Switched at Birthday: A Wish Novel

by Natalie Standiford

Lavender and Scarlet are nothing alike. Scarlet is tall, pretty, and popular -- the star of the soccer team and the queen of the school. Lavender is . . . well, none of these things. Her friends aren't considered cool, her hair is considered less than uncool, and her performance at the recent talent show is something nobody will ever forget -- even though she really, really wants it to be forgotten.

There's only one thing Lavender and Scarlet know for sure they have in common: the same birthday.

They've never had parties together. They've never swapped presents. But this year, because of two wishes that turned all too true, they are about to swap something much bigger than presents. Because the morning after their birthdays, Lavender is going to wake up in Scarlet's body . . . and Scarlet is going to wake up in Lavender's. But in order to change back, they're going to have to figure out how to be someone completely opposite of who they ordinarily are . . .

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Friendship, Young Adult, Magical Realism

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2014

About the author

Natalie Standiford, author of "Astrid Sees All," "How to Say Goodbye in Robot," "Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters," "The Secret Tree," "Switched at Birthday," "The Boy on the Bridge," and "The Only Girl in School," has written picture books, nonfiction, chapter books, teen novels, an entry in the 39 Clues series, and even horror novels for young adults. Standiford also plays bass in the rock band Tiger Beat, with fellow YA authors Libba Bray, Daniel Ehrenhaft, and Barnabas Miller.
Find out more at her web site, www.nataliestandiford.com.

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect much of anything to happen on my thirteenth birthday. So I had been born. So what? Why should it be different from any other Monday?

I love body-switching books. And movies. So when a certain soon-to-be-eight-year-old whom I know and love recommended that I read this book, I couldn't ignore her. Kids you love recommending you books is one of the joys in life. :) So I happily ran to the library to get this and dug in!

Lavender Schmitz, "Schmitzy" to her friends friend (she only has one) has some problems. As a short, chubby, hairy girl in middle school with a name that shortens to "Lav," she is tormented quite frequently. As a result, she has become "like a duck, everything rolls off her back." She has developed a biting wit and a whole plethora of spiky comebacks. The problem with this is that they are not always aimed at the people who like to hurt her, they are aimed at her friends and family, too, and this can lead to her hurting a lot of people's feelings.

"Is today your birthday?" he asked. "If I'd had known, I would have gotten you something."

"No, you wouldn't have," I said. We weren't friends, exactly. Though I supposed he was one of the less repulsive people at our school.

"Here," John said. "How's this?" He ripped a page out of his notebook and folded the paper into an origami star.

"Wow," I said. "That's really cool that you can make generic presents for people in about two seconds, without having to think about it or anything."

John's cheek twitched slightly.

"Schmitzy!" Maybelle elbowed me to let me know I was being rude. I didn't know why I'd said such a rude thing John. Because I actually thought the star was pretty.

Think Julia Stiles playing Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You or Janeane Garofalo playing Heather Mooney in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

Lavender is having a sucky birthday. She looks over enviously at her "birthday twin" Scarlet Martínez, the prettiest girl in school, surrounded by her laughing friends and getting great gifts. Lavender wishes she could have a life like Scarlet's: rich, beautiful, and popular. But you know what they say...

Be careful what you wish for!
...

I really liked the way Standiford handled things in this book. I felt like both Lavender and Scarlet were real people. And Standiford, writing as an adult, nails things so perfectly sometimes. Both Lavender and Scarlet's parents were leaping off the page to me as adults I actually know.

Lavender's mom is a kind, sweet woman.

She was warm, one of those people everybody likes - everybody except Lavender, I guess.

Lavender's dad is kind of a goofball.


Scarlet's family is a bit more problematic. Her father left her and her mom to move to another state with his new wife and new baby. And Scarlet's mom is a bit... appearance obsessed.

It was fun shopping with Lavender's mom. She was so proud of me, so eager to make me happy. We tried on funny hats and glasses; we laughed and joked. When I went shopping with my own mother, she didn't like most of the clothes I picked out and criticized the way I looked in everything. Shopping with her wasn't fun. It was a job. I felt sad thinking about it.

And you should see the way she freaks out when "Scarlet" starts eating cinnamon rolls. She's got a good heart, I think, but she really does believe beauty is everything. I have a feeling that being beautiful is what she does for a living.

"I'm hungry," I said. "What are we having for dinner? Fettucine Alfredo?" I loved fettucine Alfredo, but Mom said it was so fattening we could only have it once a year, on my birthday.


But she's got worse problems than her beautiful mom. After the divorce, her beautiful mom married a rich asshole named Steve. He is verbally abusive to his new wife, his new daughter, and his own biological son, Ben.

Ben himself is a grungy sixteen-year-old who loves video games like Skullmuncher 7 and science-fiction movies. It's a bit hard to tell at the beginning if he is an asshole-in-training or just an obnoxious brother. You can tell he's being crushed and hurt by his asshole father on a daily basis.

"Aren't you getting a little old for Halloween, Ben?" Steve said.

Ben froze, then dropped his arms to his sides and gave up the zombie act.


So, basically what I'm saying is: Lavender has a great and loving home life - but she's bullied and tormented daily at school.

Scarlet has a troublesome home life - even though her family is rich and she has all the material things and funds for activities that she wants, she has an asshole stepfather, an obnoxious stepbrother, and a looks-obsessed mother who never stands up to her new husband. But she has a great school life - queen of the school, star of the soccer team, and beloved by both boys and girls.


When the two girls accidentally switch bodies, it's interesting to see how each girl reacts to this new life which they have no real investment in. It's very clear to see other people's problems and their solutions, but difficult to see your own.

How is sassy Lavender going to deal with her new asshole stepfather? Let me just tell you this: it's flippin' awesome. I was cheering for Lavender the whole time. That girl doesn't take shit from anyone. Booyah!

How is Scarlet going to deal with being tormented and bullied at school? By the same people who usually suck up to her? She's going to realize just how "nice" her so-called friends really are when she's stuck in Lavender's clumsy little body.

My whole day had been this way. People being mean to me for no reason. Ignoring me. Picking on me. Shunning me. Making fun of me. It was horrible. How did Lavender live like this?
...

"Do you know what I went through today?"

"Poor you," Lavender said. "Having to spend one whole day as me. Must be rough."

They each work on improving the life they're stuck with in different ways, with various and sometimes hilarious results.

But no matter what they look like on the outside, they are still themselves on the inside.

But evidently I WAS embarrassing. My natural geekiness was leaking out, transforming Scarlet from Hotsy to Notsy. Like a balloon with a tiny hole in it, slowly losing air until it's nothing but a wrinkly piece of rubber. Scarlet had sprung a geek-leak.


I loved seeing the way Standiford played with stereotypes and Jr. High tropes in this book. It would have been very easy to make Scarlet and Lavender weak, one-dimensional characters. But instead, everyone from the MCs to their friends to their very flawed parents are human beings, complete with good and bad qualities. Both Lavender and Scarlet have their innate skills and innate weaknesses. Both have their life-problems.

In case I'm making this book sound really serious, it isn't. It's sweet and cute and funny. But I like that Standiford doesn't just write a shallow book pretending that serious issues don't exist. I love the complexity and darkness lurking below the surface of this little book. It's cute and positive, but it also packs a punch and isn't dumbed-down or pure fluff.

And it's amazing how Scarlet is NOT the bad guy here. She's not some "rich girl who has to be taken down a notch" - that's NOT the book's message at all. She's actually a good person, some would argue even nicer than Lavender due to Lavender's unfortunate habit of ripping everyone to shreds verbally. Great balance of two equally fleshed-out characters here. BOTH characters have their good points and their bad points.


This book focuses on 12-year-olds who are just about to or have just turned 13. However, I mentioned in my opening paragraph that a soon-to-be-8-year-old recommended this to me. And that's rather appropriate - I can't see actual 12 and 13-year-olds reading this - they've probably moved on to stuff that's a bit more advanced. This is perfect for ages 9 and 10, I think. The time when kids are fantasizing about being middle-schoolers, not the time when they are praying for high school. This isn't YA. THIS IS NOT YA. It's a kid's book.


Tl;dr - Everyone loves body-switching stories! They are pretty much instant fun and hilarity.


"You're the one who's famous for being so pretty."

"Right. And what did that get me? It didn't get me friends I can trust. It didn't get me the lead in the school musical. And it didn't get me a starting spot on the soccer team - that was hard work and talent."

This book has such an important message for kids, but it is so fun and NOT preachy at all. Believe me, I HATE books that are condescending and preachy to kids and would rip this to shreds if I thought it was a gooey mess of positive messages.

I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who wants a fun read for a 9/10-year-old.

[Deepansha S]

This book is similar to the movie thirteen wishes.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely adorable. I loved Scarlet and Lavender and the way that they both grew after experiencing life in the other person's body. I feel like you'd probably learn to appreciate your own life more if you had to leave it for a while, for whatever reason, but what I really enjoyed was the fact that both girls also developed an insight into the other person's life. (For example, Scarlet has a huge problem with her stepbrother and Lavender had some good insight into that.) It's an interesting thing, because a lot of times it's easier to see things from an outsider's perspective. However, Scarlet and Lavender had a simultaneous insider and outsider perspective. It's fascinating and probably a hard thing to pull off. (Natalie Standiford does so easily.)

I know we've experienced books and movies similar to this countless times, but Natalie Standiford makes it seem fresh and interesting.

My only complaint is that it took the whole book for them to realize (a) what caused the split and (b) how to undo it. I thought that was a little unrealistic although I am willing to stipulate that you'd probably freak out A LOT if you turned into someone else and that you'd maybe not do your best thinking as a result of said freakout.

Recommended. I especially think middlegrade readers (its intended audience) would absolutely adore this book.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lavender and Scarlet are just about complete opposites, and they have nothing to do with each other. But on their thirteenth birthdays--they share the same birthdate--they end up being switched. Not surprisingly, Lavender finds out that Scarlet doesn't have the perfect life she has imagined that she does as a popular girl, and Scarlet finds some empathy for Lavender, who has so often been the butt of several cruel jokes at school, including a prank for which she is responsible. Both girls have secret crushes and aspirations for the lead role in the school musical, but Scarlet has a terrible voice. As the girls walk a few miles in one another's shoes, they begin to understand each other, and both of them change. I was pleased that the author didn't simply teach Scarlet a lesson but also made sure that Lavender learned something from her experience as well. Sometimes their personalities were starting to resemble each other's so much that it was hard to tell just who was speaking.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lavender Myrtle Schmitz and Scarlet Martinez share the same birthday, but that's about all. Lavender is dumpy, frumpy, short, and unattractive. Scarlet is Miss Popularity, cute, athletic, and as snobby as her two best friends, Zoe and Kelsey. That all changes when the girls swap bodies while wishing(?) on a magical 13th birthday candle. And, as time goes by, trapped in alien bodies, the girls learn what is really like to be each other.

Not until their 'lesson' is fully complete do they even have a snow-balls chance to change back. Switched at Birthday teaches a lesson, sure, but the plot is tired and has been told many, many times before.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute middle grade novel with a “Freaky Friday” theme. It was a bit hard to tell who was who at times, but the love interests were so cute.

[Ginamolter · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there is a fantasy element, this story is grounded in reality, with the popular clique ruling the school, bullying the “lesser thans”. The superficiality of Scarlet’s friends is scary, almost a caricature, but the characters serve their purpose without having more depth, when, after all, they have no depth! Here is a story of families as well as friendships, with Lavender appreciating what she has when she lives with Scarlet’s family, where stepfather is a bully, Mom is desperate to please him, and stepbrother is a giant pain. Scarlet is empowered by what she learns to make changes at home, and the new friendships are formed.

[Jainaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Switched at birthday so it is about 2 girl one is named Scarlet she is popular and tall and good at soccer. Lavender is short and shy and bad at sport. There have the same birthday. So lavender wish to be someone else. Scarlet want people dream to come true. Then the next day lavender is scarlet and scarlet is lavender. But notice good and bad about they body have are in. So scarlet loves being in lavender body but lavender hate being in scarlet body.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Switched at Birthday is a awesome book! This book was so indicting ,and everything is planned to a tea.It is about how a girl named Violet who is utterly different then a girl named Sarcelet she is rich,pretty,and spoiled on there birthday they.....................Find out what happens next in your local book store.

[Class · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie thinks...
I really liked this book because two compleatly diffrent people switched bodies and it was really cool. The kind of student who would want to read this book would be someone who likes fanasty.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this middle grade novel. I thought the premise--which was explained in the prologue--to be fun. Here's how the book begins, "Once there was a boy who lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His father was a baker and his mother was a candlemaker. They owned the Cake and Candle Company of Kalamazoo. The cakes and candles that the boy's family made were perfectly ordinary in every way but one: When, on your birthday, you lit a Kalamazoo candle on a Kalamazoo cake and made a wish, a tiny spark of magic was ignited." The boy in the prologue is, the reader supposes, the theatre teacher at the school our two heroines attend. (There is definitely something a bit magical about him.)

Lavender and Scarlet share a birthday in October. The two hardly share anything else. Scarlet supposedly lives a perfect life: she's beautiful, she's stylish, others look up to her, she has plenty of friends. Lavender sees Scarlet across the hall and thinks she lacks nothing. Lavender represents the stereotypical imperfect life: she's unattractive, she's clumsy, she's awkward through and through. If Scarlet was someone you'd seek after, Lavender, well, she's someone you'd want to avoid just in case her unpopularity was contagious. Lavender is clueless to Scarlet's hardships; Scarlet is clueless to Lavender's blessings. But. All this changes with a little magic.

When Scarlet and Lavender switch bodies, well, things may never be the same again. The two discover that they both have things to be thankful for and they both have things they struggle with.

Switched at Birthday is a coming-of-age novel with a fantasy twist. I especially enjoyed the theatre scenes, both girls audition for the Music Man: one lands the role of her dreams, the other a spot on the chorus.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book that tells the story about two different girls having different personalities that have their fates tied together making them switch bodies. Trying to overcome the problem that has befalled them they become to work together and find each of their flaws. They begin to gradually connect with each other more until the fun lasts...Or does it?

This book about body-switching really draws you in. While Lavender Myrtle Schmitz is unpopular she unknowingly switches bodies with Scarlet Martinez, the popular girl in school. With conflicts in each other's family, they begin to make amends in their new lives that I like about helping each other out while trying to figure out a way to get back to their own body. It makes you appreciate the life you have right now taking an insight in each other's lives.

[JoLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in a Pair It With on Intellectual Recreation.

Featured in "Reading on a Theme: Mean Popular Girls" on Intellectual Recreation.

Switched at Birthday is such a cute middle-grade novel. And it has a fabulous title too.

Lavender and Scarlet don't seem to have much in common. Scarlet is pretty and popular, a star soccer player, but her home life is difficult. Lavender is picked on at school, klutzy, and sarcastic. The one thing the two share is a birthday. And on their thirteenth birthday they each make a wish to be someone else. The next morning they wake up to find they've switched bodies.

Seeing the two navigate another life is both hilarious and poignant. And, to make things work Lavender and Scarlet have to talk and get along. In the process they build a friendship. They learn that everyone has value and that people are dealing with so many things that are not obvious from the surface.

Natalie Standiford is from Baltimore and many of her stories are set in her hometown, including this one. It's fun for me to support a local author.

Switched at Birthday is out February 25th, 2014.

Review copy from NetGalley

[Jessica | Bookish Serendipity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared at www.bookishserendipity.com

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I received this book. It is thin: is it a chapter book? The blurb sounds like a older novel: is it a tween book? As it turns out, this book is a middle grade novel and a good one at that with a good plot and interesting characters.

I really liked the two protagonists: Scarlett and Lavender. They are relatable to kids who are both popular or not. In most middle grade "school" stories, the reader can only see the protagonist's school from one point of view. The main character's social status--whether he or she is a popular kid, a reject or in the grey zone--affects the way that their school is represented to the reader. I liked being able to see Scarlet and Lavender's school from the point of view of a Queen Bee and from the POV of an outcast.

This novel does involve switching bodies and it is written in 2 POVs. It was sometimes difficult to differentiate between Scarlet and Lavender's voices but I liked how the font of Lavender's chapter was different from the font that Scarlet's chapter is written in. Still, it was occasionally confusing when Lavender was in Scarlet's body and when people spoke to her, they addressed Lavender as Scarlet. "Huh?" I though. Then I remembered that the 2 girls had switched bodies and lives magically.

Although this is a categorized as a fantasy novel, it *gasp* does not involve dragons, castles or spell casting. That didn't matter to me because I was never under the impression that Switched At Birthday would contain any of those things. This is a sweet middle grade novel with a fantasy thread and I enjoyed reading it.

This book is very similar to the novel "11 Birthdays" (Wendy Mass) in terms of both writing style and the idea of switching bodies. Therefore, I recommend this book to fans of not just 11 Birthdays, but also of Wendy Mass novels in general. This is an excellent book and I rate it 4 stars/5 stars.

[Ashleu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted here

There is only one word for me to use to sum up this book and that word is: cute.

This book is super cute. It is the story of two girls who could not be more different if they tried. While Lavender is the awkward, sarcastic girl who has never fit in, Scarlet is the Queen Bee and she knows it. Yet, with the help of a bit of magic the two begin to know each other better than they ever wanted to. On their 13th birthday, they both make wishes and wake up the next morning to find each other in the other persons body. After the initial shock, they both try to adapt. Scarlet starts to pick up Lavender’s sarcasm, while mellowing her out and Lavender picks up being nicer, while making Scarlet have a bit more of a bite.

Lavender also struggles going from the nobody, to the person everyone acknowledges and Scarlet struggles going from everyone’s BFF to the person everyone mocks and makes fun of. Both of them quickly realize the life they haven’t wasn’t nearly as bad as they originally thought. While their lives weren’t ideal, and really who’s 13 year old life is, they both found an understanding of not only the other person, but of each other.

The book worked, even with the bit of “magic” that make it seem out there. It works. Proof that Standiford has the middle grade language down is the fact that most of this was a very uncomfortable read for me. Not that I was bullied as a child nearly as bad as Lavender was, but it was still painful for me to read because everyone has those feelings in them, or knows that child and your heart will go out to them. I wanted more of this book, but I also believed that Standiford left this book in the perfect spot for the reader to imagine what happens next.

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The switching bodies storyline is always fun, and while this book doesn't give a new spin on the old tale, it's still a lot of fun to read. Lavender is short, hairy, and grouchy. Scarlet is tall, pretty, and sweet. They both make a birthday wish and end up switching places. The plot plays out precisely the way you expect it to. They both learn things about each other and themselves. They both make changes and improvements. When they have sufficiently improved for the better, they also figure out how to switch back.

Lavender's voice is humorous. She is snarky and has a witty comeback for everything. I loved the chapters that she narrated. At the same time, Scarlet has a knack for recognizing things for what they are. She is the first to realize maybe her friends aren't as nice as she thought, and maybe the things she used to do aren't so nice either.

The book had a nice message. When you put yourself in someone elses' shoes (literally, in this case), you understand where they are coming from. It may even change the way you treat them. It's a fun book that kids will enjoy reading.

Content: clean

Source: I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My blog: Batch of Books

[Erica Hafferkamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually much better than I thought it was going to be! I read a chapter of this aloud as part of a book talk to my 5th graders and I got so much immediate interest in the book that I decided to start a book club (we only had one ARC of the book, and it definitely wouldn't have made it into all the hands that wanted it by the end of the school year). I wasn't entirely enthusiastic about reading this given how "fluffy" it seemed, but it was actually really fun, especially as a read-aloud, and my kids really liked it. I thought they would get confused switching back and forth between the two main characters but they kept track even better than I did. The book was pretty funny, and I liked that each character was fleshed out a little bit. The story was fairly predictable and there were a lot of "walk a mile in someone else's shoes" and "don't be a mean girl" lessons, but nothing too terribly didactic or over-the-top. And to be honest, sometimes my kids like that kind of stuff - I think it makes them feel a little safer, and they can connect to the book more easily. I don't know if I would've read this on my own but I definitely recommend it for middle grade kids and/or as a read-aloud.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review, but that in no way impacted my opinions on the book.

This was a cute, predictable little book with a nice message. I would say it's ideal for probably ages 9 to 14. Some good empathy lessons, learning to love yourself, demanding to be respected, appreciating your friends and loved ones, not being a mean person... I would certainly recommend this for anyone with a middle-grade reader. My 11 year old sister liked it. :)

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning magic of cake and candles brought the thrill of a fantasy novel, but it faded rather quickly. The prologue set the magic switch, but that's it. The story was about two girls from two different background with different personalities. They switch places and come to an understanding about how the other lives and feels. Think Freaky Friday with a more serious tone.

It was an okay story for me. I would have enjoyed more fantasy or more bakery fun in the story.

Reviewed from a NetGalley copy. Thank you, Scholastic!

[Jnase1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if the story hadn't already been done a gazillion times. However, I do like the message behind the story about appreciating what you have and maybe even walking a mile in another person's shoes before judging them.

Older elementary and middle school students would enjoy this read.

[Meghan Nels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Switched at Birthday reminds me of a modern day Parent Trap. A story of two very different teen girls who switch bodies for a few days is the main focus of this book. Through this switch the two girls learn some very important lessons about their friends and families. Middle school students will enjoy this light, fast-paced read.

[Shazzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A body-swap school story with a beating heart. Lavender and Scarlet run afoul of some Michigan magic and end up spending time in each other's body. With their new perspectives, they learn both about themselves, and about how the other side lives. Standiford makes this story easy to read, and the commentary is meaningful without hitting you over the head.

[Kelly Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it gives great insight into bullying and standing up for what is right. The ending was so nice, it was lovely to see how everyone changed after this experience. The only aspect of the book I didn't like was that it could be very confusing at times figuring out who was talking to who, since they switched bodies. Overall, a great book.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute book and a really easy read. (I read it in an hour and a half sitting out by the pool). It is a great book for teaching kids about perspective and trying to understand the whole story before making judgments. I feel like there were some points in the plot that were very "convenient" but overall, it was a fun, fast read.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming book about two girls who are opposites discovering what it is like to be the other. I liked that the magic in the book was a subtle kind of magic and I liked how the girls helped each other recognize both their weaknesses and their strengths. I think it's important for our young readers to see that all of us have both and I thought that was illustrated well in this book.

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a new theme, yet enjoyable, entertaining and thought-provoking. Waking up in someone else's body almost seems an experience we all should have to gain more empathy, more understanding why others are the way they are, while at the same time learning more about ourselves, seen through someone else's eyes.

[Sage Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever!

[Beth Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Switched at Birthday' by Natalie Standiford is a cute fantasy story about the power of empathy. Main characters Lavender and Scarlet are polar opposites. While Lavender tries very hard to stay on the sidelines and live life according to no one's rules but her own, Scarlet is Little Miss Popular, navigating the treacherous hallways of middle school with unabashed ease. The only thing the two girls have in common is the day they were born. Even though they are aware of each other's existence, they both are more than content in their daily lives and don't wish to see anything change. However, when they find themselves each thinking, even if just for a moment, what life would be like in someone else's shoes, they find themselves transported, unwittingly and unwillingly, into each other's bodies. Even though they look different, their minds are still their own, and their confusion upon learning of the unintentional switch sparks a host of dilemmas that the girls have to find ways to conquer together.

Aside from the back and forth conversations between the girls that were sometimes hard to follow in terms of who was talking, since their voices tended to mesh together at times, the lessons learned as a result of the body switch are quite telling. There is certainly the most common idea of learning to literally walk in someone else's shoes and empathize with her on a level that one would never even think possible. Yet, there is also the concept of finding out that what you thought you knew about someone is really quite different, like how the way someone projects their life at school can be very different than the life she actually has at home.

The story is somewhat cliche, but sweet, and it provides a nice look into how it is worth getting to know someone at more than face value to determine how one really might feel about him or her. Friends aren't always what they're cracked up to be, enemies might not be quite so bad, and acquaintances might turn out to be your strongest allies. 'Switched at Birthday' does a fine job in capturing how terrifying and exciting middle school can be, no matter what end of the popularity spectrum one falls on, and prepares readers for the muddied waters that go along with pretending to be someone you're not, even if you don't have any control over what's happening in your life at any given moment.

Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels

*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*

[Marissa C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "Switched at Birthday" by Natalie Standiford is a great book with a lot of suspense. "Switched at Birthday" is about two girls who are complete opposites and have completely different lives. Lavender loves to play ukulele, listen to music, and the people she hangs out with are not considered "cool" at her school. On the other hand, Scarlet is pretty, star of the soccer team, and rules the school. The only thing that the girls have in common is that they have the same birthday. But when they both wish to be the other for their birthday in order to escape their problems, their wish actually comes true. The two girls end up switching bodies and have to live a while new life. Scarlet and Lavender have to figure out how to get back into their old bodies before someone finds out that something is wrong. The two who were opposites and never talked now have to work together and find a solution. The writing style is very casual but changes throughout the book based on who is speaking. While Natalie Standiford makes Scarlet sound more serious and like a diva, she makes Lavender sound very sarcastic and humorous. I decided to pick this book up because Natalie Standiford also wrote one of my favorite books called "The Secret Tree". This lead me to picking up this book because I was hoping it would have the same feel to it and it defiantly did. I also wanted to read this book because of the title. Normally people here of being switched at birth, but I had never heard switched at birthday before so I instantly became curious. I found this book interesting because it takes the saying "pretend you're in their shoes" and puts it into action. It goes to show how different life can be when you are at another persons point of view and teaches this to Scarlet, Lavender, and even the reader. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a book with suspense and lots of problem solving. While it is not a mystery, Scarlet and lavender still have to find out how to get back into their original bodies. I would also recommend this book to people who like seeing the point of view of two characters in the book instead of one. Overall, anyone who likes a book with lots of drama and problem solving would love "Switched at Birthday".

[Julie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Switched at Birthday is an interesting book. In this book the 2 main characters switch lives and they are complete opposites. One is popular, pretty, and seems to have the perfect life. The other girl is shy, feels ugly, and hides herself. When they switch lives, it’s very interesting to see what the life rly is like. Lavender figures out that there is no such thing as a perfect life. They both realize that looks and popularity isn’t all that matters. They both have to figure out how to go back to their own lives, if they can. They have to work together without letting anyone know what happened. The only reason that it isn’t 5 stars is that it’s from 2 different perspectives. I can sometimes get them confused and I don’t think that the author did a great job on making it clear.