If I Were You

March 30, 2015
At the end of the summer, 12-year-old best friends Melody and Katie are no longer speaking, having fallen out over a boy. But the rift actually cuts deeper: each girl envies the other’s life. So when their bus to the beach passes through what Melody has always believed is a magical tunnel, both girls wish to relive the summer as the other, and the summer reboots, with Katie as Melody and vice versa. Margolis (the Maggie Brooklyn Mystery series) takes her Freaky Friday–style setup down a typical path, with the girls’ initial enjoyment of their new lives giving way to deeper understanding. Katie loves Melody’s curvy body while Melody appreciates looking more childlike again. The freedoms of Melody’s house (not to mention dating the boy who came between them) thrill Katie, while Katie’s close-knit family is all Melody ever wanted. Margolis uses a light touch as she navigates the challenges of growing up and changing friendships. Her characters are fully formed and sympathetic in a fresh take on the age-old idea that there’s no place like home. Ages 10–14. Agent: Laura Langlie, Laura Langlie Agency.

June 1, 2015

Gr 5-7-Best friends and soon-to-be seventh graders Katie and Melody each think the other has the ideal life. Katie envies Melody's perfect parents, gorgeous boyfriend, and beautiful body, while Melody longs for a more close-knit family and a figure that won't solicit unwanted attention from strangers. In the spirit of Mary Rodgers's Freaky Friday (HarperCollins, 1972), Katie and Melody find themselves in one another's bodies after a well-timed wish on the last day of summer. Predictably, as the summer resets and each girl lives the other's life, she begins to realize that the grass may not be quite so green on the other side. Once this realization is achieved, Margolis brings the story to a quick, tidy resolution. Katie and Melody are sympathetic characters, and tween readers will relate to the envy that twines its way through their friendship. The chapters alternate between the two girls, and while their points of view and family lives are in stark contrast, their narrative voices are less distinct. This book doesn't have much to add to the body-switch formula, but readers looking for a summertime read with boys and best friends will enjoy it. VERDICT An additional purchase for many collections.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Abington School District, PA

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