BEING SLOANE JACOBS

An on-ice case of traded identities.

When Sloane Emily Jacobs, the competitive figure skater from Washington, D.C., literally bumps into Sloane Devon Jacobs, the hockey jock from Philadelphia, the teens see it as more than a freaky coincidence; it’s an opportunity. The chance meeting happens in a Montreal hotel lobby the evening before each teen is to report to an intensive sports camp for her own discipline. However, both girls are dreading their camps, which prompts Sloane Emily to suggest an identity swap. Hilarity ensues as Sloane Emily foregoes leotards and spins for body checking and slap shots, and Sloane Devon adopts toe picks and tights, leaving her sweatpants and swagger behind. Chapters alternate between Sloane Emily’s and Sloane Devon’s perspectives, giving each teen her own voice, personality and the space to unpack her heavy baggage from home, which includes family scandal, parental substance abuse and anger management issues. Although it feels far-fetched in some sections and certain small details of the identity switch don’t quite line up, the two strong teens carry the text, providing an enjoyable, on-ice adventure.

A thoughtful reminder that it is difficult to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes—or in this case, skates.