If I Were You - Hardcover

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