The Swap

June 23, 2014
It’s a familiar premise: two kids, struggling in their own situations, somehow switch places and experience each other’s lives, which then helps them gain an appreciation for their own; Shull’s twist is that the two kids are of different genders. Seventh-grader Ellie O’Brien is struggling to fit in ever since her former best friend turned on her. Popular eighth-grader Jack Malloy just wants to play hockey with his older brothers, but his strict father thinks life is about striving for perfection. Ellie and Jack barely know each other, but when a chance meeting in the nurse’s office results in a body-switch for the weekend, they get to walk in each other’s shoes—and discover they kind of like them, even despite some awkward moments involving unfamiliar body parts. Shull (Amazing Grace) keeps this story fast and fun (though the body-switched scenes take some getting used to, at least initially). No real surprises are in store, but the premise will still leave readers with plenty to think about. Ages 10–14. Agent: Margaret Riley King, William Morris Endeavor.

Seventh-grader Ellie O'Brien and eighth-grader Jack Malloy are given a surprising gift when they are suddenly able to literally view life through each other's eyes.Ellie feels lost and afraid following her parents' divorce and a brutal dumping by her best friend. Jack's life, dominated by his father's regimented control and his overpowering brothers, feels claustrophobic. Switching minds gives each kid the opportunity to experience life on the other side while gaining perspective on his or her own. Navigating the world of fist-bumping and older brothers helps Ellie develop the mental toughness to fight her own battles. In Ellie's life, Jack finds the parental acceptance and love that has been missing from his own. Alternating chapters offer each a chance to tell his or her story. The internal lives of both boy and girl come across as authentic and heartwarming. Unfortunately, when Jack and Ellie interact, it is often unclear who is who, which muddies what could be some of the most engaging passages. Occasionally clunky dialogue and a too-perfect ending are the only bumps in this otherwise engaging switch-up.Readers curious about how the other half lives will thrill at this view from the far side of the fence. (Fiction. 10-14) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2014
Seventh-grader Ellie O'Brien and eighth-grader Jack Malloy are given a surprising gift when they are suddenly able to literally view life through each other's eyes.Ellie feels lost and afraid following her parents' divorce and a brutal dumping by her best friend. Jack's life, dominated by his father's regimented control and his overpowering brothers, feels claustrophobic. Switching minds gives each kid the opportunity to experience life on the other side while gaining perspective on his or her own. Navigating the world of fist-bumping and older brothers helps Ellie develop the mental toughness to fight her own battles. In Ellie's life, Jack finds the parental acceptance and love that has been missing from his own. Alternating chapters offer each a chance to tell his or her story. The internal lives of both boy and girl come across as authentic and heartwarming. Unfortunately, when Jack and Ellie interact, it is often unclear who is who, which muddies what could be some of the most engaging passages. Occasionally clunky dialogue and a too-perfect ending are the only bumps in this otherwise engaging switch-up.Readers curious about how the other half lives will thrill at this view from the far side of the fence. (Fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2014

Gr 5 Up-This is realistic fiction with a twist-two characters form an unlikely friendship when they swap bodies. Meet Ellie: a girl who lives with her mom and is entering seventh grade with her former best friend, Sassy. Sassy is crazy in love with Jack Malloy, "The Prince." Jack, an eighth grader, has it all: good grades, athletic ability, great manners, and good looks to boot. When circumstances land both Jack and Ellie in the nurse's office on the first day of school, they admire the ease at which each other has it in life. The next thing they know, that strange new nurse is gone and they are in each other's bodies. Now they have to make it through the weekend-filled with soccer tryouts, doctor appointments, hockey practice, and sleepovers-before they can get the nurse to switch them back. Told in alternating perspectives, Shull creates two authentic main characters with unique tween voices. They deal with familial issues (death, divorce) as well as social (bullying, sibling relationships, friends) with clumsy grace. The book is heartbreaking and hilarious-truly evocative of middle school experiences. A great, entertaining read that will appeal to boys and girls. Readers may wonder what happened to the nurse and yearn for an explanation of the switch, but ultimately this is a highly recommended purchase.-Stephanie DeVincentis, Downers Grove North High School, IL

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