ISBN: 978-0064400466
Before it was a movie starring Lindsay Lohan, and before it was a movie starring Gabby Hoffman, and even before it was a movie starring Jodie Foster, it was a book. A book about magic, surprises, and family.
Thirteen-year-old Annabel is our hero—she’s smart, sassy, and outspoken, and she can’t wait to grow up. Tired of all of the injustices she experiences (annoying parents, unfair teachers, a pesky little brother), Annabel finds herself, the morning after a big fight with her mother, transformed into her mother. She now must fool everyone long enough until she can figure out how to get back into her body again.
Along the way, we meet Ben, (the aforementioned pesky younger brother, otherwise known as Ape Face), Annabel’s loving but slightly distracted father, and Boris, the upstairs neighbor who cooking specialty is meatloaf—or something like it. We meet Principal Dilk and the evil English teacher Mrs. McGurk, but mostly we watch Annabel grapple with the responsibilities and freedom of adulthood. Between picking Ben up from school, attending parent-teacher conferences, and breaking the washing machine, there’s not as much time for fun as Annabel expected.
We learn that speaking up against injustice is something that adults can do too, and that being a 13 year old can be kind of fun—especially when you’ve got your mother’s credit cards. We learn that Sugar Coated Snappy Crackles are sometimes the perfect breakfast—and that little brothers might not be so bad after all
With surprising plot twists along the way, freaky Friday is a great ride. Originally published in 1972, some of the slang and pop culture references are outdated, but the story is timelessly winning. A great selection for young tweens, especially those who have enjoyed Ramona’s antics and are ready for something more mature.
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