Family Focus
SPONSORED BY
BEST SOURCE CREDIT UNION
slaw ap romY!!!
Alike -But Different
A new children's book looks at the
fun and camaraderie of being a twin.
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Contributing Writer
W
ith more than a pretty
good idea of what it's like
to spend time with twins,
Deanna Kleiman shares insight gained
from her own sons in an informative,
humorous, colorfully illustrated chil-
dren's book.
The mother of 71/2-year-olds, Jacob
and David (in the book they are 5),
Kleiman of Oak Park said they moti-
vated her to pen her first book, My
Twin Brother. "My boys inspired me to
write the book because it was such an
amazing, special experience to have
two children at the same time, and I
realized how quickly they were grow-
ing up," she said.
"I really wanted to try to capture
the moment as much as I could. I just
observed their daily interactions and
wrote about them and thought about
how lucky they were to have each
other."
Kleiman made the 18-page book
c c
very kid friendly" by writing it as if it
is being narrated by Jacob. He speaks
to the sometimes trials of being a twin
in having someone use his toys or
wear his clothes. But he also stresses
the special moments like the comfort
of having a friend around when he's
scared and someone to sit next to on
the bus.
In words geared toward children
ages 3-7, Jacob tells simply how he
and David — who are in the second
grade at Akiva Hebrew Day School in
Southfield — are twins because they
were born almost at the same time. In
the book, he describes how "My mom
says that before we were born, we both
lived in her belly together. She must
have had a really big belly!"
Oak Park JCC Garage Sale
Is Seeking Donations
Volunteers and donations are
needed for the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit in
Oak Park's first garage sale, to be
held May 15.
All proceeds from the event will be
used for the JCC's Camp Discovery
summer program.
The JCC is seeking clothing
B ro t4e#,
Written by Deanna Kleiman
Illustrated by Shimra Greenes
Because the boys are fraternal twins,
Jacob says they don't look alike: he has
curly locks and David has straight hair.
The book's art shows realistic depic-
tions of the Kleiman family, which
includes Deanna's husband, Ira.
"It is illustrated by Shimra Greenes,
who took pictures of my kids based
on the text of the book, and then made
oil paintings based on the pictures,"
Kleiman said.
"It is a fun, colorful book about
what it's like to be a twin, but really
relates to anyone who has a sibling:'
Kleiman said.
"I hope readers learn to appreciate
how lucky they are to have siblings
— twins or not — to share their life
experiences with."
My Twin Brother is sold on
amazon.com ; doubleupbooks.
corn; the Book Beat, 26010
Greenfield, Oak Park, and Self
Esteem Shop, 32839 Woodward,
Royal Oak. $10.95 (may be
discounted at some venues).
(cleaned and on hangers), house-
hold items, books, jewelry, toys and
everything else (except major appli-
ances).
Items to be donated for the sale
should be brought to the JCC, 15100
W. 10 Mile Road, from April 27-May
13.
To volunteer, contact Edie Simons,
esimons@jccdet.org or (248) 432-
5628.
VOLUNTEER PROJECTS
6th - 12th graders
Pre-registration required
www.jservedetroit.org
Sunday, April 17, 2011
11:45 - 4:30
West Bloomfield JCC
Jared Roth berger
248.432.5685
roth be rge r@b byo.o rg
Jodi Gross
248.626.2153
jgross@adatshalom.org
Participating Sponsors:
Akiva Hebrew Day School • Adat Shalom Synagogue • ATID
BBYO • B'nai Israel Synagogue • Boy Scout Troop 364
Congregation Beth Ahm • Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Frankel Jewish Academy • Hillel Day School • Habonim Dror
JARC • JCC Beverly Prentis Wagner Teen Center • Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit • Jewish Community
Center • Jewish Community Relations Council • Jerusalem
Pizza • Detroit Jewish News • NCSY • NFTY • Motor City
USY • Mylocker.net • Tamarack Camps • Temple Israel
Temple Kol Ami • Temple Shir Shalom • Temple Shir Tikvah
Teen Connection • The Shul
Supported by generous grants from the Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund
and The Panim Institute of BBYO
7 - 2011
57