Cover and Interior Illustrations by Amy Nguyen
Published by Walker Books
Skylar and the K-pop Headteacher is a sparklingly fun, heartwarming adventure where friendship, family and K-pop fandom harmonise perfectly.
Eleven-year-old Skylar and her best friend, Dana, are enthusiastic, loyal superfans of K-pop sensation, AZ8. Unable to attend their upcoming concert, they have planned to watch their comeback video at Dana’s house. When her parents won’t allow Skylar to go to Dana’s house, she shows her frustration, and is grounded for a week with her AZ8 merchandise being confiscated and watching their online videos banned.
The only item Skylar has managed to keep is her bunny ears hat, a replica of the one worn by her favourite member of the band. When she is caught wearing it by super-strict headteacher, Ms Callus, it is also confiscated. This proves the last straw for Skylar who is fed up with grown-ups telling her what to do, so she decides to confront Ms Callus to get her hat back. But Skylar gets a lot more than she bargains for when she wishes she was in charge … and finds that she has switched bodies with her headteacher.
And so begins a brilliantly funny, fast-paced adventure as Skylar’s love for dancing and AZ8 doesn’t diminish despite the aches and pains of her 71-year-old body, and leads to her uploading a video which goes viral … but will Ms Callus welcome the internet fame? Be prepared for lots of giggles as an impulsive 11-year-old must take on the responsibility of running a school and changing its strict rules whilst maintaining her dedication to her favourite boyband. Will she be prepared to risk being stuck in the wrong body for the opportunity to meet her favourite K-pop band?
This story has some wonderful messages around following your dreams no matter your age, self-belief, empathising with others, environmental activism, and the importance of family and friendship. I really liked the friendship between Skylar and Dana which felt really genuine with their falling out, making up and shared obsession with AZ8. I also liked that Skylar, through her absence, really learns to appreciate her family and their close bond.
A delightfully fun and warm-hearted adventure guaranteed to find its own fandom in readers of 9+.
Skylar and the K-pop Headteacher by Luan Goldie (£7.99, Walker Books) is available now.
Luan is an award-winning author and a former primary school teacher – her
exceptional voice and sharp, witty dialogue combine with her knowledge of exactly what makes her young readers giggle to make a perfectly laugh-inducing read for both kids and grown-ups.
Thank you to Lorraine Keating and Walker Books for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for providing me with a copy of Skylar and the K-pop Headteacher in exchange for my honest opinion.
Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:
Book Craic 