The publisher says...

Chance is a black-and-white thinker until she realises that sometimes there are shades of grey. 

Chance is in Year 7 and thinks she has it all - a loving mother, dog Tiges, best friend and almost-sister next door. But when a reality TV team makes over her house, she discovers newspaper cuttings from the past that cause her to question the world as she knows it and everyone in it. Then she finds herself caught between two realities, identities and worlds. Face-to-face with the truth, Chance has a very difficult decision to make, which almost splits her in two. This powerful story explores what is true and what is fake in today’s world. And while Chance is all about the truth, she ponders whether "Maybe being truthful was really just a big lie." 

The author says...

Click on the below icon to watch a video where Sue Whiting shares the real life story that inspired her book and tells us more about the central character Chance Callahan.

The CBCA judges say...

This complex narrative is set south of Sydney in Wollongong, significantly far away from where the main character Chance Callahan started her life. Suspense and tension are deftly created through the use of a flashback device. Themes of honesty and truth underpin the events. Chance is convincing and engaging as she reluctantly pursues the truth about her birth and her mother, Nadia, with serious and unexpected consequences. The theme of having a fresh start is developed through the story of Chance and Nadia but also through the South Sudanese refugees who are neighbours and part of the family. This thought-provoking narrative would inspire many discussions on the morality of truth, and the sub-plot dealing with social media was deftly handled.

Our Reading Time reviewers say...

Click here to read the Reading Time review.

Teaching Notes for this book...

The publisher has generously made teaching notes available for this book. Click on the icon below to view these resources.

Shortlist Books 2021