"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. “ 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 Steven Salvatore is a chaos agent whose obsessions include exploring Italy, being Italian (Sicilian, not Italian-American!), and having and then dissecting existential crises. For twelve years, he was a studied, accomplished writing professor having held many positions within higher education spheres; though still teaching, he's now an academic advisor at Manhattanville University. He is also a book coach with an MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives somewhere with his amazing husband Chris. www.stevensalvatore.com @stevensalvatorebooks