One

One

Sarah Crossan,

One

Bloomsbury, 2015

ISBN 9781408863114

14-16 Shortlist 2016

 

On this shortlist:

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out of 5
 

 

 

Who Wrote It?

Originally from Dublin, Sarah Crossan is a Philosophy and Literature graduate who currently lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and their daughter.  Before taking up writing full time she trained as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools. Sarah then taught English at a school in New York City before completing a Masters degree in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003. In 2010, she received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing. Sarah has always wanted to have a sister and this partly inspired the content of this book.

What's It About?

Written in free verse, the story is about Grace and Tippi, sixteen year old conjoined twins, joined at the waist, defying the odds of survival. They share everything, and they are everything to each other. They would never imagine being apart. For them, that would be the real tragedy.  But something is happening to them. Something they hoped would never happen. And Grace doesn’t want to admit it. Not even to Tippi.  How long can they hide from the truth - how long before they must face the most impossible choice of their lives? 

Fact File

Sarah likes to drink green tea and eat chocolate chip cookies when she writes!  She encourages aspiring writers to read widely and to pick up a pen and write and keep writing. 

This is Sarah’s fifth novel.  Two of her previous novels, The Weight of Water and Apple and Rain, were shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.  Her novels so far have been aimed at a young adult audience.

Sarah was a judge at the first The National Literacy Poetry Prize, held in 2015.

To find out more about Sarah visit her website http://www.sarahcrossan.com or follow her on Twitter: @SarahCrossan

Your Reviews

Alex from King James's School:

This book was quite an easy read that I finished in one night. I found it very emotional and quite deep I felt as if the author had gone through something similarly upsetting as they portrayed it in great detail. This was the first time I have actually cried reading a book which was impressive although it wasn't the best book I have ever read it was very close!

Alex gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

Anika from King James's School:

One was such an amazing, heart warming, meaningful story: I have never read one quite like it.

The exceptional way Sarah Crossan wrote the book; it's easy to see why it is so likeable. There were plenty of emotion floating about- happiness, curiosity, sadness, anger, sympathy stc, I was almost on the verge of crying! Grace and Tippi's bond was so sweet and having a sister myself, it really gives an insight of how important siblings can be.

This incredible, eventful novel is definitely to be reccommened and I thouroughly enjoyed the story.

Anika gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Jenna from King James's School:

This was probably my favourite book of all the shortlisted novels. I was transfixed and held captive by the sheer beauty and emotion of the struggles of the poor young protagonists.

Written in the unique way that screams Sarah Crossan this book had you on the edge of your seat and often in floods of tears. It was so well written it was hard not to feel as those written about were feeling. The characters themselves were perfectly written and were part of the reason the book was so hard hitting.

Although I mentioned the style, I do think it possibly was not the most compatable for a book of this kind. It seemed to be a little more serious than the style suggested.

However this is the only part of the magnificent, captivating story that I would dream of changing because of how gorgeous and amazing the novel was. It really made me think and the idea was outstanding.

Jenna gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Alice from King James's School:

One is not the type of book I would normally choose to read but I ended up really enjoying it and found it very thought-provoking. It is also very emotional and the ending even made me cry. I liked the characters of both Tippi and Grace as they are both kind, intelligent and very brave. I also loved how the book was written in poem form. Overall, I think One is a brilliant book.

Alice gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Isabelle from Prince Henry's grammar :

I think this story is really emotional and backs you think about how they must struggle in everyday life which we can do easily but not so much for them. Brilliant story with amazing thoughts.

Isabelle gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Jake from King James's School:

This book really had me gripped after only a few chapters. It was a book I wouldn’t normally read as it looks a bit girly like something to do with two American teenagers who become best friends and won’t go a day without seeing each other and talking about which boys they fancy. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Granted, there were some similarities, for instance, two teenagers who definitely couldn’t go a day without seeing each other and a small crush on a boy (as I said before) but the whole plot and traumas they had to go through was something completely different to what I had pictured.

The book was very intriguing in the way it was written, and at first I couldn’t get my head around the poem format the book was written in; I eventually saw through it.

I thought the characters were very well thought out and I thought the way that the TV reporter was originally presented as a cold lady who only wanted her show to be broadcast and nothing more ended up developing into a gentler person who really started to understand (as best she could) how Tilly and Grace must have been feeling and realising that they really are just normal everyday humans.

Over all I thought this book could be a real contender for the title, granted, I haven’t read the other books in this shortlist. One is definitely a worthy successor to Apple And Rain.

Jake gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Chloe from Ossett Academy & Sixth Form College:

The book was really different to most books you read, most books are really cliché with the girl getting the boy she likes , but this book gives you the boy-girl love story from a different perspective. Because of their condition none of the girls have much interaction with the outside world so it shows you what the world is like from a different point of view.

Chloe gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Cindy from Cardinal Heenan:

This book it about to conjoined twins who are 15 year (I think) are facing the difficulty of going to school for the first time ever. They experience love, hate, and all the other things NORMAL teens go through.

I love how it wasn't you typical teenage book about girl meets boy and falls in love. It was so much more. I love how not many books are written from the view of someone conjoined and how this really shows how it is to live with some physical and emotional attached to someone for the rest of your life.

There wasn't anything I did not like. It is a quick read but is much more than a few words on a page.

Cindy gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Francesca from Ossett Academy and 6th form college:

Although I found the writing style confusing at first, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. The plot was clear and the characters were relatable. It was well written and engaging to read. this is why I have given it a 4 out of 5.

Francesca gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

erika from king james:

A amazing book that really provides a insight to not only how being a conjoined twin but also just a twin on its own. The author brilliantly describes how grace feels in one of the best writing styles I've ever seen. I think that everyone should read this book just to understand how amazing it is

erika gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

Louis from Prince henrys :

Although I am below the age to read this I was given the permission to and I am over the moon that I had the chance to read it!

This book made me laugh and cry all at once. I don't want to spoil the book but the plot twists were dramatic and made the book so much less predictable. The only reason why I rated it a 4 and not a 5 is that I wanted more, that may be the porpose of a book but I can't help but want to know what happens after Grace has her final interview with Caroline. Apart from that I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good read and is ok to cry because I would be surprised if anyone doesn't cry at the ending.

Louis gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Georgia from Abbey Grange Academy:

Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins. They have been homeschooled their whole lives, to keep them away from the cruelty of others, but now their parents can no longer afford it. Tippi and Grace start their senior year of high school with trepidation, waiting for the stares and cruel words. Their story is not as you would expect and is full of surprises...

I thoroughly enjoyed Crossan's style of writing as it made the book flow more and it was therefore easier to read.

I also believe the characters and story line were pefectly thought about which made the novel more emotive and you feel more attached to the characters.

I would argue that the only negative to this was that often in the shorter chapters we seemed not to get enough information or detail to what was happening, so, although you always knew the story, we never seemed to get thorough detail.

Overall I fully enjoyed this story and became emotionally attached to the characters.

Georgia gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Aimee from princehenrys grammer school:

Meh

liked the layout xox

Aimee gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Kiera from Crawshaw academy:

It is a very interesting book and very entertaining to red. I love the layout and overall it is a good read. I would definitely recommend it.

Kiera gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

Anita from Leeds City Academy:

This is a very heart-warming book because it gave me the in sight of the lives of conjoined twins and the problems and adventures they face everyday of their day lives. I would recommend this book to anyone but be warned it will make you shed a few tears.

Anita gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Asking for It by Louise O'Neill.

Joel from King James's School :

Although I predicted what would happen at the end of the book pretty near the start, this did not matter too much as it is not so much the plot that made this book special, but rather the strength of the feelings portrayed. The descriptions helped you to empathise with the twins and their friends as well.

I felt that the format of the book (written as a long poem) was a good idea as it did help to portray feeling and ideas through the placement of the words as well as in the words themselves. It enhanced the story and made a good book even better. However, because there were so many gaps between pieces of text and the lines, the length of the book was compromised which meant not all that much actually happened.

In conclusion, although the plot was predictable and the book took no time to read at all, it was still a masterpiece in its own way. I will give this book a score of 4 out of 5.

Joel gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Megan from Abbey Grange:

One was a very cute book about conjoined twins Tippi and Grace (from Grace's perspective)and their struggle to fit in and live a normal life. It shows the hardships of a family trying to cope with medical bills and the cruel narrow-mindedness of most people. I liked the way it was written; once I got into the flow of it, it was fitting and interesting way to write, almost like poetry. The smoothness of it fit the way that the mind works. I liked the book, as it was sweet and realistic, though the ending made me cry.

Megan gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Mrs from Leeds City Academy:

I love the way Sarah Crossan writes - although some of our students were put off at first as they thought it was a book of poems. It is an easy and insightful read. Very thought-provoking, it led to some lengthy discussions in our reading group.

Mrs gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Asking for It by Louise O'Neill.

Charlotte from Ossett Academy and sixth form college:

One is a great book in the viewpoint of a conjoined twin. Although it has a sad ending it has a great story line and is really easy to get into. It is unusually laid out (like a poem) and is sometimes hard to understand but overall is a fantastic book and I definitely recommend it.

Charlotte gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Hannah from Benton Park School :

This book could be the best book I have read this year. The story of two conjoined twins and tells us the struggles, emotions and day to day life they face. This book is written in poems, which takes time to adjust to, but once you get into the pattern of reading it as poems you struggle to read anything else! This book is heart wrenching and beautifully written; and kept me engaged for the whole story which wouldn't usually happen with me and a story of this genre. I loved the dynamic between the two twins and how you can read how one feels about the other like you are in her head. The ending was a great twist, although as I was studying and thinking of the view point it has been written at I did think the twist may come but that didn't ruin it. I loved the character reactions to the twist and how the thoughts were conveyed though the poems. I would recommend this book to anyone and was a truly inspiring book.

Hannah gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

Lauren from Leeds East Academy:

"One" was a very emotionally weird book. It was very interesting but strange, because I didn't expect it to be all poems I was expecting it to be a story book so it was creating pathos and bathos for me. The fact that it was a poem book made it very interesting and all the poems put together made an interesting but emotional story. My favourite part was when the book told you that the twins were together joined at the hip literally.

Lauren gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Heather from King James's:

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a very emotional and inspiring book, filled with love hope, friendship and loyalty. I liked the way it was written in verses like a poem, which added tension and suspense to the book. I also liked how it told their life story as they see it, without as much description, this made it feel more realistic to me. The book moved me in a way that nothing else has, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to shout at Grace and Tippi but overall, it changed the way I value life.

Heather gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Amir from Cardinal Heenan:

This book is about the life of conjoined twins Grace and Tippi. It describes their life of moving from a secluded life of home schooling to a very public life at a normal school.

I liked that this book was very 'real' it didn't cover up or sugarcoat any of the good emotion or bad emotion. I really liked how Grace and Tippi are described and how their love for each other is played through out the book.

It was a very slow moving book and I found it very difficult to get pulled into the storyline and the lives of the characters in the book.

I would recommend this book if the person likes romantic/family love stories of difficulty and struggle. It would also be good if you like books with a lot of raw emotion.

Amir gave One 3 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Lucia from Cardinal Heenan:

Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins. They share a pair of legs between them, making them one. This makes things which most of us find simple hard. To Grace and Tippi, it’s all they’ve ever known but now they are growing up and having different opinions. They can't fall out with each other as they have to work together to walk, sit down, and lots of other things. When Grace has the flu, Tippi has to stay in bed as well, even though she is healthy. Then, they have to make a choice. A decision that could tear them apart. One that will change their lives even more than they ever imagined…

I liked the fact that it is written from Grace's point of view, and how she wants to be her own person but still be with Tippi at the same time. She can't imagine life with them as two people, but she can't do a simple thing like have a boyfriend without Tippi being there as well.

The ending was a surprise and I didn't expect it. It kind of ruined the experience for me. It's also written in a poem form!

It is quite sad too but it makes you think about the privileges we have.

Lucia gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Imogen from Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College:

One by Sarah Crossan is a fantastic book which I couldn't put down. So much so that I read it in one night (and finished it in the morning because I didn't want to stay up all night). There were no surprises in this book, but it was written so well that it did not need lots of twists. It was written in the form of poems which would usually make me want to put a book down, however, once I got into it I really enjoyed the format and found it flowed well. So I will recommend this to my friends as it is such a beautiful story and you can learn something new from it too.

Imogen gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Katie from King James School :

This book was beautifully written. Although Tippi and Grace were conjoined twins they got through their lives with hope determination and love. I feel that if Sarah Crossman had written this book any differently it would have been a stereo typical book about disability and depression.

There was a lot of strain on Tippi and Grace’s parents to be providing for their children. This was hard for them and there was a lot of pressure on them to stay strong for their daughters. However their father was unable to cope and his drinking habits got worse and worse. Despite his drinking problem he still had unconditional love for his children and wanted the best for them. Their sister Dragon (as she was nicknamed) was just as supportive and tried really hard to support the twins even if that made her feel bad and meant she had to give up her dream.

I really liked how this book was written in poetry. Because I felt like it took out all the things you didn’t need to know and put this amazing story into straightforward way of reading which I feel was very effective.

Finally their friends and love lives. When these characters were introduced I felt hope for Tippi and Grace because it meant they could have a slightly more normal life. I loved that both twins completed their bucket lists even though they were unlikely.

Overall this book was an emotional book filled with love, hope, friendship and loyalty.

Katie gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

Heather from The Morley Academy:

I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book was written. The poetic verses made the book very quick and easy to read. The storyline genuinely moved me and the ending literally broke my heart. Even though Grace and Tippi did annoy me at some points, this only made the characters seem more realistic, hence making the ending more tragic. Overall, I really loved this heart-wrenching story and would highly recommend it.

Heather gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Sophie from King James's School:

'One'was a very emotional book. When I started reading it I could not put it down. I nearly cried at some parts of the book. Grace and Tippi are the sort of characters that you love from the start all the way to the end.

Sophie gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Harry from Leeds city acdemey :

I defiantly recommend reading this book the story is moving and you fell emphatic towards the girls every step of the way.

the book follows a pair of conjoined twins an their journey though a new school

Harry gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Estera from Benton Park:

Beautifully written, One is a book about the life of two conjoined twins: the joys, the struggles, the memories. Conjoined twins can be a difficult area to explore but was looked at with much sensitivity clearly research. What struck me a lot was how different the personalities of Grace and Tippi were. The story has been for me an emotional journey through their lives which has led me to stand back and consider how lucky I am, and also to tears. When I read it, it made me think “Wow.” I loved every minute of the night I spent reading One. I would just like to say a big well done to Sarah Crossan and a massive thank you for such an inspiring and educating read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story, the smooth rhythm of poetry or delving into the lives of others.

Estera gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Rebecca from Abbey Grange Academy:

This book is about conjoined twins called Grace and Tippi. The book starts of with the twins starting at a new school. I thought that this story was extremely interesting, gripping and heart warming. Furthermore it was different to many other of the books I have read before. However I do not like the way that Sarah Crossan has written it, it is confusing and she is trying to hard to be artistic. Other than that this is an exceptionally amazing book.

Rebecca gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Amber from The Morley Academy:

It's a book that takes you on a journey through the life of conjoined twins. It gets very emotional as you get through the book. It has many twists throughout which kept me reading.

Amber gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Hannah from The Morley Academy:

This is an interesting book telling the story of a conjoined twin. It is written in poem form making the book flow more. It explores the thoughts and feelings of Grace, one of the twins.

Hannah gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Emily from Abbey Grange:

This book has a really good moral. But because of the way Sarah Crossan has written it, it can be quite hard to follow. I would definitely recommend it to anybody who is looking for a good book!!

Emily gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Erin from King James School:

I found One a very touching book (which I guessed from the cover) with the pros and cons of being a conjoined twin. I found their personalities remarkably different considering they are twins. Tippi was very matter-of-fact and comforting. Grace was quiet and knowledgeable. I found myself liking Tippi in the end because she reminds me of myself and she is very easy to warm to in my opinion. Overall, I loved the story, very well written and thought out.

Erin gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Alessia from Cardinal Heenan:

This book is all about Tippi and Grace who are conjoined twins and, due to money problems, have to stop being home schooled and join a Grammar school.

I really liked how it was written in the format of a poem and I also think that the characters were really interesting.

I would recommend it to my school friends because it is fascinating.

Alessia gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Asking for It by Louise O'Neill.

Lloyd from King James's School:

Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins, but Grace wants more out of life than being stuck next to her sister for the rest of her days.

I found “One” a surprisingly quick read, and the plot’s ups and downs, twists and turns were really well planned out. Instead of the book being written in the third person, it was from Grace’s point of view; which really made me think about how it would feel to be them. I really liked Tippi’s and Grace’s personalities, and thought that Caroline was an interesting character and liked how her personality changed through the course of the book. Sarah Crossan painted a picture of these two sisters’ complicated lives in my head, and that is why I think “One” is such a brilliant book.

Lloyd gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke.

laura from Crawshaw Academy:

I loved this book!!!

check page 221 xx

laura gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Millie from Benton Park:

This is an amazing book!

I have read two other books written by Sarah Crossan and they were also brilliant. I loved that the story was written as poems as I feel that school ruins poetry but this book brought me to love it again.

The story was also amazing and I was so absorbed and intrigued to what would happen next. I was deeply moved by this book and thought it was absolutely wonderful.

Millie gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine.

Maria from Cardinal Heenan:

The book is about conjoined twins who are home schooled so that they can avoid as much publicity as possible. I liked the fact that it was realistic about life and it didn't try to sugar coat the situation the twins.

I disliked the structure of the book because it was in a poetic form.

I didn't like this due to the lack of words present on a page since this book was quite enjoyable.

I would recommend this book because it is different and it isn't a typical teenage book.

Maria gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read Seed by Lisa Heathfield.

Olivia from Cardinal Heenan:

This book is about two Siamese (conjoined) twins and their struggle to lead a normal life. It was interesting and informative, it was brilliantly written.

I would recommend this book to anyone in high school - one of the best books I've read!

Olivia gave One 5 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Scott from King James's School:

I thought that the subject matter of this book was incredible.

I have read two of Sarah Crossan’s earlier publications. This did not in any way alter my high opinion of her work. In fact, this was quite possibly her best yet.

The friendships (and perhaps a little more) that were formed in this book were amazing.

Not the sort of book I usually read, but it deeply impressed me.

Scott gave One 3 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Zara from Prince Henry's Grammar School:

I loved One. The story was amazing and the book format is just brilliant. I also loved that the author wrote about a subject that hasn't really been written about before- conjoined twins. Overall I absolutely love this book.

Zara gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.

Sarah from Crawshaw:

Compelling read, I loved the style of writing after about the 10th page and whizzed through this book in a day, It made me think about how people judge others without knowing them or understanding their situation, I will think twice about making a judgement on someone I don't know after reading this book.

Sarah gave One 4 out of 5 and now plans to read The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Willliamson.