A touching tribute to growing up together, even when life pulls you apart.
August 2025 – Cedar Top, Pennsylvania – What does it mean to go through with a mirror image of yourself right beside you? Someone who feels your pain before you speak it, laughs when you laugh, and stands with you even in silence?
Sandra Henne Wentzel provides a unique and personal look into the pleasures and difficulties of being twins in 1950s America in her sympathetic memoirs, The Hen House.
Sandra and Susan were born only fifteen minutes apart, and in addition to having the same birthday and bedroom, they also shared an inexplicable bond. Together, they had a wonderful upbringing in the Pennsylvania countryside with kind and compassionate parents who took foster children into their mountain home. Sandra and Susan’s hearts grew stronger together as they overcame school bullies, played in snowstorms, shared eye surgery, and wore matching outfits.
“Being a twin meant I was never truly alone,” Sandra recalls. “Even when the world felt confusing or unkind, I had someone who understood me without words.”
The Hen House captures more than just memories. It perfectly conveys the essence of what it’s like to have a closest buddy built right into you as a child. Sandra writes in a kind and thoughtful style that resonates with readers who have experienced strong relationships with their childhood or the emotional terrain of identity that is influenced by the reflections of others, as well as close friendships with their siblings.
Critics have also praised it for its distinct viewpoint, storytelling charm, emotional resonance, and genuineness. Readers have called it “a moving portrait of girlhood, sisterhood, and survival during a forgotten time in American history.”
No matter if you’re a twin or have a sibling that you’re connected to, or just enjoy stories that bring back the power of family, The Hen House will leave an unforgettable impression. Now available on Amazon and at major retailers across the country.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Henne Wentzel grew up on Cedar Top Mountain in rural Pennsylvania, and her early life was characterized by struggle, simplicity, and a home brimming with love. As a twin, daughter, and later a foster caretaker, Sandra discovered the value of love, resilience, and family. Inspired by her own personal experiences, as well as nostalgia for Little House on the Prairie, she created “The Hen House” to commemorate the past and preserve the stories that shaped her. Today, retired and in peace with her husband of more than sixty years, Sandra is a writer who enjoys contemplating and sharing her life experiences with people who believe in the beauty of the world as it is.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Author: Sandra Henne Wentzel
Format: e-book and paperback
Available at: KDP and other major book retailers