Greatest Superpower

It’s the summer before high school, and  thirteen-year-old Jorge Fuerte wants nothing more than to spend his days hanging out with his fellow comic-book obsessed friends. But then everything changes. His parents announce they’re divorcing for a reason Jorge and his twin brother, Cesar, never saw coming— their larger-than-life dad comes out as transgender. Jorge struggles to understand the father he’s always admired, but Cesar refuses to have anything to do with him. As Jorge tries to find a way to stay true to the father he loves, a new girl moves into the neighborhood: cool, confident, quirky Zoey. She tames Jorge’s unruly terrier and enlists the terrier and Jorge in a dance routine for the back-to-school talent show. As the date of the show draws near, Jorge must face his fears and choose between being loyal to his brother or truthful about his family’s secret. Although he’s no superhero, Jorge already has the world’s greatest superpower—if he decides to use it.

Alex Sanchez has published nine novels, including the American Library Association “Best Book for Young Adults” RAINBOW BOYS and the Lambda Award-Winning SO HARD TO SAY. His novel BAIT won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Book Award and the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for Young Adult Literature. An immigrant from Mexico, Alex received his master’s in Guidance and Counseling and worked for many years as a youth and family counselor. When not writing, he tours the country talking with teen, librarians, and educators about books, diversity, and acceptance. He lives in East Rochester, New York.

Interest Level: Grades 4-8

Reading Level: Grades 4-8