Dreadnought

A transgender teenager is transformed into her ideal self after being imbued with the powers of the world's greatest superhero in this thought-provoking first book in the Nemesis series. As the latest iteration of Dreadnought, 15-year-old Danielle is expected to train with the local team, the Legion Pacifica, until she's ready to become a full-fledged hero. Unfortunately, her parents would rather "cure" her and turn her back into Danny, and her reception among the other heroes is mixed at best. Danielle teams up with vigilante heroine Calamity to track down the previous Dreadnought's murderer, only to stumble upon a plan to destroy the human race. In an impressive debut, Daniels skillfully conveys Danielle's pain, confusion, and emotional complexity as she faces a host of detractors and conflicts. While Danielle's supernatural transformation comes off as an easy solution compared to journeys of real-world trans teenagers, the novel's comic-book trappings allow for a fascinating exploration of gender identity in a fantastical setting. Danielle's evolution from confused teen to confident hero is entertaining and inspiring. Ages 12-up. Agent: Saritza Hernandez, Corvisiero Agency. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 9 Up-While many teenagers have a challenging time dealing with school and peer pressure, for 15-year-old Danny Tozer, life is a little more complicated. For starters, she is transgender and living in a world where superheroes and supervillains exist. When Danny unexpectedly becomes the recipient of popular superhero Dreadnought's mantle, the superpowers also transform her body into the female one she has always identified with. Because Danny is not yet an adult, the Legion of Superheroes is divided on how to approach her unique situation. Her father is in denial that his son is now his daughter, and has been verbally abusive toward Danny. A promise of romance adds a further layer when Danny's best friend wants to date her. There are some violent fight scenes when Danny sets off to find Dreadnought's killer. There are also some light moments that offset the deeper questions about establishing identity. VERDICT This first title in the series offers a rich, unusual mix of subjects and themes for fantasy fans.-Vivian Ho, Port Washington Public Library, NY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A transgender teenager is transformed into her ideal self after being imbued with the powers of the world's greatest superhero in this thought-provoking first book in the Nemesis series. As the latest iteration of Dreadnought, 15-year-old Danielle is expected to train with the local team, the Legion Pacifica, until she's ready to become a full-fledged hero. Unfortunately, her parents would rather "cure" her and turn her back into Danny, and her reception among the other heroes is mixed at best. Danielle teams up with vigilante heroine Calamity to track down the previous Dreadnought's murderer, only to stumble upon a plan to destroy the human race. In an impressive debut, Daniels skillfully conveys Danielle's pain, confusion, and emotional complexity as she faces a host of detractors and conflicts. While Danielle's supernatural transformation comes off as an easy solution compared to journeys of real-world trans teenagers, the novel's comic-book trappings allow for a fascinating exploration of gender identity in a fantastical setting. Danielle's evolution from confused teen to confident hero is entertaining and inspiring. Ages 12–up. Agent: Saritza Hernandez, Corvisiero Agency. (Jan.) Copyright 2016 Publisher Weekly Annex.

Gr 9 Up—While many teenagers have a challenging time dealing with school and peer pressure, for 15-year-old Danny Tozer, life is a little more complicated. For starters, she is transgender and living in a world where superheroes and supervillains exist. When Danny unexpectedly becomes the recipient of popular superhero Dreadnought's mantle, the superpowers also transform her body into the female one she has always identified with. Because Danny is not yet an adult, the Legion of Superheroes is divided on how to approach her unique situation. Her father is in denial that his son is now his daughter, and has been verbally abusive toward Danny. A promise of romance adds a further layer when Danny's best friend wants to date her. There are some violent fight scenes when Danny sets off to find Dreadnought's killer. There are also some light moments that offset the deeper questions about establishing identity. VERDICT This first title in the series offers a rich, unusual mix of subjects and themes for fantasy fans.—Vivian Ho, Port Washington Public Library, NY. Copyright 2016 School Library Journal.