What do you think?
Rate this book
Two of Everything
Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt are two perfectly beautiful and well behaved children - which is more than can be said for their problem parents. Mr and Mrs Ogglebutt can't agree on anything, and spend their days playing extremely nasty practical jokes on one another. Drastic measures are needed.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
78 people want to read
About the author
Babette Cole
109 books76 followersBabette Cole was a British children's author and illustrator. Born on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1949, she attended the Canterbury College of Art (now the University for the Creative Arts) and received first-class BA Honors. She worked on such children's programmes as Bagpuss (working with Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin) and Jackanory for BBC television.
As a children's writer, Cole created more than 150 picture books. Her best-seller Doctor Dog has been adapted as a successful children's cartoon series. Much of her work is earthy comedy, having titles like The Smelly Book, The Hairy Book, The Slimy Book and The Silly Book.
She spent her time writing, visiting schools and traveling. After a short illness she died on 15 January 2017, aged 66.
As a children's writer, Cole created more than 150 picture books. Her best-seller Doctor Dog has been adapted as a successful children's cartoon series. Much of her work is earthy comedy, having titles like The Smelly Book, The Hairy Book, The Slimy Book and The Silly Book.
She spent her time writing, visiting schools and traveling. After a short illness she died on 15 January 2017, aged 66.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 12, 2024
Brilliantly written in a humorous tone, Two of everything is a good read for any child or parent who is going through a tough experience like divorce
July 17, 2016
Maybe I'm a little bit biased but this picture book that is clearly about divorce is so screwy.
December 19, 2018
My friend recommended this to me when I told her about a girl in my class struggling to come to terms with her parents getting a divorce. It cheered the girl up massively - would highly recommend it!
September 12, 2018
The un-wedding by Babette Cole
Review by Mei Chen
This story is about Demetrius and Paula grew up in the quarrel of their parents, their parents never have the same opinion about anything, they always argued and played tricks on each other, Demetrius and Paula started feeling all the arguments might be their faults, but after they met with many students who have the same experience with them, they knew it was not their fault if their parents behaved like little children. After the minister agreed their request to divorce their parents, they set out to prepare for the divorce ceremony. They remodeled house which their parents had always been complaining about into two different houses, one for their father and one for their mother, their parents seemed really happy after this, they never quarreled again, and living their lives without interfering with each other.
The topic discussed in this story is very sensitive to children, many parents forced themselves live together for their children to create a healthy family environment, even if they do not love each other. But the endless quarrels can cause an impact on their children, children who have been living in a repressive atmosphere will give them an illusion of why their parents want to give birth to them.
The illustrations are interesting and vivid, the illustrator annotated the illustrations to make the pictures clearer and easier to understand, style is very simple and cute. Even the whole article is about divorce, but the style of painting is not depressing, and people will think it is hilarious when they read parents played tricks on each other.
Kids can learn that divorce is not something scary, they need to be brave to face their parents being apart, their life will be easier and happier to live, and the caring they give to children will not be lesser than before.
Review by Mei Chen
This story is about Demetrius and Paula grew up in the quarrel of their parents, their parents never have the same opinion about anything, they always argued and played tricks on each other, Demetrius and Paula started feeling all the arguments might be their faults, but after they met with many students who have the same experience with them, they knew it was not their fault if their parents behaved like little children. After the minister agreed their request to divorce their parents, they set out to prepare for the divorce ceremony. They remodeled house which their parents had always been complaining about into two different houses, one for their father and one for their mother, their parents seemed really happy after this, they never quarreled again, and living their lives without interfering with each other.
The topic discussed in this story is very sensitive to children, many parents forced themselves live together for their children to create a healthy family environment, even if they do not love each other. But the endless quarrels can cause an impact on their children, children who have been living in a repressive atmosphere will give them an illusion of why their parents want to give birth to them.
The illustrations are interesting and vivid, the illustrator annotated the illustrations to make the pictures clearer and easier to understand, style is very simple and cute. Even the whole article is about divorce, but the style of painting is not depressing, and people will think it is hilarious when they read parents played tricks on each other.
Kids can learn that divorce is not something scary, they need to be brave to face their parents being apart, their life will be easier and happier to live, and the caring they give to children will not be lesser than before.
September 18, 2019
The Un-Wedding is a picturebook about children taking charge and helping divorce their parents since it is clear that the parents do not get along. I thought it was odd that the tone changed from a bit passive aggressive, depressing and very negative to very light, and watered down/fairytale "let's fix everything through divorce yayyyy" attitude. It is a fun book to just read without being affected by it, but to read to children, I do not think it would realistically help them understand what leads to divorce and how to work through it as a family.
The orientation of the book is landscape and it is a full-bleed spread since much of the setting plays an important varying role and the idea is that people become a part of the story. The children begin at home in tight spaces, then their home is shown, then the separate homes, then the connection and pathways between the homes. I loved the illustrations: light watercolor and pencil are used. More on, the outlines are not very defined, rather they are squiggly making it more realistic or child-like. It helps portray that this story is from the children's perspective.
The orientation of the book is landscape and it is a full-bleed spread since much of the setting plays an important varying role and the idea is that people become a part of the story. The children begin at home in tight spaces, then their home is shown, then the separate homes, then the connection and pathways between the homes. I loved the illustrations: light watercolor and pencil are used. More on, the outlines are not very defined, rather they are squiggly making it more realistic or child-like. It helps portray that this story is from the children's perspective.
November 25, 2020
This book cleverly deals with the divorce of Demetrius and Paula’s parents in a way which children will understand.
At the start of the book, the parents argue a lot and never agree on anything- these arguments make them grow uglier and uglier (a similar idea as Roald Dahl’s The Twits where ugly thoughts lead to ugly people). So one day the children ask other children at school if other parents are also arguing a lot - which apparently they do. Together they come up with the idea of ‘un-marrying’ (aka getting a divorce). This is shown as a positive thing - the parents are happy being apart, they can do the things they like and have a house the way they want it. Also, it means the children have two houses and therefore get two of everything. The final line “they also ended up with two very contented parents who could live happily ever after - apart” shows the reader that actually by not being together everyone is much happier.
I think this would be a good book to look at with a child whose parents are in the middle of a divorce as it helps to identify the positives of a classically negative life experience.
At the start of the book, the parents argue a lot and never agree on anything- these arguments make them grow uglier and uglier (a similar idea as Roald Dahl’s The Twits where ugly thoughts lead to ugly people). So one day the children ask other children at school if other parents are also arguing a lot - which apparently they do. Together they come up with the idea of ‘un-marrying’ (aka getting a divorce). This is shown as a positive thing - the parents are happy being apart, they can do the things they like and have a house the way they want it. Also, it means the children have two houses and therefore get two of everything. The final line “they also ended up with two very contented parents who could live happily ever after - apart” shows the reader that actually by not being together everyone is much happier.
I think this would be a good book to look at with a child whose parents are in the middle of a divorce as it helps to identify the positives of a classically negative life experience.
August 29, 2017
Demetrius and Paula have parents who are constantly fighting. After discovering that many other children have the same problem and that it isn't their fault, the 2 siblings put their thinking caps on. How can they help solve this problem? They can have their parents un-married!
The two kids take care of all of the details: the minister, cake, decorations. And once the now un-married parents have left for their separate un-honeymoons, the kids demolish their childhood home and replace it with 2 houses that specifically suit each parents needs.
A fantastic, hilarious book to help children through a difficult time.
The two kids take care of all of the details: the minister, cake, decorations. And once the now un-married parents have left for their separate un-honeymoons, the kids demolish their childhood home and replace it with 2 houses that specifically suit each parents needs.
A fantastic, hilarious book to help children through a difficult time.
May 15, 2015
Two of Everything tells the story of two prefect siblings, Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt, with very ugly parents. Mr and Mrs Ogglebutt don’t get along and all the years they have lived together have made them ugly. Demetrius and Paula decide to come up with a plan to make the whole family smile again.
The theme of divorce or ‘un wedding’ is exemplified in Babette Cole’s colourful picture book. Cole explains the effects that an unhappy marriage can have on a family household through the use of comic images and exaggerated situations. Cole shows the parents behaving like naughty children that play nasty tricks on each other. For example, Mr Ogglebutt puts concrete powder in Mrs Ogglebutt’s bath salts, while Mrs Ogglebutt puts fireworks in Mr Ogglebutt’s bangers and mash.
Cole also mentions a key pattern in children when their parents are arguing or unhappy, and that is that the children tend to blame themselves. Cole captures this in her story and brilliantly tackles the issues by allowing the siblings to set up a meeting with the other children at school. In the meeting all the children decide that it isn’t Demetrius’ and Paula’s fault that their parents no longer get along and instead they should try to un-marry their parents for them to ‘live happily ever after apart’.
What I really liked about the book was Cole’s use of a vicar to perform the ‘un wedding ceremony’ and give the children the permission to un-marry their parents. Cole’s use of the vicar echoes the religious sacrament of marriage which to some families is why divorce is considered a sin. Through the use of the vicar and his confirmation that a ‘un marrying’ of the parents is a good idea, Cole illustrates to children that divorce can be a good thing and when it is beneficial to everyone in the family it should not be considered as a bad thing.
In England today, the divorce rates are estimated to be at 42% of which 48% had at least one child aged under of 16 living with the family. These statistics reflect the situation of many young people’s home lives and their own experiences of divorce. In many traditional children’s tales and stories, a mother and father are always present and home, which as we have seen is not always the case. Furthermore, the idea of divorce is always viewed as a negative event in a person’s life. But as Cole has demonstrated in her picture book, it is something that should be seen as a positive step forward in the families’ happiness. Cole demonstrates this idea through the use of a celebratory ‘un wedding’ whereby the families are send initiations to confirm their attendance and everyone is wearing black rather than the traditional white.
Cole also briefly talks about Paula’s and Demetrius’ life after their parents have separated. A rather daunting image is where Paula and Demetrius bulldoze down their house as a wedding present to their parents. I find the image rather upsetting, as it may suggest that very little joyous memories come from the house, which I find rather sinister when Paula and Demetrius are around the ages of seven or eight and must have some happy memories from their lives so far with their parents.
However, we soon learn that in the space where the house used to be, each parent has built their own separate house; with a large tree in the middle of them to show they are separated. A metaphor is used through Paula’s and Demetrius’s secret underground tunnel that connects the two houses together. The tunnel is only known to Paula, Demetrius and their pet dog and allows them to travel between the two houses at any time. I think this tunnel is a metaphor for the bond and love that Paula and Demetrius have with both their partners. This symbolises that even though their parents are separated the children are not separated from their parents.
The end of the story shows Demetrius and Paula very happy indeed. As now their parents had a house each, the two siblings now had two of everything that they wanted; one at their mother’s house and one and their father’s house.
I really enjoyed this book as it did focus on the negatives of having parents that were arguing all the time, but did so in a comic way. The book doesn’t place blame on either one of the parents, it instead highlights their differences and shows each parent being as just as childish as the other. It also showed the effects of an unhappy marriage not only on the children who became ‘sad and confused’ but also on the parents themselves. Cole uses detailed pictures to show that ‘they had started off as quite good-looking parents. But because they had ugly thoughts about each other… it begun to show and they became uglier and uglier’.
The illustrations throughout the book are very detailed and some are labelled to emphasis the parents differences. In fact the illustrations are so detailed that I feel that when you re read the book you can spot something new in the pictures that you didn’t see before.
Irony plays a key role in this books theme of divorce. The celebration of a wedding is turned on its head, even the figures of a bride and groom fall of the ‘un wedding’ cake. The reaction of the audience at the wedding is particularly ironic. For example, some one shouts out ‘about time too!’ which is something that is normally said to couples that have recently got engaged or married.
The theme of divorce or ‘un wedding’ is exemplified in Babette Cole’s colourful picture book. Cole explains the effects that an unhappy marriage can have on a family household through the use of comic images and exaggerated situations. Cole shows the parents behaving like naughty children that play nasty tricks on each other. For example, Mr Ogglebutt puts concrete powder in Mrs Ogglebutt’s bath salts, while Mrs Ogglebutt puts fireworks in Mr Ogglebutt’s bangers and mash.
Cole also mentions a key pattern in children when their parents are arguing or unhappy, and that is that the children tend to blame themselves. Cole captures this in her story and brilliantly tackles the issues by allowing the siblings to set up a meeting with the other children at school. In the meeting all the children decide that it isn’t Demetrius’ and Paula’s fault that their parents no longer get along and instead they should try to un-marry their parents for them to ‘live happily ever after apart’.
What I really liked about the book was Cole’s use of a vicar to perform the ‘un wedding ceremony’ and give the children the permission to un-marry their parents. Cole’s use of the vicar echoes the religious sacrament of marriage which to some families is why divorce is considered a sin. Through the use of the vicar and his confirmation that a ‘un marrying’ of the parents is a good idea, Cole illustrates to children that divorce can be a good thing and when it is beneficial to everyone in the family it should not be considered as a bad thing.
In England today, the divorce rates are estimated to be at 42% of which 48% had at least one child aged under of 16 living with the family. These statistics reflect the situation of many young people’s home lives and their own experiences of divorce. In many traditional children’s tales and stories, a mother and father are always present and home, which as we have seen is not always the case. Furthermore, the idea of divorce is always viewed as a negative event in a person’s life. But as Cole has demonstrated in her picture book, it is something that should be seen as a positive step forward in the families’ happiness. Cole demonstrates this idea through the use of a celebratory ‘un wedding’ whereby the families are send initiations to confirm their attendance and everyone is wearing black rather than the traditional white.
Cole also briefly talks about Paula’s and Demetrius’ life after their parents have separated. A rather daunting image is where Paula and Demetrius bulldoze down their house as a wedding present to their parents. I find the image rather upsetting, as it may suggest that very little joyous memories come from the house, which I find rather sinister when Paula and Demetrius are around the ages of seven or eight and must have some happy memories from their lives so far with their parents.
However, we soon learn that in the space where the house used to be, each parent has built their own separate house; with a large tree in the middle of them to show they are separated. A metaphor is used through Paula’s and Demetrius’s secret underground tunnel that connects the two houses together. The tunnel is only known to Paula, Demetrius and their pet dog and allows them to travel between the two houses at any time. I think this tunnel is a metaphor for the bond and love that Paula and Demetrius have with both their partners. This symbolises that even though their parents are separated the children are not separated from their parents.
The end of the story shows Demetrius and Paula very happy indeed. As now their parents had a house each, the two siblings now had two of everything that they wanted; one at their mother’s house and one and their father’s house.
I really enjoyed this book as it did focus on the negatives of having parents that were arguing all the time, but did so in a comic way. The book doesn’t place blame on either one of the parents, it instead highlights their differences and shows each parent being as just as childish as the other. It also showed the effects of an unhappy marriage not only on the children who became ‘sad and confused’ but also on the parents themselves. Cole uses detailed pictures to show that ‘they had started off as quite good-looking parents. But because they had ugly thoughts about each other… it begun to show and they became uglier and uglier’.
The illustrations throughout the book are very detailed and some are labelled to emphasis the parents differences. In fact the illustrations are so detailed that I feel that when you re read the book you can spot something new in the pictures that you didn’t see before.
Irony plays a key role in this books theme of divorce. The celebration of a wedding is turned on its head, even the figures of a bride and groom fall of the ‘un wedding’ cake. The reaction of the audience at the wedding is particularly ironic. For example, some one shouts out ‘about time too!’ which is something that is normally said to couples that have recently got engaged or married.
June 5, 2017
I have rarely hated a book more than this one. I get what it's trying to do, but it trivializes divorce and makes it seem like all kids' parents are unhappy and that divorce is an easy and preferred solution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2017
A humorous and non-condescending way to show young kids that a parents’ divorce isn’t their fault.
June 22, 2021
good for children
December 17, 2021
Nederlandse titel: Twee van alles
October 26, 2023
Not one of my favorites by Babette Cole but her books will always have a special place in my heart as they remind me of childhood.
April 13, 2014
The Un-Wedding is a book that focuses on the social issue of divorce from a child’s perspective. This helps child readers better understand themes because it comes from characters their own age. The book is focused on identifying the feelings children may have toward the issue. For example, it mentions that the child characters think it may be their fault that their parents fight, and they feel sad and confused. In response, the book confirms that it is not the children’s fault, thus stating there is no reason to feel sad. The story also passively points out to child readers that if their parents fight, they are not alone. We see this in the meeting held by the main characters, where plenty of other children attend to say they have “problem parents” as well. These themes are very important ones to convey to children who live in a household struggling with domestic disagreements.
The story poses divorce to children as a solution that will make them and their parents happier if parents have a lot of disagreements. This main theme is seen when the story talks about how happy the parents are apart and the perk of divorce for a child—having two of everything! This positive is reflected in the endpapers, which depicts many toys that appear in pairs. The endpages at the beginning and end are also the same, which could have been done to convey children getting two of everything as well.
The illustrations in the book are very unique. Some of the pictures are labeled with captions. For example, the second opening has a picture of the family’s house and in each window there is an activity happening. Arrows point to these activities and state if it is something that annoys Mom or Dad. Something similar can be found on the third opening, where arrows and captions show the parents’ differing perspectives on things like vacation, pets, and art. In addition, the pictures have no borders and many of the pages have continuous narrations, or multiple pictures on one page that indicate action or the sequence of time. This can be seen with the fourth opening, where the audience sees the progression of how the parents started out good-looking and turned to ugly with time. Another example is on the sixth opening, where we see various pictures showing the pranks the parents pull on one another over time.
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it showed the parents trying to work out their differences first before getting “un-married.” I think the book unintentionally dictates to children that it’s okay if parents do not get along because a divorce can fix that, when in reality I do not think children or our society should see divorce as an immediate fix-it to marital problems before trying to solve it. Other than this aspect, if a divorce is needed, I think this book has some good messages to help children understand and cope with the separation of parents.
The story poses divorce to children as a solution that will make them and their parents happier if parents have a lot of disagreements. This main theme is seen when the story talks about how happy the parents are apart and the perk of divorce for a child—having two of everything! This positive is reflected in the endpapers, which depicts many toys that appear in pairs. The endpages at the beginning and end are also the same, which could have been done to convey children getting two of everything as well.
The illustrations in the book are very unique. Some of the pictures are labeled with captions. For example, the second opening has a picture of the family’s house and in each window there is an activity happening. Arrows point to these activities and state if it is something that annoys Mom or Dad. Something similar can be found on the third opening, where arrows and captions show the parents’ differing perspectives on things like vacation, pets, and art. In addition, the pictures have no borders and many of the pages have continuous narrations, or multiple pictures on one page that indicate action or the sequence of time. This can be seen with the fourth opening, where the audience sees the progression of how the parents started out good-looking and turned to ugly with time. Another example is on the sixth opening, where we see various pictures showing the pranks the parents pull on one another over time.
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it showed the parents trying to work out their differences first before getting “un-married.” I think the book unintentionally dictates to children that it’s okay if parents do not get along because a divorce can fix that, when in reality I do not think children or our society should see divorce as an immediate fix-it to marital problems before trying to solve it. Other than this aspect, if a divorce is needed, I think this book has some good messages to help children understand and cope with the separation of parents.
April 19, 2015
Two of Everything tells the story of two prefect siblings, Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt, with very ugly parents. Mr and Mrs Ogglebutt don’t get along and all the years they have lived together have made them ugly. Demetrius and Paula decide to come up with a plan to make the whole family smile again.
The theme of divorce or ‘un wedding’ is exemplified in Babette Cole’s colourful picture book. Cole explains the effects that an unhappy marriage can have on a family household through the use of comic images and exaggerated situations. Cole shows the parents behaving like naughty children that play nasty tricks on each other. For example, Mr Ogglebutt puts concrete powder in Mrs Ogglebutt’s bath salts, while Mrs Ogglebutt puts fireworks in Mr Ogglebutt’s bangers and mash.
The end of the story shows Demetrius and Paula very happy indeed. As now their parents had a house each, the two siblings now had two of everything that they wanted; one at their mother’s house and one and their father’s house.
I really enjoyed this book as it did focus on the negatives of having parents that were arguing all the time, but did so in a comic way. The book doesn’t place blame on either one of the parents, it instead highlights their differences and shows each parent being as just as childish as the other.
The illustrations throughout the book are very detailed and some are labelled to emphasis the parents differences. In fact the illustrations are so detailed that I feel that when you re read the book you can spot something new in the pictures that you didn’t see before.
The theme of divorce or ‘un wedding’ is exemplified in Babette Cole’s colourful picture book. Cole explains the effects that an unhappy marriage can have on a family household through the use of comic images and exaggerated situations. Cole shows the parents behaving like naughty children that play nasty tricks on each other. For example, Mr Ogglebutt puts concrete powder in Mrs Ogglebutt’s bath salts, while Mrs Ogglebutt puts fireworks in Mr Ogglebutt’s bangers and mash.
The end of the story shows Demetrius and Paula very happy indeed. As now their parents had a house each, the two siblings now had two of everything that they wanted; one at their mother’s house and one and their father’s house.
I really enjoyed this book as it did focus on the negatives of having parents that were arguing all the time, but did so in a comic way. The book doesn’t place blame on either one of the parents, it instead highlights their differences and shows each parent being as just as childish as the other.
The illustrations throughout the book are very detailed and some are labelled to emphasis the parents differences. In fact the illustrations are so detailed that I feel that when you re read the book you can spot something new in the pictures that you didn’t see before.
May 11, 2013
The un-wedding is about a brother and sister who believe their parents constant fighting is because of them. The parents can't seem to agree on anything and their behaviour towards each other turns uglier and uglier. The siblings decide to put up a poster at school advertising if other children's parents also behave a similar way. To their surprise lots of children come forward with similar problems about their parents. The siblings decide that their parents are better people without one another and it would be better if they divorce. In the latter half of the book the children plan a 'un-wedding', even inviting the vicar to come and undo their parents wedding vows.
This book would be great for PSHE and in explaining divorce to young children, making children realise that it is not their fault if their parents decide to separate. This book would be most suitable for children up to Yr 3.
This book would be great for PSHE and in explaining divorce to young children, making children realise that it is not their fault if their parents decide to separate. This book would be most suitable for children up to Yr 3.
September 15, 2015
I read this book to my daughter yesterday. She picked it up from the library. Although it has funny bits in it I was offended by how quickly it dismissed marriage and committment. The mother and father in the story don't get along and argue. I remember there was a part where they said that the couple began as good looking but became ugly because of their ugly thoughts of each other. Eventually they decide to get unmarried. Then supposedly they have a ceremony to get unmarried and then are so joyous and happy after being separated. What kind of rubbish is this? The message is if you marry and don't get along just separate and you'll be happy. That is NOT the message I want conveyed to my children.
Read
April 12, 2015This controversial book could present a problem for some children that come from broken homes. However, this book presents an interesting point of view for two children. The children realize that their parents have a hard time getting along and their parents live together but have separate sections of the home to live in. Students could use this as an example of ways to solve problems in a creative manner.
March 20, 2013
Nunca quiero que me pase eso!!!
February 12, 2015
Love the idea of "un-wedding"!
Read
November 12, 2018Some amazing illustration in this picture book. Good book to show that families separate sometimes and parents ‘unmarry.’ Good for a child who’s parents are divorcing.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews