique?

  • Ling and Ting are pretty funny. What was the funniest part of the book? Is it the picture or story that made you laugh -- or both?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate