Harper had a plan. It went south. Hand this utterly unique contemporary YA to anyone 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
"Longo makes Harper a standout character of fire, commitment, and sass." —The Bulletin, Starred Review
"A stunning love letter to ballet and San Francisco, Jennifer Longo's (Six Feet Over It) quirky sophomore novel, Up to This Pointe, is the perfect meld of adorable and heart-wrenching." —Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"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
"Longo's book brings the reader intimately into Harper's heartbreak and healing in a way that will speak to readers of all ages." —Anna Eklund, University Book Store, Seattle, WA
"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
"Harper is a well-developed, relatable character. Her inner monologue is witty and dominates most of the novel, giving a unique perspective. . . . A recommended read for determined teens with an interest in following and exploring their dreams." —School Library Journal
"Harper’s temporary Antarctic life is evoked with as much vivid, fascinating detail as her 'second home,' the ballet studio. . . . An affecting, memorable examination of disappointment and loss." —The Horn Book Review
"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
Harper and her best friend, Kate, had a plan to become professional dancers. In addition to practice, practice, practice, they would graduate early, and avoid romantic entanglements. But even the best laid plans can come undone, and Harper finds herself untethered. In an effort to get her life back on track, she weasels her way into a science program in Antartica, where she slowly comes to terms with the loss of her dream.
I was so captivated by Longo's latest release, What I Carry, that I ran to read more of her books. I picked this one, because, as a retired dance mom, I love stories about dancers. But, this book was an even better fit for me, because it's about grief and loss. No, no one died in this book, but Harper was still mourning a profound loss - the loss of her dream.
Harper lived for ballet. It was a life sustaining force for her, and here she was, so close to the future she dreamed of. The auditions were just a few short weeks away, when it all started to unravel. The idea, that if we dedicate ourselves and work hard, anything could be ours, but that's not always the case, and it was a hard truth for Harper to face. It was heartbreaking to hear her talk about the death of her ballet dream. There's one scene, where she described dance as a lover, who had rejected her. Her words were soaked in pain, and made my heart ache.
But, this book didn't just highlight Harper's failure, I also got to see her find a new, life-fulfilling dream. Along the way, I enjoyed so many wonderful, fun, and joyful events, and it was really interesting too.
Once again, Longo incorporated some historical figures. This time, I got to read a bit about the explorers, who raced to the South Pole. It was really beautiful how Longo was able to find a common thread between Harper and the explorers' journeys, and I loved that she was descended from one of the these intrepid explorers.
I was also a fan of the alternating narrative. It flipped between the present in Antartica and the past in San Francisco. The two timelines were lined up in such a wonderful way, that they fed off one another, with similar themes emerging at both points in time.
Although I was never a dancer, it was easy to relate to this story. It's quite a "growing up" moment, when you have to accept, that you cannot necessarily have everything you want. It also takes a lot of strength to use that pain, learn from it, and move forward. I think that's one of the biggest reasons I loved this book so much.
She was down, but never out, and it was easy to root for Harper as she properly grieved. Longo gave Harper a whole crew of amazing people to help her through this, and her new dream was even more magnificent, than the original.
Overall: A beautifully written story, which was full of hope.
