Up to This Pointe

Harper Scott, a dedicated ballet dancer in San Francisco, has structured her entire life around becoming a professional ballerina. Her best friend Kate shares her passion, and together they've trained rigorously since childhood to achieve their dream. When Harper's ballet career encounters obstacles, she makes a drastic decision to become a research assistant in Antarctica for six months. The harsh polar environment and isolation force her to confront truths about herself, her goals, and her family legacy - including her connection to Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott. The narrative alternates between Harper's present experiences in Antarctica and flashbacks to her life as a ballet student in San Francisco. Through both timelines, Harper grapples with questions of identity, ambition, and what happens when long-held dreams begin to shift. This coming-of-age story explores themes of resilience and self-discovery, examining how people rebuild themselves when carefully laid plans fall apart. The parallel threads of ballet and Antarctic exploration create a meditation on passion, legacy, and the courage to forge new paths.

Readers connect with Harper's raw emotional journey and authentic portrayal of both ballet and Antarctic research. Many note the unique parallel between pursuing dance dreams and surviving in Antarctica, with one reader calling it "a fresh take on dealing with failure." Reviewers highlight the detailed research about Antarctica and McMurdo Station, with ballet dancers confirming the accuracy of the dance portions. The dual timeline structure and relationships between characters earn consistent praise. Common criticisms include a slow start, with some readers struggling through the first 50 pages. A few found the Antarctic sections less engaging than the ballet storyline. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (80+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.3/5 (25+ ratings) "The mental health aspects feel honest without being heavy-handed," notes one Goodreads reviewer, while another states "the Antarctic setting sets this apart from typical YA contemporary fiction."

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🔹 The book's main character, Harper Scott, spends six months in Antarctica, which was inspired by the author Jennifer Longo's own fascination with the continent after reading accounts of early Antarctic expeditions. 🔹 Like the protagonist, Jennifer Longo studied ballet seriously throughout her youth and drew from her personal experiences to authentically capture the intensity of professional dance training. 🔹 Scientists and researchers who winter-over in Antarctica must undergo psychological screening and testing, as the extreme isolation and months of darkness can severely impact mental health. 🔹 The book's title is a clever play on words, referring both to ballet terminology ("en pointe") and Antarctic exploration. 🔹 The author incorporated real historical details about Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott into the story, as the main character believes she is his distant relative and draws inspiration from his expeditions.