Kid X - (Boy 2.0) by Tracey Baptiste (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author, Tracey Baptiste, this thrilling sequel to Boy 2.0 returns readers to the world of Coal Keegan as he grows into his new powers. Perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Into the Spiderverse.

Win "Coal" Keegan is starting to get the hang of his new life. He's come to love his foster family, the McKays, and is becoming more confident with his invisibility powers. Almost too confident. At first, he uses his abilities for small favors. But soon, the favors snowball into bigger asks and messier pranks. And when rumors surface about a "ghost" in the neighborhood, Coal realizes it might be best to keep his talents under wraps.

But that gets harder when Coal starts to suspect that someone--or something--might be tracking him. And as the evidence stacks up, Coal realizes he's not the only one with powers. Is his pursuer friend or foe? Packed with themes of technology, race, and justice, this exhilarating follow-up to Boy 2.0 is a fast-paced yet thoughtful read.

Review Quotes

Praise for Boy 2.0:
A Kentucky Bluegrass Award nominee
A Maine Student Book Award nominee
A Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award nominee
A Rhode Island Middle School Book Award nominee
A South Carolina Book Award nominee
A Virginia Readers' Choice Award​ nominee
A Washington, DC Capitol Choices Reading List pick
A Texas Lone Star Reading List pick
An Oregon Reader's Choice Award nominee
A Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award nominee

Praise for Kid X:

"A thrilling superhero origin story.... Friendships new and old bring the perfect amount of ­levity and humor to a highly suspenseful story. Although this is a superhero tale, Baptiste beautifully weaves in a variety of significant topics like racial justice, science, and mindfulness... hopefully the origin story here paves the way for future adventures. VERDICT This is sure to be a hit with fans of the X-Men franchise, but ­Baptiste's inclusion of real-world topics is the story's true superpower."--School Library Journal, starred review

"A high-interest superhero sequel that has plenty of action without sacrificing depth. Highly recommended for fans of the X-Men, Shazam!, and Into the Spider-Verse."
--School Library Journal

"Baptiste balances action with introspection, and Coal remains a compelling protagonist: vulnerable, impulsive, and deeply human even with his powers. This second thrilling and thoughtful installment again trusts its audience to consider what it means to be seen and what it costs to disappear."--Horn Book

"Coal is once again an engaging character, well supported by the unique characteristics of his foster siblings...[A] promising sequel."--Booklist

"I'm honestly not sure how Baptiste spun biology, anthropology, chemistry, politics, and foster care into a suspenseful romp about family and the extraordinary nature of ordinary people, but she did. And it's masterful. Is Boy 2.0 the origin story of our new favorite superhero? Or a metaphoric nod to the lives of everyday Black boys in America? Or...both? Either way, this is a special, special read."--Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling author of Long Way Down and Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...

"Powers of invisibility bring a lot to light in this compelling sequel."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Tracey Baptiste blends heart wrenching realism with unpredictable science fiction, to create an unputdownable tale about a boy's quest to find the truth about his family and his power. Baptiste cleverly tackles real-world issues in a story filled with easter eggs and plot twists that are sobering, eye-opening, and downright irresistible."--Kwame Alexander, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Crossover and The Door of No Return

About the Author

Tracey Baptiste is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books and several short stories for children. She writes fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle-grade, young adult, and graphic novels. She is best known for the horror-adventure Jumbies series and Minecraft: The Crash. Tracey lives in New Jersey and can be found online at traceybaptiste.com and on Instagram: @traceybaptistewrites.