Hero

 A young adult novel, Hero is the story of Thom Creed, a teenager who is dealing with growing up, discovering his sexual orientation, and the emergence of superpowers. Although it sounds like your typical coming-of-age novel, Hero is unique in the way it goes about this oft-told story. As Maurice Sendak (best known for Where the Wild Things Are) reviews, "Perry Moore brings an enticing new genre to the world of young adult novels." Thom's father is a disgraced former superhero who is also homophobic. So when Thom is asked to join the League (the organization of superheroes that disowned his father), Thom can't say no.

To survive, Thom will have to face challenges he never imagined. To find happiness, he'll have to come to term with his father's past and discover the kind of hero he really wants to be.(inside cover) 

At first, I was unsure if I really wanted to read Hero because I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the story. However, I started reading and was sucked in immediately. I know I write this a lot, but I honestly could not put it down. I was lost in the world of Thom, where superheroes can fly by and no one blinks an eye. Moore, who is gay, said "My passion is infinite for more gay heroes in all genres and in all media" (x). I think he did a superb job of creating a realistic gay character, not overly stereotypical as many TV shows and movies do nowadays. Thom is not your average hero, by any means. His story enraptured me, and I recommend all young adults to read this (adults, it may be a bit out of your demographic). Rating: ★★★★