Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
A trans teen is transformed into a superhero in this action-packed series-starter perfect for fans of The Heroine Complex and Not Your Sidekick. Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world's greatest superhero. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she's transgender. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those secondhand superpowers transformed Danny's body into what she's always thought it should be. Now there's no hiding that she's a girl. It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny's first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined. Between her father's dangerous obsession with "curing" her girlhood, her best friend suddenly acting like he's entitled to date her, and her fellow superheroes arguing over her place in their ranks, Danny feels like she's in over her head. She doesn't have time to adjust. Dreadnought's murderer—a cyborg named Utopia—still haunts the streets of New Port City, threatening destruction. If Danny can't sort through the confusion of coming out, master her powers, and stop Utopia in time, humanity faces extinction. "I didn't know how much I needed this brave, thrilling book until it rocked my world. Dreadnought is the superhero adventure we all need right now."—Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky "A thoroughly enjoyable, emotionally rich, action-packed story with the most exciting new superheroes in decades. Unmissable ."— Kirkus Reviews
Is Dreadnought appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
Parents should know this book features a transgender protagonist dealing with parental rejection and transphobia, including a father's dangerous attempts to 'cure' her. Contains superhero action violence, a death scene, and themes of acceptance and self-discovery.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include parental abuse, emotional abuse, death of parent, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will connect with Danny's journey of self-discovery and empowerment as she learns to be both herself and a superhero.