Stacy Davidowitz
The Companion to THE CHANCE TO FLY:
CUT LOOSE!
by
Stacy Davidowitz + Ali Stroker
The showstopping sequel to The Chance to Fly, which New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer called "unique, inspirational, and full of heart."
It’s the beginning of eighth grade, and Nat Beacon is nervous. Not only will she be the New Kid, but the New Kid in a Wheelchair. And the school year starts off rocky: No one seems friendly, and she can’t get to the cafeteria without help. But there are a few bright spots. Namely, her best friend, Hudson, her boyfriend (swoon!), Malik, and her very favorite thing: theater. This year, there’s a middle-school theater competition, and any production that wins their regional competition will get the chance to perform—on a real Broadway stage!
Nat couldn’t be more excited. This is her chance to make it big and prove she belongs at her new school! Nat wows the director and gets cast in the school production: Footloose! But rehearsals are super stressful. Dance diva, Skye, wants more complex choreography, Malik keeps flaking for band practice, and Hudson gives Nat the cold shoulder, leaving Nat confused and alone. Nat starts to wonder whether she can really carry the show to Broadway and whether, without her friends, it’s worth doing theater at all.
Full of heart, friendship, and so much song, Cut Loose! by Tony Award winner Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz is an uplifting story about embracing your strengths, standing out, and standing up for what you believe in.
*The Week Junior Book Club Pick of the Month, and featured on
The Today Show, PIX 11, New York Live, The Stacks Podcast, in The New York Times, US Weekly, Scholastic Kids Press, and at The Museum of Broadway.*
PRAISE FOR CUT LOOSE! and THE CHANCE TO FLY
"A story both fine and also uplifting—in both senses of the word, moral and physical!"
— GREGORY MAGUIRE, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked
“Every theater kid in the world will instantly fall in love with Nat Beacon and relate to her story of perseverance. The Chance To Fly is as unique, inspirational, and full of heart as Ali Stroker is herself. She and Stacy Davidowitz will make readers laugh, cry, and teach them the true meaning of defying gravity.”
— CHRIS COLFER, New York Times bestselling author and Golden Globe winning actor
“The perfect read for any dream chaser . . . You’ll realize how unlimited your possibilities are.”
— KRISTIN CHENOWETH, Tony and Emmy Award winning actress and singer
“I only wish that The Chance to Fly was written when I was a teenager. Ali Stroker is a powerful role model for all youth and adults alike . . . We are living in changing times where audiences are clamoring for greater diversity. A Tony Award winner whose voice soars, whose energy brings us all to cheer is an example of what is possible.”
— JUDITH HEUMANN, International Disability Rights Activist, author of Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Me
“Anyone who loves to dream and has a love for theater will greatly appreciate The Chance to Fly. This book reminds everyone that it is a beautiful thing to be different and to be passionate about doing what you love.”
— SOPHIA GENNUSA, Tony Honored actress for her title role in Matilda
"Bolstered by realistic dialogue and Nat’s engaging internal narrative, this endearing novel will entrance a new generation of theater lovers and charm older ones with its allusions to beloved shows.”
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, **STARRED REVIEW**
"The authors know their stuff—Tony Award–winner Stroker was the first wheelchair user to be cast in a Broadway play, and Davidowitz is a playwright—and it shows. Fun, honest, and uplifting: applause!"
— KIRKUS REVIEWS, The Chance to Fly
"Stroker and Davidowitz poignantly and perceptively explore external and internalized ableism; in particular, Nat’s initially awkward reaction to a nonspeaking student is uncomfortably realistic. But the infectious enthusiasm for theater never wanes, and a stirring conclusion leaves readers on a high note. A rousing celebration of friendship, self-expression, and self-advocacy."
— KIRKUS REVIEWS, Cut Loose!
"Seeing the obstacles Nat faces daily and watching her learn to advocate for herself may inspire readers to do the same. Serious scenes, like Nat's crush Malik discussing his experience as the only Black student in school, and learning why Nat uses a wheelchair are poignant, as is Nat's evolving relationship with her parents... Young disabled performers will be excited to see representation, and all readers will be rooting for Nat."
— SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
