From the Publisher
"Powerful and unflinching, We Can Be Heroes is as fierce as the girls it portrays—and as unforgettable." — Marieke Nijkamp, New York Times bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends
“McCauley has penned a lyrically gorgeous and hauntingly beautiful story about love, loss, and the power of standing together to deliver justice.” — Kim Johnson, author of This Is My America
“We Could Be Heroes is a vivid, striking novel about all-too-common violence in America, and the ways it shapes lives in a small town. Vivian, Beck, and Cassie’s grief, rage, tenacity and vengeance give us the strength to fight back against the gun violence and violence against women that we as society have come to see as unstoppable and inevitable. May this book be an awakening for many, and a call to action for all of us.” — Katherine Locke, award-winning author of The Girl with the Red Balloon
Praise for If These Wings Could Fly: “A hauntingly intense tale thrumming with hope! A stunning, powerful debut.”
— Tiffany D. Jackson, award-winning author of Monday's Not Coming
“A deep dive to illustrate the quiet strength of those in the darkest situations, If These Wings Could Fly is atmospheric, brilliantly drawn, and ultimately hopeful.” — Mindy McGinnis, author of The Female of the Species
“Heartbreaking, important, and layered with so much hope, this book breathes magic into every chapter.”
— Akemi Dawn Bowman, Morris Award Finalist and author of Starfish
“McCauley expertly blends the devastation of family with the invincibility of first love and sisterhood. This debut marks the start of a bold new talent!” — Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always
"[A] lyrical novel [with] authentic, intimate first-person narration... Strong writing that features some dreamily lovely turns of phrase... A powerful, thoughtful, and ultimately hopeful debut." — Kirkus Reviews
"Poignant and powerful, this novel uses magical realism to examine choice in a difficult world. There are titles for teens that address the realities of dating violence, but it’s more difficult to find stories of family violence; in her debut, McCauley traverses the tender ground with grace." — Booklist
"McCauley offers just a touch of magical realism here, layering a painfully honest exploration of domestic violence with a subtle eeriness... Her narration is elegant and thoughtful... a refreshing portrayal of two teens who negotiate their own challenges while acknowledging those of others." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A beautiful, powerful, and emotional story that tugs at your heartstrings as it empathetically and honestly steers you through the pain of domestic violence.” — Farrah Penn, author of Twelve Steps to Normal
“If These Wings Could Fly is a tense and emotional story that will in turns break your heart, make you swoon, and leave you feeling hopeful.” — Elizabeth Eulberg, author of Past Perfect Life
“A careful, sharp exploration of rage, love, and what it means to balance on the knife edge between them.”
— Rebecca Barrow, author of This Is What It Feels Like
"McCauley makes a moving debut with this hard-hitting novel set in a small, tightly knit town." — Publishers Weekly
Akemi Dawn Bowman
Heartbreaking, important, and layered with so much hope, this book breathes magic into every chapter.”
Mindy McGinnis
A deep dive to illustrate the quiet strength of those in the darkest situations, If These Wings Could Fly is atmospheric, brilliantly drawn, and ultimately hopeful.
Tiffany D. Jackson
Praise for If These Wings Could Fly: “A hauntingly intense tale thrumming with hope! A stunning, powerful debut.”
Justin A. Reynolds
McCauley expertly blends the devastation of family with the invincibility of first love and sisterhood. This debut marks the start of a bold new talent!
Marieke Nijkamp
"Powerful and unflinching, We Can Be Heroes is as fierce as the girls it portrays—and as unforgettable."
Katherine Locke
We Could Be Heroes is a vivid, striking novel about all-too-common violence in America, and the ways it shapes lives in a small town. Vivian, Beck, and Cassie’s grief, rage, tenacity and vengeance give us the strength to fight back against the gun violence and violence against women that we as society have come to see as unstoppable and inevitable. May this book be an awakening for many, and a call to action for all of us.
Booklist
"Poignant and powerful, this novel uses magical realism to examine choice in a difficult world. There are titles for teens that address the realities of dating violence, but it’s more difficult to find stories of family violence; in her debut, McCauley traverses the tender ground with grace."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"McCauley offers just a touch of magical realism here, layering a painfully honest exploration of domestic violence with a subtle eeriness... Her narration is elegant and thoughtful... a refreshing portrayal of two teens who negotiate their own challenges while acknowledging those of others."
Kim Johnson
McCauley has penned a lyrically gorgeous and hauntingly beautiful story about love, loss, and the power of standing together to deliver justice.
Booklist
"Poignant and powerful, this novel uses magical realism to examine choice in a difficult world. There are titles for teens that address the realities of dating violence, but it’s more difficult to find stories of family violence; in her debut, McCauley traverses the tender ground with grace."
Farrah Penn
A beautiful, powerful, and emotional story that tugs at your heartstrings as it empathetically and honestly steers you through the pain of domestic violence.
Rebecca Barrow
A careful, sharp exploration of rage, love, and what it means to balance on the knife edge between them.”
Elizabeth Eulberg
If These Wings Could Fly is a tense and emotional story that will in turns break your heart, make you swoon, and leave you feeling hopeful.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"McCauley offers just a touch of magical realism here, layering a painfully honest exploration of domestic violence with a subtle eeriness... Her narration is elegant and thoughtful... a refreshing portrayal of two teens who negotiate their own challenges while acknowledging those of others."
Kirkus Reviews
2021-06-24
Friends of a young woman shot to death by her boyfriend are visited by her ghost in this novel set in a small town whose economy is reliant on a local gun manufacturer.
Told in effective alternating third-person narration, one of which is in verse form, this powerful story of the friendship between Beck, Vivian, and Cassie is at once an intensely personal tale of traumatic grief and an examination of domestic violence and the sociopolitical forces of the gun lobby. Distinct voices are established for each of the three young women. Both Beck, an artist and boundary pusher, and Vivian, determined and practical, have been forever changed by the murder-suicide that killed Cassie and also injured Vivian. Their grief drives them to illegally stage and paint murals of Cassie based on various Greek mythological characters all over their town. That Cassie’s murderer was the privileged son of the owner of Bell Firearms accelerates the tension as Beck and Vivian struggle to draw attention to the horror of what happened to their friend. Transcripts of a podcast about domestic violence are also mixed into the narrative, impressively augmenting the already varied structure. Though the auspicious end seems somewhat aspirational, it fits with the fierce search for justice undertaken by its characters. All main characters seem to be White.
A heartbreaking, intelligent exploration of an all-too-real menace. (Fiction. 14-18)
