The Art of Holding On and Letting Go

June 27, 2016
Debut author Lenz offers a thoughtful meditation on life after loss with the story of 15-year-old Cara Jenkins, a competitive climber. At a competition in Ecuador, Cara learns of a volcanic eruption near Mount Chimborazo, imperiling her parents and her Uncle Max, renowned mountaineers. With her parents safe but distraught and Uncle Max missing, Cara is sent to live with her grandparents in Michigan. Formally homeschooled, Cara adjusts to high school life, making friends with goths Kaitlyn and Nick, who are both struggling with their own traumas. With new friendships, a stronger appreciation for her grandparents, possible romance, and mysterious notes urging her to start climbing again, Cara heals even as her parents remain in Ecuador, determined to continue in Max’s honor. Lenz effortlessly explains complicated climbing terminology and intermixes moments of levity with contemplative quotations from naturalists and mountain climbers, quotes that Cara’s father uses to communicate with her. Though Cara’s ability to face her fears and help others do the same is noteworthy, the tidy ending doesn’t quite do justice to the complexity of Cara’s character and situation. Ages 12–up.

July 15, 2016
After a tragic event changes the course of her life, Cara discovers a new version of herself.The daughter of well-known mountaineers, white, home-schooled Cara has grown up climbing mountains. At 15, she's a nationally ranked climber and a thoughtful teen who reads Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard. When her parents and her uncle are in an accident while attempting a summit--and Uncle Max is lost--her father's grief won't let him leave Ecuador. While her mother stays with him, Cara is forced to live with her grandparents in suburban Detroit. With her own grief overwhelming her, Cara gives up climbing and struggles with depression. Normal life in the suburbs is a difficult adjustment for Cara, but she's helped by her new, white goth friends, Kaitlyn and Nick, and her understanding grandpa. Recovering slowly yet realistically, Cara begins to see the appeal of her new life while reclaiming those things that make her Cara: climbing, Thoreau, and nature. Marching to the beat of her own drummer, Cara is an appealing, engaging narrator. Surrounded by a well-rounded cast, Cara's journey toward a peaceful, fulfilling life is almost perfectly depicted. Although some references that date the story to the mid-2000s might give readers pause, they will move past them as they get swept up in Cara's story. A compelling, unusual coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 12-18)

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August 1, 2016

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. VERDICT A hot pick for outdoorsy teens who like relatable characters, with a bit of romance, mystery, and a road trip.-Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016
Grades 8-11 Cara Jenkins loves the unusual life she lives with her parents and close family friend, Uncle Max. While traveling the world so that the adults can conquer the planet's most formidable peaks, Cara has made a name for herself in the arena of competitive rock climbing. But tragedy strikes on Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, and Cara is sent to live in Detroit with grandparents she barely knows. She struggles to deal with her bewildering grief and her anger at her parents. Detroit is the last place she expects to heal, but her transformation is convincingly handled in this eloquent debut. The novel is rich in descriptions of the natural world that Cara loves, as well as intricate climbing sequences which describe so much more than the struggle to conquer a rock wall. A cast of complex secondary characters help Cara find her balance and her way back home. This thoughtful novel rises above the label of sports book to a contemplative exploration of how we grieve and move forward.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)