Up to this Pointe by Jennifer Longo

Up to this Pointe by Jennifer Longo is one of my favorite young adult books of the year so far.  It truly is a story of resilience, finding one's passion and coming of age.  The main character is Harper who, along with her best friend Kate, has dedicated her life to ballet and The Plan: graduate high school early, audition for the San Francisco Ballet and twirl off to the future together. 

The Plan goes awry (we learn how in subsequent chapters) and Harper, not so coincidentally a descendant of Robert Falcon Scott, ends up at a research station in Antarctica. Her adventures are told in chapters that alternate in time and place between past events in San Francisco and the current McMurdo ice station. 

Jennifer Longo’s descriptions – both of ballet and the nature surrounding the South Pole are amazing. I learned so much reading this book – especially about polar explorers Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton and the struggles they faced in navigating the ice 100 years ago.  In addition to that science and history, though, Longo explains ballet shoe construction and adds references to the arts and many ballet terms. I also came to care for the characters, to appreciate Harper’s confusion as a young woman facing many tough choices as she tries to redefine her life purpose.  Give Up to this Pointe to fans of Sarah Dessen, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, or Morgan Matson. And definitely consider pairing this book with non-fiction works - Misty Copeland’s recent biography Life in Motion or The Endurance by Lansing (Caroline Alexander’s The Endurance is very accessible for early high school) – students will love it. 

The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey

     Two sisters, two dancers, two people living close to the same life, yet there are some unspoken truths dividing them. 

     Kate has always been a good dancer, and enjoys dancing with her sister. However, as they build and develop their skills, her sister, Gwen, has just a little bit more – more of all that makes her a better dancer, and a soloist, no less, at an early age.

     This success for Gwen is not something that seems to phase her; she adores her older sister, and believes that Kate really is the better dancer.  Yet, Gwen seems to have some demons that haunt her, and only Kate knows.  When Kate finally acknowledges the situation, and does something about it, their lives start to unravel, and Kate has to struggle with her own sense of guilt, remorse, jealousy, and the family dynamics she left long ago.  Kate faces these emotional burdens while taking on more serious dance roles – a physical demand that she forces her body to handle – and endless days practice, rehearsal, and performance.  Yet, is all this in the name of the love of dance or simply competition?

     Didn't love it. Liked it, especially based on the topics of dance, competition, and mental health.