Oryon

Gr 7 Up—In Drew (Akashic, 2014), Ethan woke up on his first day of high school to discover that overnight he had transformed into a beautiful girl named Drew. Now it's his sophomore year, and he wakes up as a Black teen named Oryon, which is going to raise a whole new set of problems. But being a Changer means that the high school years are going to be even more of an adjustment than it would be for normal ("static") students. Oryon learns the hard way that all the benefits of being a pretty white girl evaporate overnight. Most people liked and trusted Drew without question, but now Oryon becomes very aware of how many people are making assumptions about him because of the color of his skin. Complicating matters even further is Audrey, the girl that Drew fell in love with last year for whom Oryon also has strong feelings. This is an excellent sequel, because it takes the original premise and expands upon it, sinking readers further into the protagonist's head while making them more aware of the forces that are fighting for and against the Changers race. This installment raises the stakes, making the story not just about physical and emotional transformation, but about survival.