A World Worth Saving

Lukoff, Kyle. A World Worth Saving 
February 4, 2025 by Dial Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

A is a trans boy whose parents not only constantly deadname him, but also make him attend meetings of Saving Our Sons and Daunghters (SOSAD), a group where the leader, Joanna, is encouraging parents to not believe their children's gender identities and actively campaigning for parental rights legislation that is against gender affirming treatments. The only thing that makes these meeting bearable is that it is the only time A gets to talk to other kids like himself, especially since there are still COVID restrictions in place. Sal, a trans girl, and Yarrow, who just wants to be known as Yarrow, are especial friends, so when Yarrow is removed from the meet and sent off to get further "treatment", the remaining two feel they might be next, since another member, Lily, disappeared some time ago. A is also dealing with something very odd... a golem has started following him around, talking to him, and telling him not to be afraid. This combination of events compels Sal and A to run away, and they end up dumpster diving for food. There, they meet Razor, who gives them tips and also invites them to stay the night in a basement that several queer teens have used to create the "Transshack". There, they meet Dante, J, Scout, and Ethelle, who share information about the resources available for LGBTQIA+ youth in the Seattle area, many of which are in danger of cuts because of local politician Barrow. The Transshack is crowded, so Sal and A decide to seek shelter at A's synagogue, where they can also ask Rabbi Singer about the Golem. Rabbi Singer has worked with A's family before and understands the challenges he is facing, so is very welcoming, feeding the two and allowing them to spend the night, and also offering to hide A from his parents when they show up. A gets a bit of information about the Golem, and is soon dropped into quite a battle against both a host of demons and sheydim but also parents and local politician who all mean queer kids harm. Will A and Sal be able to work together to save Yarrow, themselves, and their growing support network from these threats? 

Strengths: It's interesting to see the progression of LGBTQIA+ literature for tweens and teens, especially since I can't remember any books with trans characters before Polonsky's 2014 Gracefully Grayson and Gino's 2015 Melissa. At first, books were about coming out, and then about LGBTQIA+ kids going about their regular days, and we are now starting to see more politically aware books that, like one of the characters in A World Worth Saving, are interested in "smashing the cisheteropatriarchy". Not only that, but these these are being worked into fantasies with an allegorical spin. A's fight against his parents, as well as the forces of evil, is imbued with lots of Jewish cultural touchpoints as well, which was interesting to see. As in Lukoff's Different Kinds of Fruit, there is a varied and vibrant LGBTQIA+ community represented. Setting this during limited COVID restrictions gives this a particular time frame, which worked well, especially given all of the political activism that had a renewed emphasis during these years. 

Weaknesses: I'm not sure what the laws are like in Washington state, but it seemed odd that Rabbi Singer was willing to hide A and Sal from their parents. In Ohio, clergy members are mandated reporters and would be required to notify social services. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for fans of Lukoff's work or readers who want their current political issues presented with elements of fantasy, like Lucas' The Vanished Ones, Bowman's Where the Lost Ones Go, or Capps' Indigo and Ida.