In Tracey Baptiste's page-turning sci-fi thriller Boy 2.0 (Algonquin, 10–14 years), Win “Coal” Keegan, a Black boy in the foster system and an activist who makes art about anti-Black police violence, finds that he can turn invisible, an ability that keeps him safe when he needs it most. His discovery leads to more revelations about his family history, with tech-infused intrigue as well as poignant emotional moments along the way.

1. How is writing sci-fi different for you from writing fantasy?

Photo (c) Viscose Illusion.

Tracey Baptiste: It’s not procedurally different, but there’s a little more constraint because if the science is off, astute readers are going to notice. So, I spent more time doing research than usual. Finding out that the letter symbols for the components of bituminous coal spelled out CHOSN was kismet. It added a perfect touch to the story.

2. What appeals to you about writing a thriller, and how do you balance page-turning suspense with more serious elements? 

TB: The page-turning parts are fun for me. Sometimes I can hardly wait to get to those parts. But a book can’t be all thrill with no substance. The human aspects of a story are really where the story lives. I find that if I’m too hyped, I need to slow down and give characters a chance to just be. When I’m feeling bogged down, I need to speed characters along.

3. What do you hope readers can learn from Coal’s experiences or see in Coal as he develops as a character?

TB: I hope readers recognize a kid who finds himself in a difficult spot and tries his hardest to figure things out, first by turning to someone he trusts, and then by digging into the research. Coal’s situation is extraordinary, but kids deal with tough things all the time, and they need to know that they have agency. There’s always something they can do.

4. What about families drew you to them as a focus for the book, and how did you craft these relationships?

TB: Because the story is a riff off of “Snow White,” I knew found family, a sense of family secrets, and danger were going to be huge elements from the beginning. Once I had all the players set up (and you might notice that between found family and friends there are seven) it was a matter of making sure everyone had a chance to show their personalities.

5. If you could choose one special power/ability, what would it be?

TB: I’d love to be able to instantly transport to a location. You know how people say, “it’s not the destination, it's how you get there”? I disagree. It’s all about the destination for me.

From the October 2024 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.