Up to This Pointe | Jennifer Longo
Harper had a plan. It went south. Hand this utterly unique contemporary YA to anyone a who loves ballet or is a little too wrapped up in their Plan A. (It's okay to fail, people!) Harper Scott is a dancer. She and her best friend, Kate, have one goal: becoming professional ballerinas. And Harper won't let anything--or anyone--get in the way of The Plan, not even the boy she and Kate are both drawn to. Harper is a Scott. She's related to Robert Falcon Scott, the explorer who died racing Amundsen and Shackleton to the South Pole. Amundsen won because he had a plan, and Harper has always followed his model. So when Harper's life takes an unexpected turn, she finagles (read: lies) her way to the icy dark of McMurdo Station . . . in Antarctica. Extreme, but somehow fitting--apparently she has always been in the dark, dancing on ice this whole time. And no one warned her. Not her family, not her best friend, not even the boy who has somehow found a way into her heart. It will take a visit from Shackleton's ghost--the explorer who didn't make it to the South Pole, but who got all of his men out alive--to teach Harper that success isn't always what's important, sometimes it's more important to learn how to fail successfully. A Kids' Indie Next List Selection "One of the most breathtaking explorations of navigating heartbreak that I've ever read. This is one for the ages." --Martha Brockenbrough, author of The Game of Love and Death "Incisively written. Longo makes it easy to commiserate with Harper as she tries to move past disappointment and envision a new path forward." --Publishers Weekly "A moving love letter to dance, dreams, and San Francisco." --Kirkus Reviews "Longo's fabulous depiction of McMurdo and the winter residents captures the beauty, humor, and danger of such an isolated existence. An adventure story with lots of heart." --Booklist Praise for Jennifer Longo's Six Feet Over It: A VOYA Perfect Tens 2014 Pick An Indies Introduce New Voices Pick "Like nothing you've read before." --Bustle.com "Equal parts poignant and humorous. . . . Superb." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred "A vibrant voice. . . . Readers will rejoice." --The Bulletin, Starred "A unique book for unique teens." --Booklist "Darkly funny and deeply moving. An original, memorable voice." --Jennifer L. Holm, New York Times bestselling author "A wildly funny coming-of-age story about life, love, death, and everything in between." --Sarah McCarry, author of All Our Pretty Songs "Terrific. Longo had me at 'graveyard' and then dug me in deeper with wit, dark humor, and splendid characters." --Lisa Brown, New York Times bestselling author "A strong heroine, multicultural cast, and eclectic contemporary setting make Longo's story stand out." --Publishers Weekly "Stands out for its unusual setting and also the sarcasm and caustic humor of its protagonist." --The Horn Book Review "Hilarious, clever, and poignant." --SLJ