Skip to content

Finding Balance

$11.99

Teenage cancer survivors Jase and Mari learn how to move on with their lives after cancer as they struggle to understand their differing experiences. Preview this book.

Description

Jase Ellison doesn’t remember having acute lymphocytic leukemia when he was three years old. His cancer diagnosis only enters his mind twice a year: once at his yearly checkup at the oncology clinic and one when he attends Camp Chemo in the summer. No one in his “real” life knows about his past, especially his friends at Atlanta West Prep.

Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone.

Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. Mari wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you?

Additional information

Format

Paperback

Jase Ellison doesn’t remember having acute lymphocytic leukemia when he was three years old. His cancer diagnosis only enters his mind twice a year: once at his yearly checkup at the oncology clinic and one when he attends Camp Chemo in the summer. No one in his “real” life knows about his past, especially his friends at Atlanta West Prep. Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone. Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. Mari wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you?

Copyright: 2020
Page Count: 344
Trim Size: 5.25 x 8
Rights Territory: Worldwide
Lexile: 700L
Categories:
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Social Themes / Disabilities & Special Needs
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Own Voices
YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Romance / Contemporary

Kati Gardner is a recovering actor, wife, and mom. She is a childhood cancer survivor and amputee who writes books about disability and kissing. Originally from Atlanta, she now lives and writes in Raleigh, North Carolina. Brave Enough was her first novel. You can find her on Twitter at @AuthorKati, on Instagram at AuthorKatiGardner, and at katigardner.com.

Reviews and Awards

“Plenty of heartbreak and joy shape this compelling story, as well as reminders to find balance in our own lives.” — Booklist, starred review

“Gardner, an amputee and cancer survivor, realistically tackles such tough issues as the massive costs of health care, the fear of relapse, and pressure to appear nondisabled.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Cancer creates a lifetime of fallout. Gardner writes compellingly not only about the romance between these two teens, but also about the nuances in their navigation of survival. Recommended for YA collections.” — School Library Journal

A 2021 Moonbeam Awards Silver Medalist (Young Adult Fiction)

Other Books in this Series

Brave Enough

The lives of Cason Martin and Davis Channing intersect in a powerful way. Both are struggling to survive life-threatening diseases. Neither feels in control of their lives. Can they be brave enough to beat the odds?

Learn More ...

Related Products

Back To Top