Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Gifted #1

by Marilyn Kaye

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Queen of Mean Amanda Beeson, 13, gets the shock of her life when she wakes up one morning to find herself in the body of one of her victims, Tracey Devon. Amanda discovers that Tracey, ignored at home and school, has the ability to become invisible. When Amanda finds herself in a special class that Tracey usually attends, it becomes clear that at Meadowbrook Middle School the definition of ""gifted"" has a whole other meaning. Can Amanda rescue her one-time target from obscurity and get her own life back on track? In order to do so, she will have to reveal her own startling gift and take her rightful place among Meadowbrook's very secret clique.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Supernatural, Magic, Middle Grade

240 pages, Library Binding

First published February 2, 2009

About the author

I was born in New Britain, Connecticut, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I also spent a year (5th grade) in Montgomery, Alabama, and a year in Ann Arbor, Michigan(8th grade). As a child, I always wanted to be a writer, but I had lots of other ambitions too. I wanted to be a teacher, a librarian, a movie star, the president of the United States, and a ballerina.

I didn't achieve all my goals. I never became a movie star, the president of the U.S., or a ballerina. But I've been a teacher and a librarian and most of all, a writer. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always kept a diary. I wrote poems, stories, plays, songs and lots of letters. Writing wasn't easy for me, but it felt natural and right.

I've always read a lot, too. I was an English major at Emory University (I love Shakespeare), and I also received a master's degree in library science at Emory. I earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, and I taught children's and teen literature at St. John's University in New York for over 20 years. Now, I'm a full-time writer, living in Paris, France - the most beautiful city in the world.

Reviews

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

So my niece started this Disney TV movie about middle school characters who possess some sort of supernatural psychological powers and it so happened that I was seating on the couch and was ready to start a new book but I couldn’t concentrate on it because of the TV so I ended up watching with my niece instead. The whole time though, I was pestering her about the lack of a certain character’s personality, a missing background detail, a cheesy dialogue, predictable plot and so on even though the whole time I was also secretly very much amused and entertained.

The scenario above pretty much sums up my reading experience of this book. ;)

Do check out my big sister's review. She enjoyed it even more!^^

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story of a 13 year old teenager,Amanda Beeson,the MC here,who goes to Meadowbrook Middle School. She is the ruler of the school because of her meanness and spitefulness..this is why she was generally acknowledged as the "queen bee". The person she constantly bully is Tracey Devon, as she's one of the most picked on girls in the school,and the one who always disappear in class.

One day,when Amanda starts feeling sorry for Tracey,strange things happened to Amanda..She woke up on a bed,in a room she doesn't recognize(no photos or picture frames hanging on the wall,no decors,no nothing but a boring,simple room). And when she looked at herself in the mirror,she saw a different face..She is looking at TRACEY DEVON! And that's when she knew that after 8 long years,she once again inhabited someone else's body.

Confusing as it was for Amanda/Tracey,she finds herself in one of Tracey's classes where she never knew existed,because it was a "Special Class" for students who has special abilities, they call 'GIFTS'. And in this class did she meet Jenna, Ken, Emily, Sarah, Charles, Martin, and Carter-people she couldn't believe have strange powers(like in a fantasy/movies,like X-MEN and Japanese cartoons),people who weren't supposed to exist anywhere in the real world. And it suddenly dawned on her what kind of psycho-freak was Tracey?

I got this book from my sister AJ's new collection,where you can easily choose from because the books were neatly and properly piled on the shelf(way to go dear sis!)
I picked this one out,because of the title(it's intriguing)..and I think the girl in the cover's really pretty!

If you're looking for a light and easy read,this book's for you! I rated it 4-star because it ended too soon! Good thing,there's a sequel!^^

[Ivana Oltovska · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series and although Amanda Beeson is a queen bee and a bad girl I totally am in love with the story, and the characters... :)

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda has it all. She is the most popular 8-th grader, she is queen bee and the school is her queendom, but Amanda has a secret that could literally change her. Every time she feels sorry for someone else she ends up inside their body. And her latest target of sadness is Tracey the most insignificant girl in the whole school. When Amanda finds herself tapped into Tracey's body she soon realizes that Tracey is special, just like a few other kids in the school, she is gifted. But gifted kids have more to worry about than cold parents that pay you no attention, there are people out there that want to use them.

This book was a pleassant surprise. It was a very fast read with great promise for the future books of the series. I really enjoyed the gifted kids and the way Amanda had to navigate herself through Tracey's life. She had to straggle with every day problems all the while trying to find a way out of the other girl's body.

I especially liked how Jenna, another gifted, came close with Amanda and they became friends even though they were totally different, or at least they wanted to believe they were. I can't wait to see what more will happen with these kids.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine if one of your worst nightmares came true ? How would you cope , what would you do to fix it ? Meet , Amanda Benson she is the Queen Bee of the local high school. She is the IT Girl. Being the IT girl and Queen Bee , comes with alot of responsibilities and some of those are the not -so-nice tasks of bullying those in what you call the "social rejects or loser pile". One of the girls who is a constant target for Amanda's bullying is a girl called Tracey Devon. When Amanda starts to feel sorry for Tracey , strange things start to happen and Amanda somehow ends up in Tracey's body as we discover Amanda has the gift of body snatching. As Amanda tries to discover a way out of Tracey's body , things start to go a little haywire as Tracey starts to fade into the background more and more until she has disappeared completely as Tracey too has been hiding a secret - she has the power to go invisible. Can Amanda bring Tracey out of the darkness and bring light and happiness to Tracey's life and in doing so, will Amanda be able to examine what it's really like to walk in somebody's shoes.
A great start to a wonderful series about a group of misfits - it reminded me of The Breakfast Club who have been brought together as they have one thing in common - they all have special abilities

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really tried to like the book, but I had a few issues with it. First, Amanda didn't really learn from her experience and that bothered me.It seemed like she when through this whole experience and was still the same person. Second, even though this book was the beginning of a series, the plot moved too slow and I found myself swamped with a lot of characters and no information that would want to keep me interested in learning more about them. Regardless, I will try to read the next book and give it a second chance. I didn't have a favorite character, so let's hope Jenna story will keep me interested....

[Jazzie Suknanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the friction of eigth-grade, thriteen year old Amanda Beeson is the Queen of Mean at her middle school, and for a good reason! Amanda has, what some people may cal an obscure disorder, the ability to transport her mental body/emotions into another person's just by feeling a certain way for them. then one day Amanda sports "nerdy" Tracey Devon and while Amanda's friends pick on Tracey Amanda can't help but feel a tinge of pity for Tracey. Quickly amanda forces herslef to stop thinking about Tracey and to stop feeling sorry for this undeserving girl. However, it's too late and the next morning when Amanda wakes up, she doesn't wake up as Amanda Beeson-She wakes up in the body of poor Tracey Devon! Throughout the book It is described of Tracey's lifestyle at home-how her parents hardly know she's there and with the birth of Tracey's septuplet sister three years ago (the Devon Seven they're called) Tracey recieves even less attention. Amanda must act like Tracey so as not to raise suspicions. she must attend the classes Tracey attends and respond the way tracey would respond. one day following Tracey's schedule Amanda must attend an unfamiliar class with a teacher named madame. it is a special class where the seven students attending are supposed to be "gifted". There is Emily who has the ability to see the future and predict things, Jenna, the goth girl at school, who can read people's thoughts, Charles who, though wheelchair bound, can move things with his mind and emotion (telekenisis), Ken (the boy Amanda kissed once) who recieves messages from the deceased, Sarah, who could control the actions of other people, Carter, the boy who was always quiet but apparently suffered from amnesia, and apparently Tracey whose gift, Amanda figures out, is to turn invisible. Jenna figures out what goes on with Amanda and promises that she would not tell anyone about Amanda's "switch" if Amanda promies not to reveal Jenna's home condition (her father is gone and her mom gets drunk with friends and buys lottery tickets promising to win for the family). With a little hypnosis from an unsuspecting teacher's assistant, Serena, in a twisted hall of faith Amanda is able to reside in the body of her own self while Tracey is herself as well.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda Beeson was a really mean popular girl. Her gift(which didn't want anyone to know about) was she could change into somebody else's body, but she can't control it. When she feels sorry for someone she automatically takes control of their body. So that's why she is so mean.
When Amanda sees Tracey Devon she feels sorry for her because her clothes, her hair, and pretty much everything. She tries to tell her self not to feel sorry for her, and she thinks it works until she wakes up as Tracey. Well what Amanda finds out is there are others like her. They can't do the same thing but they have different gifts. Tracey can turn invisble, so that's why Amanda can never remember seeing her around.
Amanda turns Traceys' life into something worth living for. Usaully Traceys' parents ignore her but since Amanda took over they relize this whole time they had been neglecting their daughter. So as Amanda tries to get back in her body she helps alot of people on her way. When she gets back in her body she is kinda the same but in some ways different.

[Temi Panayotova-Kendeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.writingis.fun/%D0%B4%D0%B5...

Днес ще ви говоря за една малко стара поредица, на която за жалост няма да можем да прочетем книги 3,4 и 5, тъй като беше спряна доста отдавна. И все пак е доста бърза и приятна за прочит и може лесно да се намери - особено по време на панаира на книгата (винаги има намалени бройки - така аз се сдобих с моите). Тъй като сега наваксвам с книги, от преди няколко години, дойде времето да отметна и тези. Предстои ви едно комбинирано и дълго ревю - с информация за сюжета от неиздадените при нас книги!

[Emilija · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the plot of this book is pretty decent - gifted kids trying to learn how to control themselves and get through school and all the drama.

But the writing felt quite slow and because there were so many characters introduced, many of whom felt quite two dimensional, I found myself switching off a little. It was made worse by the fact that the main character, Amanda, doesn’t really learn anything by the end of the novel. Amanda at the beginning and Amanda at the end were basically the same, which makes reading the novel feel like a waste of time.

[Kaushila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thirteen year old Queen-of-mean Amanda Beeson, wakes up one morning in the wrong body. She's become lonely, unfashionable Tracey Devon - one of Amanda's targets for bullying. Amanda discovers that Tracey, ignored at home and at school, has the ability to turn invisible. Amanda sets out to rescue her one-time victim from obscurity - as well as rescuing herself from Tracey's life!


I thought the plot, Serena using Emily's power to predict the lottery numbers is just... I mean come on if you could see the future is that something that you really would do. In my opinion the plot something the author clearly didn't think thought and make up at the moment and hasn't had time to properly think thought the plot and what the characters should have learn at the end of the novel , and to top it off the Amanda is back to her old ways as if the what happened in the book didn't happen at all. which begs the question why Amanda didn't learn anything enough to change her ways it's almost like scrooge getting visited at Christmas and not learning the anything about what happened to change.
BUT people might think different the about the book

[Line Skori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It´s really well sooted for very young teens. As in the age of 10-15 maybe :)
Easy read and not that many pages :)
You always wanted to keep on reading to find out were Tracy were and if Amanda would ever turn back to herself.
+ You wanted to know if she ends up with the rest of the guys from special class :)
But you have to read to find out ;)
Really good book. The first think I thought when I finished it was. Damn.. why didn´t I buy the second book also..So now I need to find that one to :P

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the whole idea of the story and the world the author built. But it was kind of bland and cliché for me. After all the books I've read this one is interesting but the writing style seems to be for 12-year-olds..

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted is a book that has something for everyone to love. It has fantasy, drama, mystery, and a tad bit of romance. The characters are amazing and the story line is even better. You read on as the queen bee of Meadowbrook Middle School, Amanda, accidentally takes over the body of a "gifted" nobody named Tracy Devon. It's exciting as it has readers guessing what it will happen to Tracy and if Amanda will ever make it back to her own body. The plot goes on and Amanda realizes that she's not the only one with powers and that the most popular boy in school is in the gifted program and has a few secrets of his own.

[Ilovereading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of Sight, Out of Mind is a nice read. It's not too light and cute, but it isn't extremely intense and detailed either. Amanda is the Queen of Mean at Meadowbrook Middle School. She is the most popular, snobby girl around for miles, and she makes use of it to her biggest advantage. She has a secret, though: when she feels sympathy for someone, she automatically jumps into their bodies. Tracey is the obvious subject for her teasing, as she dresses horribly, is extremely shy and defenseless, and feels horrible all the time. However, Amanda feels a shard of sympathy for Tracey, and then bam-she becomes Tracey. Once Amanda gets a glimpse of Tracey's real life at home, she understands why Tracey is so hermit like all the time at school. Her parents pay her no attention at all after having septuplets. In fact, I specifically remember that once, in the book, a reporter asked Tracey's mother something, and Tracey's mother replied with something talking about her "seven children," even though she really has eight. Amanda improves Tracey's life by getting her new clothes and giving her a bolder attitude at school. However, that attracts the attention of Jenna, a girl who really acts tough but is a total softie on the inside. The kids with powers like Amanda's also have another problem-someone in their "gifted" class is betraying them, and that traitor is causing people to use their powers to their advantages, including the student teacher who shows up to use the kids' gifts to her advantage. Who is the mysterious traitor? I haven't really introduced any of the characters except Amanda, Tracey, and Jenna, so even if I told you, it wouldn't make a lot of sense, but I recommend you read the book to find out. I didn't have any complaints for the book-it was a great read. The characters were well developed, and the author's writing style is unique and intriguing.

[Pei Zhi Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda Beeson was just another snobby, popular girl at Meadowbrook Middle School. Although, she has a special gift. When she feels sympathetic for someone, she will find herself in that person's body for a few minutes, maybe even hours. When she meets Tracey Devon, a girl who was unnoticed and simply lost at that school, Amanda immediately feels sorry for her. The next morning, she finds herself stuck in Tracey's body. Amanda wasn't worried though because she was sure she'll be back in her body soon. Throughout the day, she notices how Tracey's life is like. She seems to be a nobody because the bus driver closed the door in her face. Even her own family doesn't seem to notice her. Tracey goes to a class where 'special' kids go. The kids there can't control their gifts, and each one of them has a different gift. In that class, there was a girl named Jenna, who was able to read people's minds, and she found out that Amanda was in Tracey's body. With the help of Jenna, Amanda finds out that Tracey can turn invisible. Eventually, Amanda decides to improve Tracey's life because she has been in Tracey's body for quite a few days, and she doesn't know how much longer she would have to stay in there. She ends up changing Tracey's looks, in a good way, and with Amanda's help, her family starts to care about her, and the bus driver says good morning to her.

I picked this book up because the cover of the is book caught my eye, mainly because of the colour.

I finished this book because I wanted to find out if Amanda was going to return to her own body and if she was going to change to a better person.

I think my friend Mary would like this book because she reads book like this and I think she would enjoy this book.

[Librariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ages 10+ (no language or romance, some older kids are caught shoplifting, an adult drinks and parties)

When Queen Bee Amanda feels any sympathy for another person, she ends up in their bodies. Usually just for a few minutes, sometimes for a few hours, but it is NOT something that she wants happening. So she copes by being mean. Especially to people like quiet, bland and drab as dishwater, socially invisible Tracey Devon. Then one day she wakes up in Tracey's body and she can't switch back.

Tracey is part of a class of 'special' kids at their middle school, and Amanda's about to learn exactly what special means: she's in class with psychics, telekinetics, mind-readers and kids who can communicate with the dead. Tracey, her host? She can become invisible. Plus she's got to cope with Tracey's parents, who act like she doesn't exist, and septuplet younger sisters.

Jenna "the vampire" can read people's minds. She lives in a housing project with her mom who drinks too much and keeps up her bad girl reputation by dressing goth and keeping people at arm's length. But her gift means that she knows that Tracey's not the same person she used to be. She's determined to find out what happened.

The two girls strike up an unlikely alliance when a student teacher arrives in the gifted class and begins behaving suspiciously.

Middle school mean girls, special powers, body swapping all add up to a fun, younger version of The Summoning series. More than a few unanswered questions linger at the end of the book. I'd definitely read the two titles that follow.

[Tamora Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda, Queen Bee of her middle school, has a fatal flaw. If she feels sorry for someone, she ends up inside that person, living their life, feeling their emotions. She compensates by being mean to everyone, and feels safe, until the day she feels sorry for stoop-shouldered, soft-spoken, forever-at-the-ladder's-bottom Tracey--and wakes up as Tracey, the forgotten older sister of septuplets. She also learns Tracey has a strange gift--no one ever sees her. Even when they should see her, no one sees her. Tracey is not only invisible in the school pecking order, she can be just plain invisible. She is also in a "gifted" class with mind reader and resident Goth Girl/criminal Jenna, who quickly learns why Tracey has become more confident and outspoken. Amanda is shocked to learn the other gifted classmates all have strange powers--telekinesis, destruction, clairvoyance, reading the future.

This is pretty much the story of these three girls, as Amanda struggles to return to her spoiled, mean, privileged life while demanding more rights and remaking Tracey's look. It's a fun, breezy read, and it was really just as well that I could run right out and get the second book, because I finished the first one in a day!

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little predictable, but a fairly harmless book about nine students with extraordinary abilities who learn to use their 'gifts' to help others. Mean queen Amanda suddenly becomes the people she feels sorry for, which is why she fears being kind to anyone. But she slips up and becomes school nobody Tracey Devon who has practically disappeared from everyone's notice since the arrival of her septuplet siblings. Amanda is snobbish and excessively patronising, but she does try to make Tracey stand up for herself. She tentatively befriends tough girl Jenna who has plenty of insecurities of her own with her irresponsible party-loving mother, drug-dealing and shop-lifting 'friends', and the constant threat of being sent to foster care. But together they learn more about themselves and how to improve their lives. Nothing terribly deep, but relatively harmless and a basically positive message. Suited to reluctant readers.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little predictable, but a fairly harmless book about nine students with extraordinary abilities who learn to use their 'gifts' to help others.

Mean queen Amanda suddenly becomes the people she feels sorry for, which is why she fears being kind to anyone. But she slips up and becomes school nobody Tracey Devon who has practically disappeared from everyone's notice since the arrival of her septuplet siblings.

Amanda is snobbish and excessively patronising, but she does try to make Tracey stand up for herself. She tentatively befriends tough girl Jenna who has plenty of insecurities of her own with her irresponsible party-loving mother, drug-dealing and shop-lifting 'friends', and the constant threat of being sent to foster care.

But together they learn more about themselves and how to improve their lives. Nothing terribly deep, but relatively harmless and a basically positive message. Suited to reluctant readers.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a bit of a let down...with the recent surge of paranormal for teens and adults alike i had high expectations....i should have a. found out more about the book and b. gotten as many of the books that are currently published to read all at one time...this was the very beginning and the storyline line definitely needs to be continued in subsequent books cause there was little resolution...the main character didn't grow at all...the main conflict was resolved with a blow to the head that seemed anti-climatic...i'm trying to give the book the benefit of the doubt since it is only the first of a proposed 9(?) book series and it was written for middle schoolers which i wasn't expecting at all...i had assumed it was for the teen crowd...i'm off to find book 2 to see if it gets any better

[Kavi (kit kat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

13 year old Amanda Beeson has a secret. She is gifted. Every time she feels sorry for someone, her soul gets trapped in that person's body. The only way to get out is to make things better for them. The newest victim of Amanda is Tracy Devon, who is ignored at school, and even at home. As soon as Amanda gets trapped inside Tracy's body, she finds out that she is not the only one who is gifted.

The gifted series consist of 6 fun-to-read books. All about different kids who have different gifts. I read this book a couple of years ago and re-read it today. Still one of my all-time favorites :D

[Tytiana Belton]

Gifted is about 9 teenagers who go to the same school and are in this gifted class because they have extraordinary powers. Amanda Beeson is "The Queen Bee" at Meadowbrook Middle School. Amanda Beeson is a body snatcher, well technically she doesn't want to be but she is. Amanda is cruel to everyone she meets because if she starts to feel sorry for them then she will literally be in their shoes. In the book she starts to feel sorry for Tracey Devon and the next morning she woke up as her. She soon found out that Tracey had the ability to become Invisible. She met Jenna Kelly who at first she was scared of but then became fond of. Jenna helped Amanda get out of Tracey's body.

[Athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually not one to read books involving Queen Bees and characters who are in middle school, but to my surprise, I got absorbed in the book and finished it in one sitting.
Without giving anything away, the characters in 'Gifted' are people who have interesting back stories and unique personalities, which remain unexplored and make each of them mysterious. I hope to learn more about each in later books.
It had a great anti-climax, but not the greatest climax. I felt dissatisfied with this, but overall a great quick read and I'll most likely be reading book 2 soon.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

Side note: For some reason, to me the girl on the cover looks very similar to what a young Ronda Rousey might have looked like - maybe it's just me?

I loved this book and series so much when I was in school. I remember asking my mum to get me the next one in the series, so I can continue my reading journey and meet all the gifted kids and their stories. I wish this was made in a TV show - I would definitely watch it, even if just for the nostalgia.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never feel pity for anyone...or you'll wind up being that person. That's the premise of GIfted by Marilyn Kaye. Definately geared towards the younger YA readers. It's okay and this book does not contain sex nor violence. THe ending is predicatable and it will be 9 to the series. Hope the rest gets better.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Никак не очаквах, но книжката всъщност ми хареса. Чете се изключително бързо и лесно и не е въобще натоварваща. Определено става за леко лятно четиво :)

Много ми хареса, че авторката е наблегнала на темата за тормоз в училищата и че всяко едно дете е от значение.

Още повече ми харесаха и елемента с дарбите - малко тип X-men :D

[Tiger Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this book because it was relatable and unreal at the same time.its really annoying though,because each chapter it switches between two characters in the book.it has great details and some drama.overall it was a very good book.

[Victoria Lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading I became very interested in finding out about the characters like what their "gift" is.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to like this so much.
YA fantasy, middle school and all that drama, predictability.
Except... I kinda liked it. And read the next two books in the series.