Trading Faces

On the first day of seventh grade, twin sisters Payton and Emma have been assigned entirely different schedules -- for the first time ever. Without telling anyone, the twins ...

Children's Literature

Flip the cartoon-style cover of Trading Faces to the first sentence: "Lip gloss! Oh, no—did I forget my lip gloss?" Lip gloss and drama generally signals light tween chick lit, but there is more to this book than boys, texting, and mean girls. Identical twins Payton and Emma Mills are attending their first co-ed school. Fashionista-wannabe Payton is eager to make new friends. Brainiac Emma cannot wait to start her advanced classes. On the first day of seventh grade, they realize they do not have a single class together. Maybe that could be a good thing and they will avoid the inevitable question: Which twin are you? Still, seventh grade is not all they had hoped. Payton joins a clique that judges others by their clothes. Emma is challenged by an abrasive girl more ambitious than she is. When Payton's burrito oozes all over a cute football player, panicked Payton switches outfits with Emma and hides out in Emma's classes the rest of the day. What began as a simple rescue escalates into a hilarious version of Disney's movie The Parent Trap. The girls enjoy being freed from their molds. Payton discovers she has an aptitude for communication when she takes Emma's place on the school news program. Emma relaxes her competitive streak and makes friends, but there is a downside to fooling people and escaping preconceived notions. The chapters are told in distinct, alternating voices—Payton, Emma, Payton as Emma, Emma as Payton—by the authors who are identical twins. Quick pacing is livened with humorous dialog and enough descriptions of clothes to satisfy Project Runway fans. Reviewer: Candice Ransom