About This Book
Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with the pressure to project a perfect image while feeling like a totally different person on the inside. This sequel to Airhead follows Emerson Watts, a geeky tomboy whose brain was transplanted into a supermodel's body after a freak accident. Now, she must balance her hidden intelligence with a high-stakes life of fashion shows, corporate intrigue, and the shallow expectations of the industry. It is a fast-paced, humorous exploration of identity and integrity that speaks to the 'imposter syndrome' many adolescents feel. While it deals with a sci-fi premise, the emotional core is about staying true to oneself when the world only sees the surface. It is best suited for readers aged 12 and up due to some romantic tension and mild mature themes regarding the modeling industry.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
CONVERSATION: The book depicts the fashion industry’s toxic pressure regarding weight and appearance, which may prompt conversations about the harm of unrealistic beauty standards.
Ideal Reader
A middle or high schooler who feels like they are 'performing' a version of themselves for others and enjoys a mix of glitzy escapism and snarky social commentary.
Parent Prep
Be ready to discuss the ethics of corporate surveillance and body autonomy. The book touches on the idea of a corporation 'owning' a person's image and physical form, which can lead to a conversation about privacy in the digital age and the ethics of corporate control over an individual. The book is a breezy read, though parents should be aware it is the second in a trilogy. A parent might reach for this for a child who enjoys stories about staying true to oneself while navigating high-pressure social environments or corporate satire.
Age Experience
Younger readers will enjoy the 'Freaky Friday' style body-swap humor and the glamour of the setting. Older readers will better appreciate the biting satire of celebrity culture and the ethical dilemmas of the sci-fi elements.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many 'makeover' stories, this is a 'takeover' story where the protagonist actively resists the superficial world she's been thrust into, using her intellect rather than her looks to solve problems.
Read plot summary
Emerson Watts is still adjusting to life inside the body of teen supermodel Nikki Howard after a life-saving brain transplant. While she tries to maintain her grades and her relationship with her best friend Christopher, she is pulled deeper into the dark corporate world of Stark Enterprises. The story follows Em as she travels to exotic locations for shoots, deals with Nikki's social baggage, and begins to realize that the company that 'saved' her has a much more sinister agenda than just selling clothes.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Emerson feels like an imposter in Nikki's body. Have you ever felt like the person people see on the outside isn't the real you?
2
Stark Enterprises treats Nikki like a product rather than a person. Where do we see people being treated like products in our world today?
3
Christopher is the only one who knows Em's true identity. How does having one person who truly knows her change how Em handles her new life?
4
If you could trade lives with a celebrity for a month, but had to deal with their 'creepy' past mistakes, would you do it?
