Boy 2.0

Starred review from August 1, 2024

Gr 5-8-A thrilling superhero origin story. Win "Coal" Keegan, 13, has just been placed in a new foster home and he takes a walk through the neighborhood to scout locations for his chalk art. A neighbor fires a gun at him and he is chased by the police. Coal is terrified; his fear triggers a family gift and Coal's skin becomes invisible. In his search for the cause behind his newfound power, Coal catches the attention of Mirror Tech Industries and must find his answers before they find him. The McKay kids, his new foster siblings, are quick to rally around Coal as he learns more about his new ability. Friendships new and old bring the perfect amount of levity and humor to a highly suspenseful story. Although this is a superhero tale, Baptiste beautifully weaves in a variety of significant topics like racial justice, science, and mindfulness. The villains' search for Coal resolves itself very quickly at the end, but hopefully the origin story here paves the way for future adventures. Coal and the McKays are cued Black and most other characters are racially ambiguous. VERDICT This is sure to be a hit with fans of the X-Men franchise, but Baptiste's inclusion of real-world topics is the story's true superpower.-Maria Martin

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2024
A Black boy has no reason to trust anyone and a lot to learn about himself. Ever since he was found by a firefighter as a baby 13 years ago, Win "Coal" Keegan has felt alone. He'd hoped that his latest foster parent, Tom, would adopt him, but after Tom's sudden mental health episode, Coal is moved to the McKays' home. They're nice enough, but trusting is hard for "melanin-rich" Coal, a gentle and thoughtful young artist who's experienced more than his share of trauma. One day, when he's chalking the street in commemoration of a young Black woman who was shot during a routine traffic stop, a disgruntled stranger shoots at Coal, triggering an unbelievable response--his skin changes color, camouflaging and protecting him. After Coal eventually opens up to his best friend and the McKay kids, they all get caught up in a world of dangerous secrets, and information about Coal's birth mom and complicated origins emerges. The novel thoughtfully illustrates some of the harsh realities of being a uniquely vulnerable, dark-skinned boy in a world that refuses to see you and the resulting anxiety that can occur. Luckily Coal is surrounded by people who give him the support he needs in ways that are heartwarming and impressive, and they ultimately lead to a positive place. An experiment in grace and care that's as hopeful as it is imaginative.(Science fiction. 9-14)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 15, 2024
Grades 7-10 Understated at the start, Win "Coal" Keegan is transported from one foster home to another. After living in a home with only a single foster parent, Coal is overwhelmed by the McKays' bustling household of five. Though wary that he might be moved again, Coal soon settles in with Jackson and Candace McKay and their children, Aaron, Mari, and Hannah. This seemingly introspective story twists when a frightening incident leads to Coal being pursued by the police. When he hides behind a dumpster, he shockingly turns invisible. Trying to research his newfound ability leads Coal to a biotech company, and his previously unknown past swings into focus. Baptiste (Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos, 2024) combines realistic issues of identity and finding a home with an sf spin, ultimately presenting an absorbing plot. Her characters are thoughtfully multidimensional, from Coal to his supportive foster family to Door, the good-natured and irrepressibly funny best friend. Baptiste neatly contrasts Coal's sense of social invisibility to his actual invisibility, all of which lead him to finding his place in the world.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2024
Win "Coal" Keegan is moving to another foster home; the McKay family seems nice enough, and Coal is relieved that he's remaining at the same school with his best friend, nicknamed Door. After a case of police brutality that leaves a woman dead, Coal processes his emotions in his usual way: making chalk art throughout the neighborhood. He is caught in the act by an irate neighbor and, in the midst of a potentially deadly situation, unexpectedly becomes invisible. Coal and Door work together to discover the source of Coal's newfound ability. Their questions lead them to the company Mirror Tech, where all visitors are encouraged to "find out what you are made of." Coal meets a scientist who guides him down a path that leads to more questions. As he warms up to the McKay family, Coal finds himself in increasingly intense situations with Mirror Tech, compromising his safety as well as his loved ones'. The book's conclusion raises the possibility that Coal's powers defy all scientific explanation. The tone shifts from analytical to heartwarming, with well-rounded characters and witty dialogue; the author's love of literature is also evident, with references to Danez Smith and Chinua Achebe. Baptiste has created imperfect but sympathetic heroes whom readers will champion throughout the story. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 1, 2024

Gr 5-8-"Every hero needs an origin story," the cover shouts. Inside these tracks, versatile Blake reveals how Win Keegan-he prefers "Coal" because that "nickname [is] a test to see what kind of people he was dealing with"-discovered his superpower. In between, Baptiste brilliantly intertwines all the reasons why a young Black boy needs such advantages to survive-from casual microaggressions to fatal police brutality. Thirteen-year-old Coal has already experienced too much loss. He's just arrived at another foster home, this time the loud, inquisitive McKays who, for now, have passed the name test. He's not sure if they're trustworthy enough to reveal how he turned-uhm, invisible-fleeing a stranger's gunshot. At least his best friend believes him. But with next-level scientists and the military tracking him, Coal must admit he can't survive alone. VERDICT Baptiste's perfect pacing plus Blake's addictive narration equals a major (can't resist) Win.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 23, 2024
After 13-year-old Coal Keegan’s foster father experiences a mental health crisis, Coal is sent to live with new foster family the McKays. Though the adults try to make Coal feel welcome, he doesn’t trust them yet, and is still smarting from the last time he thought he’d found a forever home. His new situation sours further when, during Coal’s trek to make a chalk memorial of Allana Hastings, a Black woman killed by law enforcement, he’s threatened at gunpoint and chased by police—and the only reason he escapes is by inexplicably turning invisible. After confiding in his best friend, the boys decide to investigate Coal’s newfound powers. Could their existence be linked to his absent family? And what role does the mysterious company Mirror Tech Industries play in all this? Baptiste (Jumbies) utilizes close third-person narration to sensitively explore Coal’s fears and frustrations surrounding his experiences in the foster care system as well as issues of racism, police brutality, and mental health. The inclusion of sympathetic and well-drawn supporting characters heightens the stakes of this tightly plotted sci-fi thriller. Most characters cue as Black or brown. Ages 10–up. Agent: Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

July 1, 2024
Win "Coal" Keegan is moving to another foster home; the McKay family seems nice enough, and Coal is relieved that he's remaining at the same school with his best friend, nicknamed Door. After a case of police brutality that leaves a woman dead, Coal processes his emotions in his usual way: making chalk art throughout the neighborhood. He is caught in the act by an irate neighbor and, in the midst of a potentially deadly situation, unexpectedly becomes invisible. Coal and Door work together to discover the source of Coal's newfound ability. Their questions lead them to the company Mirror Tech, where all visitors are encouraged to "find out what you are made of." Coal meets a scientist who guides him down a path that leads to more questions. As he warms up to the McKay family, Coal finds himself in increasingly intense situations with Mirror Tech, compromising his safety as well as his loved ones'. The book's conclusion raises the possibility that Coal's powers defy all scientific explanation. The tone shifts from analytical to heartwarming, with well-rounded characters and witty dialogue; the author's love of literature is also evident, with references to Danez Smith and Chinua Achebe. Baptiste has created imperfect but sympathetic heroes whom readers will champion throughout the story.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)