Hero

Moore, Perry. Hero. New York: Hyperion, 2007.

Thom Creed is obsessed with Uberman. Not only is he the perfect superhero, with the powers of flight, invincibility, and superstrength, but he is incredibly handsome, with an amazing buff body and a kind smile. So when Thom develops a superpower and is asked to audition for the League, he is thrilled to finally meet Uberman in person.

But there’s just one problem. Thom’s dad used to be in the League, but he was kicked out after a horrible accident. Now he hates the League and can’t stand talking about superheroes. Thom has to keep this a secret to avoid hurting his father—just like his sexual orientation.

Hero follows Thom’s adventures as he trains with the League, develops a budding romance with another young man, and navigates his relationship with his father.

I really enjoyed this action-packed book. Thom is a very likeable character, and I really sympathized with his fear of coming out to his dad—both as a superhero and gay. The supporting characters are well-developed; I appreciated the camaraderie that develops between Thom and his new team. And the romance is very sweet and slow-moving; I liked how they communicate and get to know each other.

Hero was a 2007 Lambda Literary Award Winner. I recommend this book for reluctant readers who enjoy superheroes.