The Art of Holding On and Letting Go

Gr 8 Up—Cara Jenkins has traveled the world with her mountaineering parents and her dad's best friend, Max, so it is no surprise that competitive rock climbing is in her genes. At the World Youth Championships in Ecuador, the California teen is shaken to learn that her parents' expedition atop Mount Chimborazo has gone awry and Max is missing. Cara is forced to leave the event for Detroit to stay with her estranged grandparents while her parents search for him. Cara's anxiety about her parents' safety is compounded by the awkwardness of being reacquainted with her grandparents and being the new girl at school. She befriends fellow juniors Kaitlyn and Nick at the goth lunch table in an attempt to fly under the radar, as her face has appeared in several sports magazines. But mysterious notes left in her locker reveal that someone knows who she is and wonders why she has turned her back on the climbing scene. This mystery drives the narrative as new multilayered characters are introduced and a light romance buds, but it is Cara's grandparents who understand what she needs to ultimately gain her footing. The teen's unabashed athleticism is refreshing, and readers will find the rock climbing details authentic and enlightening.