Gr 7 Up-Two young men named Arata are in different kinds of trouble. Arata of the Hime clan lives in what appears to be a medieval fantasy world, and he learns that he needs to disguise himself as a girl in order to fulfill an ancient ritual. Years ago his grandmother registered him as female on his birth certificate, and now he has to maintain the ruse and step up to succeed the ruling princess. Meanwhile, in modern-day Japan, Arata Hinohara has just transferred schools and is trying to get a fresh start in life. It is only when another transfer student joins the class that readers learn what he was trying to escape, as Masado Kadowaki is revealed to be one of the boys who mercilessly bullied him at his last school. After both Aratas try to run away from their problemsmedieval Arata is falsely accused of murder, while modern-day Arata becomes a pariah all over againthey exchange places. While at first their situations seem worse than before, it appears that each boy has traits that will help him to fight through the problems of the other. Watase&9;s artwork complements his story well, with lots of dramatic close-ups enhancing the action. While the cover art and description will certainly entice fantasy readers, what really makes this book stand out is the realistic description of modern-day Arata&9;s problems with bullies, which will make his character instantly recognizable and empathetic to modern teens.— Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library