Balancing ACT - (Heights) by Paula Chase (Hardcover)

About the Book

Chyna, a gymnast balancing her mother's illness and a competitive team, and Jamaal, a basketball player determined to honor his late brother, navigate the pressures of pursuing their dreams at a new, prestigious sports charter school.

Book Synopsis

A Sweet Valley High for a new generation, a dishy, dazzling YA drama set against the backdrop of an elite charter school where stars are made--or fade.

When Chyna gets a scholarship to the newest, most prestigious sports school in the city, it's the best opportunity to do the gymnastics she loves. But between caring for her ailing mother and dealing with the elitist girls on her gymnastics team, she's not sure she belongs.

Meanwhile, Jamaal is reeling from the death of his brother--who was also secretly Chyna's boyfriend. Becoming star of the Power Panthers basketball team is his way to honor his brother's memory and nothings going to stand in his way. Not even his health.

Filled with gossip, high-stakes sports drama, and tons of heart, BALANCING ACT is the first in a riveting new series about teens fighting for their dreams in a city where picking a side is no game.

Review Quotes

"Organic prose centers Black teens in a juicy high-stakes sports drama with soapy twists... In this scintillating series starter told via Chyna and Jamaal's alternating perspectives, Chase deftly examines issues of classism and systemic racism amid Gossip Girl-style glitz." --Publishers Weekly

"Chase serves up a strong, balanced portrayal of dramatic, real-life struggles centering on well-rounded Black characters navigating neighborhood, socioeconomic, family, and other differences. Teen readers will resonate with the relatable depiction of the challenges of juggling home, school, and the digital third space of social media." --Kirkus

"Chase brings her signature style, wonderful language, and unflinching look at competitive athletics to this series opener. Establishing a realistic world is no small feat, and Chase delivers incredible characters, great settings, and drama galore." --Booklist (starred review)

"Athletic teens try to find their place on the podium among an elite high school filled with gossip and high-stakes sports drama in the first book of this dishy YA series." --Ebony Magazine

About the Author

Co-founder of the award-winning blog, The Brown Bookshelf, PAULA CHASE is a longtime advocate for diversifying the type of fiction featuring Black characters. Chase is the author of nine critically acclaimed Upper Middle Grade and YA novels and a winner of NCTE's Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) Konigsberg Award.