Can't Take That Away
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
"A charming, inspired story about being true to who you are." - Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us
An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.
Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.
Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights--and they refuse to be silenced.
Told in alternating chapters with identifying pronouns, debut author Steven Salvatore's Can't Take That Away conducts a powerful, uplifting anthem, a swoony romance, and an affirmation of self-identity that will ignite the activist in all of us.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A teen dreams of becoming a diva on par with their idol, Mariah Carey, in Salvatore's bighearted debut. High school senior Carey Parker, who is genderqueer and white, is elated to land the lead in their school's production of Wicked—especially since they'll be acting opposite charming, bisexual Cris, who's Filipino and Greek, and whom they have just started dating. When a homophobic teacher stirs up outrage, jeopardizing Carey's spot in the musical, they decide to stand up for themself and, with the help of a new, variously inclusive friend group, become the face of an antidiscrimination movement in their New York hometown. Carey's journey is refreshingly optimistic, informed by LGBTQ history and culture, a supportive therapist, and plenty of Mariah Carey trivia. Carey usually uses they and them pronouns, but their preference sometimes changes; their pronouns are listed at the top of each chapter, further validating their genderqueer identity. Salvatore tackles hard topics such as anti-LGBTQ bullying, suicidal ideation, and grief, but also emphasizes the joy found in community and living one's truth. Ages 12–up.
