Da’Quan has never quite broken into the popular crowd at school; but when a strange dream-character gives him the ability to channel other’s thoughts, Da’Quan is surprised by what he can learn from them. Da’Quan would do anything to be in with “them”—the ones having the best time at lunch, going to the best parties, and getting the hottest girls like Ashantay. When the mysterious guy gives him the gift of channeling, he begins to work his way into the inner circle. Da’Quan channels Terrell’s cool traits and gets the girl of his dreams and becomes very popular. The beginning is a bit boring, but the book picks up from the middle to the end and should hold readers’ attention. This title is part of a new series, “The Gift.” Reviewer: Paulette Bell; Ages 12 up.
This series is for struggling and/or dormant readers in middle or junior high school. The titles feature a character that appears in the dreams of the protagonists, offering to grant one wish needed to help them accomplish a goal, usually linked to becoming popular. The central conflict involves whether the main character uses the gift in responsible ways. All You Are presents Da’Quan, a young man starving to be popular. He asks the dream character, called Dude in this volume, to give him the ability to channel, or usurp, other people’s talents. In All You Are, the dream character’s voice is muted and readers are told more than they are shown. Both books lack multi-dimensional characters, engaging plots, and interesting conflicts. While the books in this series may not be high-interest, they are short, easy to read, and filled with typical, but realistic, concerns to which young adults can relate. (The Gift) Reviewer: KaaVonia Hinton; Ages 11 to 15.
2014-10-06
This entry in the new paranormal series The Gift focuses on Da'Quan, who wants to become more popular and maybe even have a chance with Ashantay. In this series, teens select a paranormal gift that may—or may not—help them. Da'Quan chooses the ability to channel traits from other people, not realizing that he might get not only their positive traits, but their negative ones as well. He's only an average basketball player, but when he channels Daniel's superior ability, he easily owns the court. However, he also finds that he's become terribly insecure around other people. Later he channels Shaquetta's fashion sense, but he can't stop himself from commenting on others' fashion mistakes. He channels Terrell's comedic abilities but gains yet another problem. Can Da'Quan find romance with Ashantay before he damages his social life? Karre writes directly to an African-American teen audience, but there's plenty to attract a wider one. The paranormal twist in the book will entice readers, but the important content is Da'Quan's evolution from a rather shy boy into a more self-confident, assured young man who knows himself and doesn't need the constant buzz of popularity to give him worth. And there's a bit of romance as Da'Quan pursues Ashantay. An entertaining and surprisingly hefty slim read. (Paranormal fiction. 12-18)
09/22/2014
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.)
