The Heirs

Gr 10 Up–Sixteen years ago, billionaire ­Leontes Button announced that he would be adopting five random orphans from around the globe to test his theory that geniuses are made, not born. Now the siblings, 17, are internationally referred to as The Athlete (Bilal, who is South Asian), The Maestro (Octavius, who is white), The Brain (Fola, who is Black), The Artist (Perdita, who is half Vietnamese and half white), and The Failure (Romeo, who is white). Almost all are considered the best in their fields, but all are secretly miserable—and each is carrying a host of secrets. When Leontes is murdered during his annual Prodigy Ball, the five ­estranged Button children realize that they must come together and work through their traumas to clear their names and to finally free themselves from the archetypal roles they were given. The author truly delivers on the intrigue, mystery, and drama in this well-written and highly engaging story, all while sharing a poignant message on the effects of extreme parental pressure. The novel is set in upstate New York. The characters all read as wealthy and privileged children, as their behavior was strictly shaped by a wealthy white man. Three of the siblings are openly gay or bisexual, as are several supporting characters.