Parents' Guide to

The Tapper Twins Go to War (with Each Other)

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Wacky, hilarious tale of feuding brother and sister.

Book Geoff Rodkey Humor 2015
The Tapper Twins Go to War (with Each Other) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Johnny Appleseed m8
Johnny Appleseed m8 Adult
August 20, 2018
age 6+

Couldn’t even finish the book

Sure, there were some funny moments in the book, but other than that, I could barely even read it. Claudia is very easy to dislike as a character, for she’s, in my opinion, a self-centered, selfish, ignorant brat. What kind of main character is that? And the reason she hates her brother is because of ONE LITTLE PRANK which anyone would’ve gotten over, especially if it was by their own sibling. I don’t even know or care if she gets some sort of character development, nor if the brother really is just as bad as she seems to try to make him, because in most cases, I was rooting for the brother and not the main character, Claudia. Either way, the main characters are just a pain, and they really annoyed me during the parts I was able to read about. So whether it’s just me who finds this extremely annoying or others think this as well, if you want to read it go ahead. But honestly, this is my outlook on this book, you guys can be your own judges.
Bill M.
Bill M. Parent of 11 and 13-year-old
January 16, 2017
age 9+

The Funniest Book I've Ever Read!

My title pretty much sums it up. I've read many of the books on this list, but this was head-and-shoulders above the rest. There are three books in the Tapper Twins series as of this writing, and I've laughed out loud while reading each one. My thirteen-year-old son also loves them and reads them over and over. Aside from the outrageous humor, one poignant aspect of these books is the depiction of parents so overwhelmed by their jobs that they hardly spend any time at all with their kids. Sadly, I think this is an accurate portrayal of American culture today. They've pretty much left the raising of their children to schools, babysitters, and popular culture. So, there's an undercurrent of that sobering aspect to the series that provides a great point of discussion between parents and kids. Otherwise, there's nothing offensive about the book--just good, clean fun that can be enjoyed by parents as much as by kids.
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What's the Story?

It all starts at the breakfast table of the Tapper apartment on New York's Upper West Side. Twelve-year-old Reese thinks Claudia, his twin, ate the last toaster pastry. She says she didn't. Reese bides his time till they're all at lunch in the cafeteria of their posh private school and then blames Claudia for a major fart. She says it wasn't her, but that doesn't stop Reese's annoying soccer buddies and all the sixth-grade mean girls from dubbing her Princess Farts-a-Lot. Claudia -- sharp, snarky, and full of herself -- plots revenge. As told in Claudia's after-the-fact "oral history," with text messages, screen shots, online-gaming death matches, and a lot of editorial commentary, escalating mayhem ensues.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

It's all pretty hilarious. Since at least the dawn of the 20th-century sitcom, show business has mined a rich vein of humor involving smart kids running circles around clue-impaired adults. THE TAPPER TWINS GO TO WAR (WITH EACH OTHER) follows enthusiastically in this tradition. There's little adult supervision in sight; their nanny is sweet but not the brightest, while their parents (seen mainly in text messages) are completely out of their depth. Wily Claudia in particular deceives and manipulates anyone who gets in her way.

Author Geoff Rodkey is firing on all cylinders as Claudia tells the story in emails, text messages, margin scribbles, cartoon art, and after-the-fact interviews with the people involved. There are plenty of zingers too, such as this bit about Reese's obnoxious pal: "Xander is ACTUALLY RELATED to somebody who was on the Mayflower. Which is why it's so completely ridiculous that he tries to talk like a rapper from the South Bronx."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how things go viral in social media. Do you know anyone who posted something for a joke and had it get completely out of hand?

  • Why do you think rich kids in New York want to talk like rappers? Do you think they sound cool or silly?

  • When you finish a book and there's a promotion at the end for the next book in the series, are you glad to know about it or mad that the publisher is including ads in your book?

Book Details

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