Saturday, February 27, 2021

THE DEEPEST BREATH by Meg Grehan

 

Stevie loves to read because she loves learning things. She writes down everything she learns in a big notebook. She's sure that when it is full she will have learned everything there is to learn.

There have been times when Stevie has been afraid. For one, she's afraid of the ocean, and her hope is that if she learns all there is to learn about fish and the ocean, she will no longer have anything to fear. She's not sure it's working, but she has learn that an octopus has three hearts, blue blood, and nine brains. How cool would it be to have blue blood and nine brains?

At school Stevie sits at a table with her long-time friend Andrew, Robert, and the fascinating Chloe. Chloe is totally amazing. She paints her fingernails a different color every week and she knows how to do the most awesome magic tricks. Stevie would like to know more about magic, and she would really like to know why she gets what she calls a "fizzy" feeling in her stomach whenever Chloe is near. 

When Stevie attempts to tell her mother about her feelings for Chloe, she doesn't think her mother's response is satisfactory. Stevie wants to know if what she feels for Chloe is the same as having a crush. Worried about being different and being told she is weird, Chloe sneaks off to the library, a place she is sure will have the answers she needs.

Author Meg Grehan explores love from the view of an eleven year old girl seeking support for the feelings she's having for another girl. Written for a middle grade audience, THE DEEPEST BREATH is a heartfelt novel in verse sure to connect with young readers with their own questions about sexuality and choices in love. Perfect for independent reading as well as reading aloud to encourage discussion and questions about how love can look.

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