Books

"When every piece falls
into place, it’s like a dance,
a delicate but powerful
balancing act.
The art of holding on
and letting go
at the same time."

Summary:
Competitive climber Cara Jenkins feels most at home high off the ground, clinging to a rock wall by the tips of her fingers. She’s enjoyed a roaming life with her mountaineering parents, making the natural world her jungle gym, the writings of Annie Dillard and Henry David Thoreau her textbooks. But when tragedy strikes on an Ecuadorian mountaintop, Cara’s nomadic lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt.

Starting over at her grandparents’ home in suburban Detroit, Cara embarks on a year of discovery, uncovering unknown strengths, friendships, and first love. Cara’s journey illustrates the transformative power of nature, love and loss, and discovering that home can be far from where you started.

The Art of Holding On and Letting Go
September 12, 2016
ISBN: 9780996864916
Elephant Rock Books
Distributed by IPG
For ages 12 and up

Reviews:
“Cara is an appealing, engaging narrator. Surrounded by a well-rounded cast, Cara's journey toward a peaceful, fulfilling life is almost perfectly depicted. A compelling, unusual coming-of-age story.” --Kirkus

"A hot pick for outdoorsy teens who like relatable characters, with a bit of romance, mystery, and a road trip."
--School Library Journal

Detroit is the last place (Cara) 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."
--Booklist

The title eloquently captures not only the spirit of this book but also the very essence of adolescence. The teenage main character, Cara, examines this theme throughout and, with any luck, she will inspire readers to do the same. Although this tale is about one of the most risky and exhilarating sports of all, this book is rather quiet, gradual, and sweet.
--VOYA

"Debut author Lenz offers a thoughtful meditation on life after loss with the story of 15-year-old Cara Jenkins, a competitive climber. Lenz effortlessly explains complicated climbing terminology and intermixes moments of levity with contemplative quotations from naturalists and mountain climbers," --Publishers Weekly

From the 2016 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize Judges:
"A powerful, enveloping story about grief, the deep layers bubbling beneath the surfaces of every individual, and the ways relationships help us through our toughest times."--Kelly Jensen,
Bookriot.com and Stackedbooks.org

“I loved this book. There's plenty of humor, romance, and great rock climbing scenes that will have you riveted.”--Anne Rouyer, NYC Librarian

“Cara’s story is about finding yourself, your family and your center. Lenz encourages readers to think outside the pages, to find their own place in the world as Cara discovers hers.”--Meghan Dietsche Goel, BookPeople, Austin, TX

Praise:
"Cara is strong in body and mind. From the high-stakes beginning we know she's a girl with the grit and focus to overcome anything that Life can throw at her. Life doesn't hold back. Which is when we see that Cara's greatest strength is her heart. This is a richly layered story, visceral and thoughtful in equal parts."
--Tim Wynne-Jones, award-winning author of The Emperor of Any Place and Blink & Caution

“Lenz has written a wonderful and powerfully unique story.”
--Jessie Ann Foley, author of The Carnival at Bray, a Printz Honor Book

“From dangling over a vertical rock face in Ecuador to navigating the rocky emotional terrain of friendship and love at home, Cara’s journey totally captured my heart. Hold on tight to this book!”
--Vicky Alvear Shecter, author of Cleopatra's Moon, a Crystal Kite Award winner

"Cara's resilience and strength are as granite hard as the walls she climbs. The Art of Holding On and Letting Go is a beautiful story of testing limits, and the bonds of friendship, family, and love. I was transported into the climbing world -- one I'd never visited before, and I loved what a rich metaphor it was for Cara's journey."
--Lara Zielin, author of The Implosion of Aggie Winchester and Waiting Sky

As I read The Art of Holding On and Letting Go, I pegged it as a young adult novel for any age. It had complex ideas of existentialism but could easily be enjoyed by someone just discovering the glorious young adult section.
--Moriah Chavis, A Leisure Moment

There is a sleight at hand at work here. Kristin Lenz got me completely hooked into Cara's struggle to find her place in the world. But somehow, by the home stretch of this book I found myself invested in, and rooting for--not only Cara--but her three new friends, her grandmother and her mom and dad...each of them with their own specific struggle, each with a personal mountain to climb. Not sure how Lenz got me so connected to so many lives, so many individual stories. But she did. This book is wonderful.
--Patrick Flores-Scott, author of Jumped In, a Walden and Great Lakes - Great Books Finalist

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