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A WORLD WORTH SAVING

Kyle Lukoff

A trans kid learns just how powerful he can be in the face of dangers both natural and supernatural in this powerful new book from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Too Bright to See.
When A's friend Yarrow goes missing, he knows it has everything to do with Save our Sons and Daughters. The organization markets themselves as a support group for parents with trans kids, but SOSAD does little more than push fears of a nonexistent "transgender craze," and take every opportunity to turn parents against their children. While Yarrow's dissapearance is shocking, it's not altogether surprising; kids have been disappearing from the group for weeks. Still, A never suspected that there was anything supernatural about it, until he finds himself face-to-face with a real-life golem - a creature brought to life by a rabbinic ritual. Turns out, Yarrow's disappearance is bigger than SOSAD, A's transphobic parents, or even the rash of anti-trans bills racing through state legistlatures across the country. Sheydim - demons from Jewish mythology - who feed on the darkness in the world, are stirring. And the rise in transphobia is serving up an endless buffet. The golem is convinced that A can help unravel the thread of evil weaving through the world. But how is one trans kid who hasn't even chosen a full name supposed to save his friend, let alone the whole world? Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became a Brother also won the Stonewall. He has forthcoming books about mermaids, babies, apologies, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian.
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Published 2025-02-04 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Comments

Lukoff both explores and then subverts the chosen-one trope through A's battle with his personal demons.The resolution is both honest and hopeful. Powerful and awakening.

Protests, politics, and hate are given a magical form, adding layers of visual understanding and a bit of distance from the pain of these experiences. A must-purchase; this is a timely title for middle school students as well as parents, teachers, and librarians who are looking for powerful mirrors or windows into trans experiences.

Lukoff crafts a stunning powerhouse of fantasy and real-world issues.This is an excellent choice for anyone who is looking for Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White for a middle-grade audience.

Satisfying [and] horror-tinged.This superb fantastical adventure tackles serious real-world problems faced by queer youth via unique interpretations of Jewish mysticism that, paired with A's powerfully raw emotional journey, further flesh out the thrilling plot.

Kyle Lukoff has given us something rare and beautiful a novel that combines wondrous fantasy, searing real-world relevance, and a frank empathetic understanding of the adolescent experience that hits so viscerally I can only compare it to the way my generation experienced Judy Blume. The way Lukoff combines these elements in a page-turning adventure is nothing short of magic!