A World Worth Saving

Starred review from November 1, 2024
A 14-year-old Ashkenazi Jewish transgender boy harnesses supernatural powers and pursues his world-saving destiny. Every week, A Izenson's parents drag him to Save Our Sons and Daughters, a conversion-therapy group for families with transgender youth. Not many teens last long there before they disappear for "further treatment." After Greek American group member Yarrow, one of A's only friends, meets this fate, A sneaks over to Yarrow's house to find out what happened. When he's caught eavesdropping on Yarrow's parents, a being made of garbage sweeps in to aid his escape. The creature describes itself as a golem, though its origins are a mystery. All the golem knows is that it awoke to help A fulfill his destiny to save Yarrow--and the world--before the end of Yom Kippur. At first, A is certain the golem has chosen the wrong person. But when he rescues his friend Sal, a white butch lesbian trans girl, from a demon who tries to devour her during a SOSAD meeting, he not only embraces his power, but also starts to see himself as a hero and Sal as his sidekick. Lukoff both explores and then subverts the chosen-one trope through A's battle with his personal demons. The story is set in 2023, and the fantasy conflict is grounded in serious real-world problems--the ongoing impact of Covid-19, alarming rates of homelessness and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, and anti-trans legislation. The resolution is both honest and hopeful. Powerful and awakening. (note on research, note on resources)(Fantasy. 10-14)

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Starred review from December 1, 2024

Gr 6 Up-A is a 14-year-old Jewish, trans, panromantic boy whose parents are not supportive of him. They force him to go to meetings of a conversion support group, Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD). The only silver lining of the meetings is being able to make friends with the other teens. At a meeting, his friend Yarrow, who is 16, agender, and uses the name Yarrow instead of pronouns, is taken away by the group leader, and A fears he may be next. At the start of the quest to save Yarrow, A meets a golem who helps him learn about the sheydim behind SOSAD-demons who are feeding off of the suffering of trans folks and the grief and anger of those who don't support trans loved ones. The golem and a visit to A's synagogue provide context and explanation about Jewish folklore and traditions. It is important to note for readers that transphobia is prominent in this book and that it carries significant messages intertwined with the plot's humor and fantasy. Things like 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. Lukoff offers a realistic perspective in the afterword about maintaining safety while navigating resources for trans youth. VERDICT 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.-Taylor Skorski

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 28, 2024
A transgender teen and a golem aim to dismantle a supernaturally evil conversion therapy program in this satisfying horror-tinged novel by Lukoff (Different Kinds of Fruit). After 14-year-old A Izenson comes out as trans, his Jewish parents force him to attend Save Our Sons and Daughters, a “support group” that’s coercing participating members into backing a politician’s crusade against gender affirming healthcare. When agender Yarrow, A’s closest friend in the group, stops attending meetings—ostensibly to undergo further “treatment”—A’s attempts to uncover
Yarrow’s whereabouts lead him to discovering a golem made of trash that claims A must save the world from a growing evil. With the help of an understanding rabbi,
A learns more about banishing sheydim, Jewish demons that seem to be possessing the most ardent anti-trans folks he’s encountered. But as A’s search for Yarrow becomes entangled with his mythical calling, he realizes that the challenges are too great to face alone. 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. Most characters cue as white. Ages 10–14.

Starred review from January 1, 2025
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* A World Worth Saving is not a middle-grade novel that offers answers. Much as protagonist A Izenson, a 14-year-old Ashkenazi Jewish trans boy, wishes for them, this is a story compelled to ask questions instead. Nearly 40 percent of trans youth live in states where there are laws banning gender-affirming care, and through fantasy, Lukoff explores the impact of these laws and other relevant topics.Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD)--that's the name of the anti-trans conversion therapy group that A is forced to attend every week by his parents. Since he came out to them, he's been going by his first initial, A, as he tries to discover the perfect name. But his parents, among many others, have become obsessed with a so-called transgender craze that they're desperate to protect their children from. The only positive to SOSAD is that A met his closest friends there, lesbian trans girl Sal and agender Yarrow--relationships portrayed in a loving, achingly real way. Friendship and chosen family, especially among trans youth, are the beating hearts of this novel.But when Yarrow disappears for further, intensive treatment through SOSAD, A's worry skyrockets. He nearly gets caught eavesdropping on Yarrow's parents, but is saved by an ethereal being with a body composed of garbage--a golem, of mysterious origins. The golem speaks in riddles and offers more questions than answers, but is certain it needs to help A save Yarrow before the end of Yom Kippur. The golem is just a slice of the traditional Jewish folklore intricately woven into the plot, as Lukoff expands on in the author's note. Much of the mythology incorporated is also loosely inspired, as noted powerfully, "from people telling stories." Though the golem frustratingly does not always have the answers for A, and it's harder to distinguish than he'd like between "good" and "evil," these are ultimately intentionally nebulous concepts. This emotional gut punch seeks to show A and the readers a world where everyone is worth saving.After A and the golem save Sal from a demon attack at SOSAD, A becomes more in tune with the things he can see that others can't (a gift from the golem), and with the forces of evil that are conspiring around him. It turns out that the anti-transgender frenzy that has spread to his parents and beyond is no coincidence. Sheydim (demons) are possessing people whom they sense fear and hatred in. These sheydim, or sheyds as they are referred to in the story, have allowed SOSAD to flourish. SOSAD even partnered with local anti-trans politician Congressman Barrow to introduce legislation that will make it illegal for minors to access gender-affirming healthcare, an expertly navigated reflection of the real-world issue of rising transphobia. As A gets deeper into his mission to save Yarrow--and the world--he needs to face his fears, learn to trust people more, and accept help. He and Sal set off with the golem and find themselves unhoused, now that they no longer feel safe going back to live with their parents. They connect with trans teenagers living at the Transhack, a ramshackle but beloved living space that they have DIY'd, as there are no safe shelters left that won't enforce conversion therapy and detransitioning on minors. This speaks to the very real high incidences of homelessness among LGBTQIA+ teenagers, and encourages collective activism and community building as key pillars of resistance against fascism and oppression.Pressures mount though, and A gets frustrated with the challenges of collaboration and the golem's mysterious nature. Stubborn and determined, A crosses the line at times, selfishly hurting his friends, which he...