Ace Takes Flight

by Cory McCarthy

Overview

Welcome to 2048. Every graduate of the B.E.S.T. Program can receive a bionic enhancement as a rite of passage in this inclusive tween series. For Ace Wells, it is just the beginning of his epic augmentation journey in book one of this near-future sci-fi trilogy.

Eleven-year-old Ace Wells’s dream has finally come true: he is a new cadet in the B.E.S.T. (Biological Enhancement Systems Technology) Program. Until now, he’s been living in the shadow of his superstar brother, Finn—but not for long.

This is new Ace! He knows he can make his mark on the world with SuperSoar wings, but on day one, nothing goes as planned. The antagonistic elevator AI Otis wants to eat his belongings, the physical feats set by his tough-nut coach are impossible, and his celebrity roommates are far from welcoming.

It becomes crystal clear that Ace is not prepared to fly—in any sense of the word.

As tensions build, Ace has a sinking suspicion that there's something more going on at B.E.S.T. than meets the eye. Will he ever make it to graduation and get the aug of his dreams? Join Ace and find out as he tests his strength and grit in this page-turning middle grade adventure!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358721475
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Series:	B.E.S.T. World , #1
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cory McCarthy (he/they) is the acclaimed, bestselling author of five released children’s books and just as many forthcoming titles. His books have been translated into several languages and have appeared on the Bank Street, Barnes & Noble, Book Riot, and Tor best book lists, as well as the Amelia Bloomer List of feminist children’s fiction. Their upcoming titles include a middle grade trilogy and nonfiction picture book. They teach at Vermont College of Fine Arts and, like many of their characters, are a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Editorial Reviews

"Fast-paced, imaginative, and refreshing." — Kirkus Reviews

“Fun, fast-paced, and also exploring a refreshingly complex emotional understory, this book is recommended for all libraries serving middle graders.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-09-15
In the year 2048, an 11-year-old boy eager to begin a new life at his dream school has a rude awakening.

Ace Wells has long dreamed of attending the Biological Enhancement Systems Technology Program, or B.E.S.T., in which cadets enter tracks to receive augments that enhance their bodies and minds. Regular school was never easy for Ace—his brain doesn’t focus like other kids’—but B.E.S.T. isn’t all he imagined either. He soon makes an enemy; almost gets eaten by Otis, an AI elevator; loses his assigned group of cadets during orientation; and manages to alienate his illustrious boxmates, Grayson (son of the founder of B.E.S.T.), Leo (superstar BESTBall player), and Jayla (top of her cadet pack and recipient of a rare augment). Frustrated that his dream is crumbling, Ace slowly realizes that being himself and playing to his strengths may be more advantageous than he thought. Just as Ace gets assigned to his dream track and is back in good graces with his boxmates, life takes a turn that makes him question everything he thought he knew about B.E.S.T. This futuristic adventure will appeal to readers with its inclusive approach to gender identity, family structure, and neurodiversity. The author pulls readers into a brisk, third-person narrative about a world where people’s characteristics are augmented to achieve great things. White Ace has two moms; Jayla and Grayson are Black; and White, nonbinary Leo uses a wheelchair.

Fast-paced, imaginative, and refreshing. (pick your perfect aug) (Science fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews