Friday Memes: Switched by Bruce Hale

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Switched by Bruce Hale. 250 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. April 6, 2021. 9781338702552.

Publisher synopsis: Who's a good boy?

Twelve-year-old Parker Pitts hates a mess. Ever since his grandmother died, he's much more comfortable when things are organized: He scrubs the kitchen counters at home, avoids the school bully at all costs, and never even speaks to Gabriella Cortez, the most interesting girl in the sixth grade. No muss, no fuss, no complicated feelings to worry about.

But now Parker's older sister is traveling abroad for the semester, leaving behind her obnoxious and extremely disorderly goldendoodle, Boof, for Parker to manage. Man's best friend? More like boy's worst nightmare!

When an intense round of tug-of-war leaves both dog and boy with bumped heads, Parker and Boof wake up to the biggest disaster yet: they've switched bodies! Suddenly Boof has to find his way through a school day and Parker has to...eat dog food?!

It's a mess of truly epic proportions. Can Parker and Boof clean it up -- together?

First Line: It had taken all afternoon to set up, but it only took five minutes for the dog to destroy everything.

Page 56: "Do you even know how to use the toilet?" Parker scrambled to catch up.

     As they entered, his nose wrinkled in disgust. Whew. The bathroom reeked. Wh'd have ever guessed it was this filthy? H fought the urge to break out the cleanser and a sponge.

     "What's to know? said Book. "You point and shoot." 

I won this by responding a tweet by the author! When I worked in a K-8 library, his Chet Gecko books were very popular. In my 5-8 grade library, his School for S.P.I.E.S. series is. I am sure this one will be appealing as well. Many of my students love these switched bodies books.