Letting Go of Gravity

When the McCullough twins were in fourth grade, Charlie got leukemia, and his sister, Parker, decided that the best way to keep everyone happy was to announce that she would become a doctor. Now, at 18, Charlie is recovering from a relapse, and while Parker has been accepted by Harvard and lined up a great summer internship, she also starts having panic attacks and wondering if all the work she’s put in has been worth it. Amid the tension, the once-closer-than-close siblings can barely tolerate each other. Over the summer, Parker gradually finds out what she actually likes to do when she isn’t fixated on getting a perfect GPA; she makes a new friend and reconnects with Finn, her recently returned childhood best friend. The complications and dangers surrounding Finn’s life form a strong part of the book, which can otherwise feel a bit slow. But Leder (The Museum of Heartbreak) effectively shows how illness affects families and how a person can get stuck acting out a persona and end up knowing very little about herself. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. [em](July) [/em]