A sparkly, moving middle grade novel from Sarah Allen, and a big-hearted exploration of sisterhood, dreams, and what it means to be there for someone you love.
Olivia is on the road trip of her dreams, with her trusty camera and her big sister Ruth by her side. Three years ago, before their family moved from California to Tennessee, Olivia and Ruth buried a time capsule on their favorite beach. Now, they're taking an RV back across the country to uncover the memories they left behind. But Ruth's depression has been getting worse, so Olivia has created a plan to help her remember how life used to be: a makeshift scavenger hunt across the country, like pirates hunting for treasure, taking pictures and making memories along the way.
All she wants is to take the picture that makes her sister smile. But what if things can never go back to how they used to be? What if they never find the treasure they're seeking? Through all the questions, loving her sister, not changing her, is all Olivia can do-and maybe it's enough.
"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. . .Beautifully written, this tender novel should be read by anyone who understands how challenging navigating mental illness can be. A first purchase for all
School Library Journal, starred review
"In Breathing Underwater, Sarah Allen has created characters so alive and compelling that readers will root for them every mile of this moving, heartfelt journey."
Dan Gemeinhart, author of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
"Breathing Underwater takes you by surprise again and again: You think it's a road trip story, then a search for treasure story, then that it's a story about the darkness of depression, then that it's a story about sisters. Finally, you realize it's all of these"
and more. It's really, in the end, a love story, filled with joy and hurt and hope
