Better You Than Me

Gr 4–7—Two 12-years-old girls, Disney-esque star Ruby Rivera and her biggest fan Skyler Welshman, meet on the set of Ruby's hit television show and improbably switch bodies by accident. At first thrilled with the situation, each tween believes the other has the better life in this Freaky Friday-like storyline. Due to various scheduling constraints, the girls plan to meet several days later to switch back. Meanwhile, each girl's assumptions about one another are put to the test as they struggle to cope with scenarios they never expected and to make the best of their new lives. Brody takes a common trope and freshens it up with realistic details. What starts out as a formulaic plot device evolves into a strong story about appreciating friends and family and making good choices. The alternating chapters from each girl's perspective give each character a distinct voice.