The talent thief

A meteoric collision gives a beleaguered 12-year-old the ability to take on others' talents in an uplifting contemporary fantasy from Thayer (The Double Life of Danny Day). Two years after being seemingly cursed by her grandmother's deathbed wish ("Let the world see my Shining Star"), Tiffany Tudwell often finds herself thrust negatively into the spotlight, not to mention bullied by "evil popularity overlord" Candace Palmer. Attempting to avoid attention, Tiffany stops rocking her funky style and embraces life behind the scenes, successfully coordinating raids in online RPG Warcraft of Empires. She also worries about how her single father will keep both their mobile home and his passion project at the town's struggling planetarium. But after witnessing two meteors' collision, Tiffany finds she can inexplicably borrow others' talents for a short time: she sings like a soloist after holding talented Candace's microphone, and briefly becomes both an expert card shuffler and a "dodgeball ninja." And when a campaign to save the planetarium launches, Tiffany must find a way to help while considering the consequences of her newfound powers. Vividly wrought characters--especially Tiffany's gaming counterparts and her nonagenarian pals at Sunny Vistas Assisted Living--and the protagonist's dryly comic voice contribute to this charming novel's exploration of gifts and friendships. Protagonists read as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Lauren Keller Galit, LKG Agency. (Feb.)

After two meteors collide, Tiffany is able to take on another person's talents, but she has to learn how to use her powers for good. Tiffany lives in a mobile home with her single dad. She used to be more colorful and expressive, but since her grandmother passed away, she's felt cursed. The 12-year-old hides in the shadows, trying to avoid mean girl Candace's bullying. Her social life consists of her school's online video game club and a few old friends at Sunny Vistas Assisted Living who really are old--in their 90s! Maybe her new ability is a corrective measure sent by her grandmother from above? Mimi always called Tiffany her Shining Star, and after all, Tiffany does need help. If she wants to win the fundraiser contest that could save the dilapidated planetarium where her father works, she has to enter the spotlight. There's a lot of heart and humor in this book; Tiffany is a quirky, honest narrator. Initially giddy about her strange new capabilities, she soon faces the ethical consequences of taking another's talents--but talents freely given are another matter. With the support of her gaming club and the shared life experiences of her elderly friends, Tiffany finds her voice and reclaims her confidence. Readers will laugh out loud and be moved to tears as Tiffany proves to be the Shining Star Mimi always said she was. Main characters default to White. A fresh, heartwarming take on self-acceptance and true friends. Huzzah! (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.