Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A delightful middle grade story about a young girl who dreams of being on Broadway, but struggles with proving to the world that her wheelchair won't hold her back. This was beautifully written, though her parents drove me crazy. I can't blame them, but so much of this book they failed to listen to what she was saying. Her group of theater friends were fantastic and really real to life with the theater nerds I know. This is a quick and easy read, with a very happy ending.

For someone who loves musical theater & middle grade this was a definite win in my book! The writing was great and the references to all the different musicals was the best. Love seeing more representation in books and Nat as a main character is someone you root for and want to give the biggest hug to throughout some of the more difficult parts of this book. This book is a celebration of musical theater and a true testament that musicals are for everyone.

Any kid who has been wondering if they should pursue their interests and passions will be inspired by this book to go for it and give it a try. Fans of Out of My Mind and Roll With it will enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the way that Nat was able to make her theater dreams come true all while staying true to herself. She's such a brave character and I really enjoyed the story. This is a great book!

Representation matters so it's so great to see this title from Ali Stroker with her perspective. And it's just an added bonus that theatre fans will dig it too.

This book deserves a standing ovation, because it is all I want in a middle grade novel. It has a protagonist who is relatable, but unique (Nat is paralysed and in a wheelchair and loves musicals). It has supportive parents. It has stuff about developing and maintaining friendships. It has the characters dealing with real emotions. It is fun! And it made me a little misty eyed at the conclusion.

13yo Nat Beacon is an elite athlete - she is a talented wheelchair racer, but it's not her dream. She's a theater kid loves all the musicals, knows all the show tunes but, she's never actually been in a show. When Nat's family moves to the east coast, Nat sees a flyer for a youth theatre production of Wicked and auditions. She is overjoyed when she is cast in the ensemble, but when the choreographer assumes she can't dance because she's in a wheelchair, Nat and other kids in the cast work together to help her show off her theater skills.

So much fantastic theater magic - the friendships, the show tunes, the rehearsal warm ups, blocking, tech rehearsals, on stage and off stage drama - the drama kids at your school are going to love this. Tony Award winner Ali Stroker has been there and writes from experience and from the heart. I'm so excited to recommend The Chance to Fly!

Ali Stroker turns out to not only be an amazing performer but also a talented author. I loved the representation in this story, specifically the conversations it had about “magically healing disabilities,” in works of theater like Wicked. I cannot wait for middle graders to read this and fall in love.

I received this book from NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids in exchange for an honest review. I have given The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book has left my heart feeling so warm and content. This story will definitely be sticking with me for a long time.

To describe this book in a few words, I would use: funny, heart warming, charming, admirable and inspirational. My emotions were all over the place whilst reading this book, mainly in the positive, happy feelings however, there were a lot of times where my heartstrings were being tugged on and my eyes watered a few times towards the end of the story as well.

The diverse characters were incredibly well-developed and I loved, loved, L O V E D each and every one of them in their own unique way. There were Our main character, Nat, is an incredibly empowering character with a disability who has a phenomenal singing voice. Nat grows so muh as a person by the end of the book and it was such an incredible journey to follow her on. I found her character easy to connect with and a great role model; she was superbly written and loveable, I just simply adored her! I also really adored Malik, Rey and Hudson (just to name a few!), I thought they were great friends who accepted Nat immediately into their friendship group and it was so lovely watching their relationships blossom.

This book focuses around musicals which I thoroughly enjoyed; I can’t say I’ve ever read a book with a plot surrounding musicals before. I loved the musical culture references that were dotted throughout the novel. Wicked is my all-time favourite musical and the amount of references, scenes and lyrics which are in this book was completely comforting to me.

I absolutely adored this book and hope to read more of Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz’s material in the future. The message was so powerful to never give up and follow your dreams really shone through in this book. I would highly recommend this book for anyone to read, especially musical-goers!

I absolutely adored this book. It was so adorable and it's an incredibly important read. This story doesn't shy away from hard truths and is unafraid to be openly true.

A million jazz hands for this exuberant middle grade story about a girl who ditches her wheelchair racing team to audition for a youth production of Wicked. The characters are authentic and delightful, and all of the musical theater references made me want to get on stage.

This presumably biographical story tells the kick ass story of a girl who follows her dreams and sticks to her guns, proving to those who might have doubted her what she's known all along: using a wheelchair does not define her, nor does it limit her ability to chase her dreams.
Nat Beacon has always loved musical theater and so she can't resist the chance to audition for a local tween production in her new hometown. The friends she makes and the support they offer her are uplifting but not unrealistic. This is a much-needed book for those who hadn't stopped to think about the difficulties someone who uses a wheelchair faces, as well as those who assume those difficulties are insurmountable. Ali, and her character, Nat, are proof they are not!

14-year-old, Nat Beacon is a paralyzed wheelchair user trying to get her parents to grant her more independence. When she moves from California to New Jersey, she decides she want to try out for a musical (Wicked) instead of racing. She feels smothered by her parents over protecting her. She wants to make some choices on her own and increase her independence. Will she find her chance to fly? The voices of characters are true to their characters’ ages. Nat’s character is authentic. A story about overcoming challenges, finding your true self, and following your dreams. Readers who like realistic fiction and stories of self-discovery will enjoy reading this book.

Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

Nat is 13 years old and she's quite busy with her life in California. She has her dog, Warbucks, and she's been practicing a lot with her wheelchair racing team while also spending time with her best friend Chloe, and obsessing over musicals. But when Nat and her family move to New Jersey, she has to leave all of that behind. Once settled in, her family does her best to make her feel at home, even taking her to the track to meet her new racing coach. When by chance Nat notices sign advertising auditions for a musical, one of her favorite musicals, she immediately knows what she wants to do instead of racing. Making it through her audition on sheer nerve and the kindness of a few other kids, she gets cast in the ensemble and can't wait for her chance to shine. Even when the production goes awry just weeks before they are set to open Nat and her new friends must persevere if they truly want to Defy Gravity.

The Chance to Fly was such a lovely and quick read! I fell in love with Nat's character in the very beginning, she's just so personable and I really rooted for her throughout. I thought all of the characters in the book were well-rounded and pushed and pulled Nat in different ways. I especially enjoyed how the authors approached the relationship with her and her parents, as well as Nat's relationship with Chloe.
For the most part, I enjoyed how accurately a theatre camp of this nature was portrayed in the story. The scenes where Nat is meeting and getting to know the other kids reminded me of many times I had growing up in theatre camps, and the relationships she continued to form with them also reflected the ways I saw them grow in real life. There was also great inclusion of some theatre history, and the chapter headings were song titles, both I thought were great creative choices.

Now I come to my only 2 issues with the whole book: ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***
1. Wicked is simply not available for anyone anywhere (that isn't Broadway, Tour, Int) to perform. Even the children can't do it. Which isn't fair, but it is the truth. And while I love the plot and how they pull off the show, not only do they do a production of Wicked but they do a super illegal one as no rights were ever purchased or even talked about. Intellectually and creatively I 100% understand the use of Wicked in this for the characters and this specific plot and even why they decided to plot the story the way they did, but I just feel I have a duty to tell people that they cannot do what was done in this book- it's super illegal. That being said, the way the authors wove in the themes of the show with the character's inner thoughts and the plot was worth the anxiety my brain made up about this fake production of Wicked the Musical.
2. Kids this age should just probably not be reading the Wicked novel, especially with the parents they created in this book. To be honest, the book has nothing to do with the musical beyond most of the character names and places and the title, so it was interesting that it was even included in this novel. It's also not really a book appropriate to the age group in the story or the age group that will be reading THE CHANCE TO FLY.

Overall, I had such a great time getting to know Nat and her life in her chair, as well as her family and the new friends she made. But most of all, I enjoyed this book because of the incredible joy that Nat felt performing, it truly jumped off the page. I could tell both authors have a vast love and knowledge of theatre, and that clearly aided them in the writing of this book. In a time where I am especially missing theatre, it genuinely made my heart so happy!

TW: harry potter and sia references (probably other TWs but these are the ones I noticed off the bat)

A book that makes you believe in following your dreams.. 13 year old, Nat Beacon moves cross country from San Francisco to New Jersey, leaving her best friend Chloe behind. Nat uses a wheelchair for mobility and is obsessed with musicals, and dreams of being in a musical. While trying out for the local wheelchair race team, Nat stumbles upon a casting flyer for Wicked. Nat tires out without her parents knowledge and is selected for the ensemble. A great book for fans of musicals, those struggling with making new friends, and working together to bring your dreams to life.

If anyone's looking for me, I'll be in my feels. There is so much love in this book and I am absolutely enamored with this #ownvoices story. This is such a powerful tale of disability and taking chances on yourself.
Perfect for readers of ALL ages, a heartwarming, musical-loving, addictive read for sure!

An utterly empowering book for anyone with a disability, The Chance to Fly follows Nat, a young girl with a spectacular singing voice who has always wanted her chance to shine in the spotlight. The only problem? She’s in a wheelchair, and her overprotective but well-meaning parents don’t want her to get her hopes up (and then dashed in the process). She sneaks away and auditions for the musical of her dreams, and she gets a part! But there are many obstacles to overcome, and Nat sometimes questions if her parents may have been right after all.

The book is co-written by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz. Some of you might recognize the first name—Ali was recently the first person in a wheelchair to win a Tony award (and, not long before that, the first person in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway). Not surprisingly, the story is semi-autobiographical; while the actual plotline is fictional, the experiences that Nat has, the challenges she faces, and the emotions she goes through are very obviously based on Ali’s own, making the story feel very authentic. Since Stacy has also been long involved in the theatre, she understands that side of the story as well and is able to help the reader feel like they’re a part of this close-knit cast. While the story definitely focuses on ableism and Nat’s day-to-day experiences as a person in a wheelchair, those aren’t the only themes explored. Nat has just moved and is dealing with the unknowns and frustrations of leaving her best friend and starting over in a whole new town. She develops a crush on a boy in the show and wonders if he feels the same. She deals with broken friendships and rivalries. All of these are things that every kid can relate to—and it’s important to remind the “average” middle-grader that kids with disabilities have all of the same hopes, fears, dreams, and disappointments that they do. In the end, Nat’s story (and Ali’s) is utterly inspirational!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Nat is a member of the wheelchair racing team, but she also LOVES musicals! When her new town announced a production of Wicked, she just wanted to be part of it! She isn’t sure if they will cast someone in a wheelchair though!

What she finds are new friends who are awesome and inclusive. In the letter to the reader at the beginning of the book, the author, Ali Stroker, says “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” And that is really what this book felt like it was all about!

This teacher heart was happy♥️.

On a scale of good, great or fantastic, this book was GREAT!

"For every kid who has a dream, even if the odds are against you, don't ever stop finding ways to fly."--from the Dedication

Nat needs a wheelchair to get around due to a car accident that caused irreversible injuries when she was very young. Her parents raised her on showtunes, but Nat has always believed there were too many barriers to being on stage. A family move from California to New Jersey shakes things up and Nat stumbles upon an audition for a summer production of 'Wicked.' Her experiences in a new place and the redefining of her expectations is a delight. This addition to the #ownvoice body of works will most certainly be a breath of fresh air and a great encouragement to middle grade readers whether or not they have caught the drama bug.

Thank you to Shelf Awareness and Abrams Kids for this paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review. Happy Publication Day!