Can't Take That Away

by Steven Salvatore

Overview

"A charming, inspired story about being true to who you are." - Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.

Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights—and they refuse to be silenced.

Told in alternating chapters with identifying pronouns, debut author Steven Salvatore's Can't Take That Away conducts a powerful, uplifting anthem, a swoony romance, and an affirmation of self-identity that will ignite the activist in all of us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547605309
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	03/09/2021
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	1,013,833
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Steven Salvatore is a gay, genderqueer author, educator, Mariah Carey lamb, and Star Wars fanatic who spends most days daydreaming and making up stories. They have an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. They were formerly a full-time Assistant Professor of Composition and Director of the Writing Center at The College of New Rochelle. After the college permanently closed in 2019, they took a step back from teaching full-time to focus on their writing, though they do still teach at a few colleges while running a writing workshop at The LOFT, an LGBT resource center in White Plains, New York. Steven currently lives in Peekskill, New York, with their amazingly patient husband, whose name is also Steve.
stevensalvatore.com
@StevenSSWrites

Editorial Reviews

01/18/2021

A teen dreams of becoming a diva on par with their idol, Mariah Carey, in Salvatore’s bighearted debut. High school senior Carey Parker, who is genderqueer and white, is elated to land the lead in their school’s production of Wicked—especially since they’ll be acting opposite charming, bisexual Cris, who’s Filipino and Greek, and whom they have just started dating. When a homophobic teacher stirs up outrage, jeopardizing Carey’s spot in the musical, they decide to stand up for themself and, with the help of a new, variously inclusive friend group, become the face of an antidiscrimination movement in their New York hometown. Carey’s journey is refreshingly optimistic, informed by LGBTQ history and culture, a supportive therapist, and plenty of Mariah Carey trivia. Carey usually uses they and them pronouns, but their preference sometimes changes; their pronouns are listed at the top of each chapter, further validating their genderqueer identity. Salvatore tackles hard topics such as anti-LGBTQ bullying, suicidal ideation, and grief, but also emphasizes the joy found in community and living one’s truth. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jessica Regel, Helm Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2021

Gr 9 Up—Salvatore's debut is the genderqueer older sibling to Alex Gino's middle grade novel George that readers didn't know they were missing. Carey is navigating high school as a white genderqueer student, with supportive family, friends, and a favorite teacher to back them up. However, that proves to not be enough to appease the school's homophobic tenured teacher when he demands that Carey be removed as the star of the school production of Wicked. Carey manages to stand up against this injustice with the support of old and new friends, all while learning about the highs and lows of love. While this book depicts support and love, it also tackles heavy topics such as suicide, death, bullying, and severe homophobia. Each chapter identifies the pronouns that Carey is feeling/using that day, and readers unfamiliar with what being genderqueer is will find this very helpful to understand that different days someone may feel like using she, him, or they (all are used throughout the book). With few titles about genderqueer teens, hopefully this will become one of many. VERDICT A fresh voice + a genderqueer teen + one Wicked musical + fighting against the establishment + first love = A page-turning YA debut. Recommended for all YA collections.—Elizabeth Portillo, Finkelstein Memorial Lib., Spring Valley, NY

School Library Journal

2020-12-22
Genderqueer Carey seeks to become the next Elphaba amid teenage struggles with relationships and queerphobia.

Things haven’t been the same since Carey came out: Their former best friend, Joey, has been avoiding them, and they’ve been dealing with constant microaggressions from school bully Max and conservative teacher Mr. Jackson. It’s not all bad however, because they have their idol Mariah Carey; other best friend, Monroe; and new crush, Cris, to help them out. Now they just need to rock the auditions for the school’s production of Wicked. Pop-culture references abound, firmly rooting Carey’s world in time, but this works in the narrative’s favor, as it deals with topical issues. Scenes of targeted violence and discussions of suicidal ideation make this a tough read, but one shining light stands out: Carey will not be silenced. LGBTQ+ identities are prevalent, including bisexual, lesbian, gay, and genderqueer characters in the main cast. Love interest Cris is Filipino and Greek, and other characters are ethnically diverse; Carey is White. Mental health is discussed often, particularly issues caused by intolerance, and Carey is shown attending therapy sessions. While the narrative often reads like a tragedy, Salvatore takes great care to show that the lives of Carey and their friends are anything but and clearly sends a message of support for those striving to be their true selves.

A defiant love letter to queer youth; honest, brutal, and more important than ever. (author's note, resources, guide to protesting, playlist) (Fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

Can't Take That Away is a charming, inspiring story about being true to who you are, regardless of what others see. A perfect balance of queer joy and resistance, this power ballad of a story will leave you changed . . . for good.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of THE GRAVITY OF US

“Can't Take That Away is an honest, joyful, sparkling story of love, friendship, and the unique pride that comes with being yourself in the face of adversity. Carey deserves a standing ovation!” —Jessica Verdi, author of FOLLOW YOUR ARROW and AND SHE WAS

“This charming, joyful story-about self-love, fighting for what's right, and the love to be found in chosen family-will make you want to put on a pair of red heels and blast Mariah Carey.” —Booklist, starred review

“A defiant love letter to queer youth; honest, brutal, and more important than ever.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This page turner is a perfect pick for music lovers, budding activists, and kids questioning their own gender identities.” —BCCB

“A fresh voice + a genderqueer teen + one Wicked musical + fighting against the establishment + first love = A page-turning YA debut. Recommended for all YA collections.” —School Library Journal

“Filled with big emotions. . . as empowering as it is entertaining, Salvatore's debut novel hits all the right notes.” —BookPage

“Carey's journey is refreshingly optimistic. . . . Salvatore tackles hard topics such as anti-LGBTQ bullying, suicidal ideation, and grief, but also emphasizes the joy found in community and living one's truth.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher