Before You Can Fly

In 1988, being different can be dangerous. No one knows this better than fifteen-year-old Clayton Wheeler. He's too tall, too awkward, and carrying a secret that could ruin him. At school he's a target. At home, his stepfather makes everything much worse. His only escape—and his greatest joy—is the comic books he creates with his two best friends, imagining worlds where heroes like them finally win.

Then Derek, the childhood best friend Clayton thought he'd lost forever, moves back to town. ...