Balancing ACT -- Paula Chase, Hardcover

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.

Author: Paula Chase
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Published: 10/21/2025
Pages: 416
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.38w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781250809391
Age Range: 13-18

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 07/01/2025 pg. 68
Publishers Weekly 07/14/2025

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.