Zac and Mia

Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts

Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts , HMH Books for Young Readers, New York, 2000. ISBN 978-0544331648

  

Summary

Seventeen year old Zac is one of the youngest patients at his hospital in Australia. He’s there for leukemia treatment and he’s tired: tired of the treatment, tired of being the only one under fifty in the hospital, tired of only having his mom for a friend.

Mia is a new arrival at the hospital.  She has osteosarcoma, and while her chances of survival are good, she’s still bitter and angry.  Before cancer her life was perfect: she had tons of friends, she went shopping and to the beach every weekend. But now she’s stuck in a hospital and left wondering if she’s going to die.

When a miscommunication happens between the rooms, Zac and Mia end up becoming Facebook friends.  Before the two of them can become closer, Zac is released from the hospital and falls out of touch with Mia.  While Zac tries to readjust to normal life, Mia runs away from her home, desperate to find another life. When Zac and Mia meet again in another chance encounter, the two of them must decide if they have the fight within them to live, and to love.

  

Critical Evaluation

While “Zac and Mia” has been compared to “The Fault In Our Stars,” this cancer story is different. Most of the story is told after Zac and Mia both leave the hospital, and while their cancer diagnostics still plays a part in the story, it doesn’t influence the plot as much as “TFIOS" does. The overall tone of the story has a very gritty feel and is probably best for older teens. Along with sexual situations and use of heavy language, the characters go through strong emotional moments throughout the book. While Mia and Zac have a strong chance for survival, they find themselves facing depression and intense anger over their situation.  Their emotions and feelings are never sugarcoated: instead every f-bomb and tear is shown.

The setting of Australia makes the book different from TFIOS as well. While the teens have the same emotions and musical interests of American teens, the Australia slang and location gives an international experience to the readers. While Zac and Mia is very different from TFIOS, it would be a perfect read-a-like for older teens who enjoyed Green’s book.

Reader’s Annotation

Being a teenager is hard enough. Having cancer is another story.

About the Author

“AJ Betts is an Australian author, speaker, teacher and cyclist. Zac & Mia, her most recent novel for teenagers, won the 2012 Text Prize, the 2014 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and the 2014 Ethel Turner prize for young adults at the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards. Inspired by her work in a children's hospital, Zac & Mia will be available in 12 countries by the end of 2014. AJ's other novels are Wavelength and Shutterspeed (both with Fremantle Press). She's lived in Perth for the past ten years.

 (About.  Retrieved October 19^th, 2014 from http://www.ajbetts.com/about.html)

Genres

Coming of Age

Contemporary

Romance

Curriculum Ties   N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1: Who did you identify with more—Zac or Mia?

2: How would the story had been different, if it was set in the US?

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 15+

Grades 9+

Challenge Issues

Language

Sexual situations

Defense File

1—Ensure that policies such as “Freedom to Read,” “Collection Development,” and “Challenged Materials” are available for patrons and staff to read and research. Have list of awards and reviews for titles, as well as a “Reconsideration Form” on hand at all branches.

2—Listen to challenges and complaints openly and without judgment. Allow the patron to express their thoughts without inputting your own.

3—Have patron fill out reconsideration form. Provide information and background on challenge material’s author and title.  Forward reconsideration form to appropriate supervisors.

PPLD’s Challenge Materials Policy: http://ppld.org/challenged-materials-policy

PPLD’s Collection Development Policy: http://ppld.org/collection-development-policy

Literary Awards: Text Prize for YA and Children’s Writing (2012)

Why included?

I included Zac and Mia because it is a new release and thought it would be great for fans of “The Fault in Our Stars.” I also liked how it was set in and written by an Australian.