Skylar and the K-Pop Principal, the first children’s book from Women’s Prize for Fiction-longlistee Luan Goldie, has received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

In the review, the trade magazine wrote:

‘In this body-switching romp à la Freaky Friday, Goldie (Nightingale Point, for adults) deploys all the high-octane energy and devotion inherent to fandom communities and stan culture to present an earnest homage to K-pop. It’s a spirited children’s debut and an empathetic take on finding one’s passion and growing up.’

Skylar is convinced that life for her as an eleven-year-old is way harder than for any adult, including her cranky principal, Ms. Callus. The only good part about being eleven is being a massive K-pop fan, even if her parents do ban her from all things AZ8, the best K-pop boy band in the world. When a freak accident causes Skylar and Ms. Callus to switch bodies, Skylar finds herself trying to convince the world of AZ8’s supremacy, going viral in a K-pop dance video, and somehow running her school, all while stuck in a seventy-one-year-old’s body. And then she gets the chance to meet AZ8 in real life.

With the help of her bestie, Dana, and her own wits and passion, Skylar must decide whether her K-pop dream come true is worth risking being stuck as an old lady forever. A feel-good tale singing with laugh-out-loud moments, Skylar and the K-Pop Principal is a joyful and uplifting story of friendship, fandom, and chasing your dreams.

Skylar and the K-Pop Principal is out now. Grab your audiobook and Kindle copies here or, better, via Bookshop.org. The physical hardcover is due to be released in two weeks: pre-order that here!

Follow Luan Goldie on BlueSky @luangoldie.bsky.social.