A World Worth Saving

By: Kyle Lukoff

Narrated by: Will Malloy, Kyle Lukoff

A groundbreaking, action-packed, and ultimately uplifting adventure that intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an unflinching examination of the impacts of transphobia, from Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff

“Rare and beautiful—a novel that combines wondrous fantasy, searing real-world relevance, and a frank empathetic understanding of the adolescent experience...The way Lukoff combines these elements in a page-turning adventure is nothing short of magic!”—Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Covid lockdown is over, but A’s world feels smaller than ever. Coming out as trans didn’t exactly go well, and most days, he barely leaves his bedroom, let alone the house. But the low point of A’s life isn’t online school, missing his bar mitzvah, or the fact that his parents monitor his phone like hawks—it’s the weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters meetings his parents all but drag him to.

At SOSAD, A and his friends Sal and Yarrow sit by while their parents deadname them and wring their hands over a nonexistent “transgender craze.” After all, sitting in suffocating silence has to be better than getting sent away for “advanced treatment,” never to be heard from again.

When Yarrow vanishes after a particularly confrontational meeting, A discovers that SOSAD doesn’t just feel soul-sucking…it’s run by an actual demon who feeds off the pain and misery of kids like him. And it’s not just SOSAD—the entire world is beset by demons dining on what seems like an endless buffet of pain and bigotry.

But how is one trans kid who hasn’t even chosen a name supposed to save his friend, let alone the world? And is a world that seems hellbent on rejecting him even worth saving at all?

©2025 Kyle Lukoff (P)2025 Listening Library

Critic reviews

Indie Next Pick

★ “Lukoff both explores and then subverts the chosen-one trope through A’s battle with his personal demons…The resolution is both honest and hopeful. Powerful and awakening.”–Kirkus, starred review

★ "Satisfying [and] horror-tinged…This superb fantastical adventure tackles serious real-world problems faced by queer youth via unique interpretations of Jewish mysticism that, paired with A’s powerfully raw emotional journey, further flesh out the thrilling plot."–Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “Protests, politics, and hate are given a magical form, adding layers of visual understanding and a bit of distance from the pain of these experiences… A must-purchase; this is a timely title for middle school students as well as parents, teachers, and librarians who are looking for powerful mirrors or windows into trans experiences.”–School Library Journal, starred review