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The twinning project

Robert Lipsyte - Author

This adventure combines two linked worlds, a time difference and identity-switching with a threat to both Earths. Tom and Eddie must respond to danger while secrets about their situation come to light.

More about this book

"Tom is a smart, talented loner with a chip on his shoulder and a big secret: an imaginary twin on another planet. Eddie is Tom's opposite, a friendly, athletic kid who always looks on the good side. Tom worries sometimes: does confiding in Eddie mean he's nuts? The truth is even crazier than that. Eddie and his planet are just as real as Tom and his Earth, but fifty-some years in the past. And the twins are caught up in an alien master plan that might just mean Earth--both Earths--will be destroyed. Switching places and identities, "slipping" between planets and across decades, a desperate escape, and the unraveling of deeper secrets leave Tom and Eddie aware of the danger they're facing and the tools they can use to overcome it"--

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Science fiction· ExplainedTime and space· ExplainedIdentity· Explained

Consider

Fear and suspenseEmotional intensityFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

science fictiontime and spaceidentity

Fiction

Themes in Context

Two worlds and shifting identities

Tom and Eddie's planets are both real but separated by more than fifty years; the twins switch places and identities as they face an alien plan.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The premise uses crossings between worlds, decades and identities to structure the adventure; these shifts are presented as plot mechanics.

Talk about: What clues help distinguish where and when each twin is during a crossing?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The contrast between a guarded, solitary boy and an optimistic, sociable one gives the adventure a friendship-and-difference angle alongside its science-fiction premise.

What Deserves Attention

The central danger is that an alien plan might destroy both Earths. Tom also worries that confiding in Eddie means he may be “nuts”.

A Conversation Worth Having

If Tom and Eddie’s differences shape how they respond to danger, what does each come to value in the other?

Reading Approach

Keep track of which planet and time each twin is in as identities shift; a simple two-column note may help make the crossings easier to follow.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Two worlds and shifting identities: The full sequence and rules of the crossings are not established here.

The Twinning Project - Robert Lipsyte - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Two worlds and shifting identities

The twinning project by Robert Lipsyte | Open Library