by Laura Ruby
First published 2006
Gurl lives at Hope House for the Homeless and Hopeless in a future New York City where nearly everyone soars through the air. She cannot fly like the others. People call her a leadfoot and treat her as an outcast. Cats have nearly vanished from this world, making them precious and rare. Gurl believes she has no special abilities at all. Then she discovers something unexpected about herself. She can disappear completely from sight. This power of invisibility sets her apart in a different way than being flightless. She must figure out how to use this ability in a society that values flight above all else. Her journey becomes one of finding her place in a world that seems to have no room for someone like her.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, coming-of-age, fantasy, alternate-universe
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Hope House, New York City
Period: Future
336 pages · Library Binding · HarperCollins