Letting Go of Gravity

Gr 7 Up—Parker has known that she wanted to be a doctor ever since her twin brother, Charlie, was diagnosed with leukemia when they were nine years old. Graduating valedictorian, getting accepted to Harvard, and landing a competitive pediatric oncology summer internship at the hospital make her decision a foregone conclusion. Parker's dream is to save people like Charlie. So why, then, does the thought of entering the hospital for her internship send her into paroxysms of anxiety? With two new friends challenging her idea of what's expected of her (one of them the handsome and artistic Finn Casper), Parker carves a new path and accepts a job at a ceramics studio. Coming to terms with what she wants in life is hard enough—how will she ever tell her parents? A poignant and carefully crafted story about growing up with the added complication of cancer. Even when in remission, cancer wrecks havoc on Charlie and his family and friends. A compelling coming-of-age novel sure to appeal to those who love realistic fiction.