SKYLAR AND THE K-POP PRINCIPAL

A K-pop-obsessed tween in London swaps bodies with her strict school principal.

Eleven-year-old Skylar Smith is obsessed with the South Korean boy band AZ8. Skylar and her environmentally conscious best friend, Dana, buy their posters and photocards, learn their dance routines, and watch their variety show. But Skylar has a run-in with Ms. Callus, the mean principal of Saint Margaret’s Academy (school motto: “Achieve or hang your head in shame”). As a fed-up Skylar argues with Ms. Callus, a weird flash of green light engulfs them both, and they wake up in one another’s bodies with no idea how to switch back. Skylar, inhabiting her 71-year-old body, enters a dance video in a contest for tickets to see an upcoming AZ8 concert—and goes viral. Capitalizing on her new reputation for being fun, she also uses her adult powers to make changes at Saint Margaret’s, although running a school is way more stressful than she expected. With Dana’s help, Skylar must find a way to fix things before she’s stuck as Ms. Callus forever. This comical, lighthearted story is an ode to K-pop fandom, but the hilarious jokes and situations will entertain readers unfamiliar with that world. As in many body-swapping stories, themes of selfishness, empathy, and gaining an appreciation for another person’s troubles feature prominently. Skylar and Ms. Callus present white; there’s ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.

A funny, feel-good tale.