cover image All You Are

All You Are

Elizabeth Karre. Lerner/Darby Creek, $7.95 trade paper (120p) ISBN 978-1-4677-4477-5

A mysterious figure, “some kind of black guy fairy godmother,” appears in Da’Quan’s dream, offering him an unusual way to break into the popular crowd, in one of four novels launching the Gift series, written at a fourth-grade level. Da’Quan receives the gift of “channeling,” enabling him to tune in to another person’s essence. As a result, he acquires his friend Daniel’s basketball skills, Shaquetta’s fashion sense, and Terrell’s comic antics. With this supernatural boost, Da’Quan sits at the cool lunch table and lands the girl he’s been crushing on, but channeling also gives him negative traits like insecurity, anger, and inappropriate outspokenness. The story’s friendships, family dynamics, and high school setting ring true as Da’Quan learns that trying to be his best self is the better play. Simultaneously available: Calling the Shots, Certain Signals, and No Regrets. Ages 11–18. (Nov.)