Dreadnought

Gr 9 Up—While many teenagers have a challenging time dealing with school and peer pressure, for 15-year-old Danny Tozer, life is a little more complicated. For starters, she is transgender and living in a world where superheroes and supervillains exist. When Danny unexpectedly becomes the recipient of popular superhero Dreadnought's mantle, the superpowers also transform her body into the female one she has always identified with. Because Danny is not yet an adult, the Legion of Superheroes is divided on how to approach her unique situation. Her father is in denial that his son is now his daughter, and has been verbally abusive toward Danny. A promise of romance adds a further layer when Danny's best friend wants to date her. There are some violent fight scenes when Danny sets off to find Dreadnought's killer. There are also some light moments that offset the deeper questions about establishing identity.