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Airhead

Credits

Readability Age Range

Publisher

Awards

Year Published

Book Review

This book has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine. It is the first book in the “Airhead” series.

Plot Summary

When a plasma screen TV falls on Emerson (Em) Watts and Nikki Howard dies of a brain aneurism, Em’s brain is transplanted into Nikki’s body. Em must live as 17-year-old Nikki and change from a feminist academic who loves video games to an international model who dropped out of high school.

Christian Beliefs

None

Other Belief Systems

Em is a feminist who believes that cheerleading and modeling are demeaning to women. Nikki’s best friend, Lulu, believes there was a spirit transfer between Emerson Watts and Nikki Howard. Lulu has another theory that all men fall in love with women, and it’s up to women to be responsible about which man they’ll let fall deeper in love with them. Em tries following this advice, and it is somewhat successful. The corporation that paid for the transplant believes that money and power rule the world.

Authority Roles

Em’s parents agree to the procedure that saves their daughter’s life, and they know they have to give up all rights to her as their daughter. They love their children. Em receives her training in feminism from her mother. Em in Nikki’s body takes charge of her own life, but she still lets herself be guided by those who are just as confused as she is. Lulu, who was Nikki’s friend, is a liberated minor, and she guides Em as she guided Nikki before. As a result, the girls go to a dance club, stay up late, play with the each other’s (and boys’) emotions and participate in other activities that show Lulu’s immaturity as an authority figure.

Profanity & Violence

God’s name is taken in vain throughout the book by most of the main characters. A plasma screen TV is pelted by paintballs, which causes it to fall on Em and destroy her body. Protesters attack Em as Nikki as she and her entourage enter a corporate building for a photo shoot, but security guards keep them safe.

Sexual Content

Although Em is trained not to sleep around with boys, she is also told to use a condom if she does. In Nikki’s world, sleeping with a boyfriend, someone else’s boyfriend and boys that kiss well are commonplace. As Em puts a stop to this in her new life, she finds that Nikki’s body still reacts to the kissing as if it were instinctive. Em uses her mind to control her body’s urges. When Lulu finds out that Nikki has been sleeping with her boyfriend (before Em is Nikki), Lulu isn’t upset. Lulu likes the expensive guilt-gifts her boyfriend gives her as a way to cover his indiscretions.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books.

Additional Comments

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Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.