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This series by Todd Strasser is described accurately enough on its Wikipedia page. But the sequence there is only generally correct, not actually accurate.

As a kid reading them, I was confused about the intended sequence, and tried to puzzle it together from internal references to earlier books, but never managed to figure out the whole sequence for sure.

As evidence that the sequence on Wikipedia is incorrect, on page 111 of "Help! I'm Trapped in my Lunch Lady's Body" there is reference to the events of "Help! I'm Trapped in my Camp Counselor's Body" though the latter book supposedly came later.

This page shows a rather different order, with the correct relative sequence of the two books I mentioned, but I'm skeptical it's entirely correct especially since it lists "Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer Camp" three times, twice with incorrect titles.

Has anyone worked out all the internal references and the correct sequence of the books?

(Note: I may end up self-answering this question, if no one else can point to a definitive sequence backed by all the internal references. It may be one of those questions where nobody cares but me. But I thought it worth checking first, anyway.)

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  • I usually go with copyright order, unless the author has been particularly careful with the later books.
    – FlaStorm32
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 9:50
  • Found this list on fantasticfiction.com fantasticfiction.com/s/todd-strasser/help-im-trapped
    – sueelleker
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 11:45
  • @sueelleker yes, I linked to that from the question, but it's suspect: it lists one book three times, twice with incorrect titles.
    – Wildcard
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 16:07
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    I have emailed the author. Hopefully he'll respond to let us know. I would assume published order, but perhaps he feels differently.
    – Valorum
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 17:31
  • @Valorum yeah, that sequence isn’t right either, because it puts “movie star” before “camp counselor” which can’t be right according to internal plot references.
    – Wildcard
    Commented Jun 28, 2022 at 19:53

2 Answers 2

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My good friend Todd Strasser was kind enough to answer this question via email.

His response is that the certain books in the series should be read in a fixed order, but that after that, there isn't any particular order that needs to be followed in order to enjoy the remainder of the books.

As best as I can recall, here's the order:

  1. Teacher
  2. First Day of School
  3. Obedience School
  4. Gym Teacher
  5. Principal

After that I don't think it matters. Have fun!

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This is a draft (self) answer; I will expand it as I have time. I'll start by copying in the sequence from Wikipedia, and then correcting it based on internal plot points forcing another order.

Help! I'm Trapped in My Teacher's Body

  • Definitely the first book. This contains the setup of the premise for the rest of the series*, the machine called the "Dirksen Intelligence Transfer System" (DITS), which turns out not to transfer intelligence but rather to swap bodies.

(*The rest of the series except for the two "Groundhog's Day"-style stories, that is.)

Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of School

  • Ms. Rogers and Mr. Dirksen are married in this book (see page 14), which places it right after the first book.

Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School

  • The note at the beginning, before chapter 1, says, "I'm the kid who accidentally switched bodies with his dorky science teacher, and then got stuck in the first day of eighth grade." This places this as the third book and confirms the order of the first two.

Help! I'm Trapped in My Gym Teacher's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in the President's Body

  • Page 57 mentions the main (title) plot points from "...Teacher's Body" and "...Gym Teacher's Body"

Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer Camp

Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School Again

  • Page 21 - mention of the main (title) plot points from "...Obedience School" and the temporary toad swap from page 135 of "...Sister's Body"

Help! I'm Trapped in Santa's Body

  • Some of this story is magically time traveled out of having happened (page 113) so it may not matter too much where it fits in.

  • Andy and Josh know about the DITS at this point (page 69) so it definitely comes after "...Obedience School" where their introduction to the DITS is a main thread of the story.

Help! I'm Trapped in an Alien's Body

  • Page 24 mentions "...Obedience School Again", "...Gym Teacher's Body" and "...President's Body" plot lines.

Help! I'm Trapped in My Camp Counselor's Body

  • Page 7 introduces the mini-DITS, and also mentions the plot lines from "...Obedience School Again", "...President's Body", and "...Alien's Body"

Help! I'm Trapped in My Principal's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in a Movie Star's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in My Lunch Lady's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in a Professional Wrestler's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in a Vampire's Body

Help! I'm Trapped in a Supermodel's Body

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