Breathing Underwater

January 1, 2021
On a road trip from Knoxville to their former home in San Diego, 13-year-old shutterbug Olivia follows a secret plan to help her depressed 16-year-old sister, Ruth. From the start, Olivia is an earnest narrator who effortlessly moves back and forth between the plotline and revealing and processing her emotions. She gives blow-by-blow descriptions that begin with packing for the upcoming RV trip with Eddie, her mom's cousin, and his wife, Ellie, and ends at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. There, three years ago, the sisters buried a treasure box of memories captured in photographs by Olivia and song playlists by Ruth. Early on, readers learn that the girls' professional parents will be flying to join their daughters at journey's end for a family scuba-diving excursion. Accomplished photographer Olivia has an underwater camera while Ruth is devoted to her old-school iPod. The narration skillfully weaves into the story Olivia's passion for photography, conversations and confrontations running a gamut of emotions, facts about depression, vivid descriptions of each tourist attraction they visit, and pop songs that complement the story (even connecting with the book's title). Ellie and Eddie are highly supportive, encouraging both sisters in their personal and artistic growth. Olivia's hypersensitivity may grate at times, but this is an honest portrayal of a child gradually internalizing what she knows intellectually about her fragile sister. Tween readers--especially girls with older sisters--will appreciate the depth of feeling on display. A heartfelt, multifaceted treasure hunt. (Fiction. 9-13)

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Starred review from March 1, 2021

Gr 5 Up-Thirteen-year-old Olivia is beyond excited to be on a road trip to San Diego with her big sister, Ruth, and her aunt and uncle. Three years ago, before her family moved from California to Tennessee, Olivia and Ruth buried a box of special mementos on their favorite beach. The mementos were created while the girls were searching for treasures on a treasure hunt. Olivia hopes that taking the road trip will help Ruth with her worsening depression. Things are different now: Ruth isn't the bubbly, helpful older sister that she was three years ago when they traveled the same route. Olivia is afraid that Ruth is falling down into "the Pit" again. She wants to look out for her big sister, but understanding the feelings that Ruth is experiencing is proving to be very difficult for Olivia. This is an important story that captures not just the struggles many teens have with mental illness but also the complex and meaningful relationship between two sisters who care deeply for each other, even if they show it in different ways. VERDICT Beautifully written, this tender novel should be read by anyone who understands how challenging navigating mental illness can be. A first purchase for all shelves; buy more than one copy.-Amy Caldera, Dripping Springs M.S., TX

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