THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES, by Kate Messner, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, April 29, 2025, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 9-14)
A boy is held accountable for his actions and finds a path to healing along the way in The Trouble with Heroes, by Kate Messner.
One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.
Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he’s in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady’s headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she’ll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all 46 Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there’s just one more thing–he has to bring along the dead woman’s dog.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn’s final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face. —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
The Trouble with Heroes is a book that sticks with you. In it, Kate Messner deftly navigates topics ranging from loss, growing independence, friendship, PTSD, child and adult mental health, and the healing power of nature.
The book is written in multi-modal format, including verse, text messages, letters and photographs.
At the center of the story is Finn, a boy whose life went off course when his dad died. Now, Finn’s stuck living up to his father’s hero status and he’s failing miserably. Finn, has in many ways, given up. But people haven’t given up on him. As Finn hikes the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, he discovers how to become a hero in his own life.
Messner expertly realizes Finn’s character. She knows his flaws, his dreams and his heartaches. She knows him. And because of this, Finn feels profoundly real. He resonates. The way Messner approaches PTSD and its treatments shows a great deal of research and understanding. It’s accessible in a way that kids will get, and that’s important (I know this from personal experience).
The Trouble with Heroes is an excellent read that I can’t recommend enough.
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