Zac and Mia

“When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics.” So says seventeen-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. Once released, the two near-strangers can’t forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives. The story of their mysterious connection drives this unflinchingly tough, tender novel told in two voices.

"Above average in this burgeoning subgenre; it’s the healing powers of friendship, love and family that make this funny-yet-philosophical tale of brutal teen illness stand out." —Kirkus   * "Zac & Mia holds its own as a smart, well-crafted story about the importance of friendship and feeling understood." —School Library Journal, starred review   "Betts portrays cancer as hard, scary, and isolating, but beatable—or at least bearable—if one isn't facing it alone, and her depiction of a boy trying to hold onto a normal life and a girl realizing she can't keep hers from changing has power." —Publishers Weekly  "This Australian import, told from alternating perspectives, introduces two characters who are remarkable in their own right." —Horn Book Magazine  "There’s complexity in their sometimes thorny relationship that makes this compelling as more than just a romance, but their connection is ultimately satisfyingly heartfelt. Hand this to readers looking for a love story with shadows but not inevitable doom." —Bulletin   Winner of the 2012 Australian Text Prize