Breathe and Count Back from Ten

by Natalia Sylvester Narrated by Frankie Corzo

Overview

In this gorgeously written and authentic novel, Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior year, all while figuring out her first real boyfriend and how to feel safe in her own body.

Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body.

Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Verónica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her be with Alex, her cute new neighbor.

She decides it's time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her-the truth about her own body.

Editorial Reviews

JULY 2022 - AudioFile

Seasoned narrator Frankie Corzo delivers another satisfying and beautiful performance with her heartfelt and nimble narration. Peruvian-American teenager Veronica has hip dysplasia; being in the water is the only way she feels relief. Suddenly, she discovers the opportunity to become a mermaid performer when auditions open at Mermaid Cove, an aquatic tourist destination. Veronica’s parents don’t approve of this at all; they worry about the physical demands on her. Her parents worry about everything: boys, jobs, college, school—and the list goes on. Corzo successfully delivers the voices of characters with various accents and timbres, who deal with varying degrees of complicated feelings. Spanish words and phrases are narrated smoothly. The captivating story coupled with Corzo’s narration results in a satisfying audiobook. A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2022 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

"Seamlessly explores bodily autonomy and familial expectations through a perceptive protagonist, sharp narration, and complex relationships. . . . Powerful and engrossing." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Intricate, nuanced, and empowering." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An authentic portrait of a character who wants to be seen for who she is and not the limitations placed on her."  — Booklist

"Readers will be pleased to see Verónica strike the right balance of being authentic to herself while valuing relationships as a two-way street." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Sylvester blends the compelling struggle of a young woman trying to find her voice with the effects of living with a serious medical condition"  — Horn Book Magazine

"A poignant and powerful story... Real and beautifully relevant." — Laura Taylor Name, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

"Breathtaking and utterly original... A tribute to disabled bodies and a vital addition to YA literature." — Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All

"With its deep honest, hope, emotion, and tenderness, this is a coming-of-age story I will forever hold close to my heart." — Jonny Garza Villa, author of Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun

"A gorgeous, heartfelt exploration of what it means to know and love the body that you have... A shimmering triumph of a book." — Amanda Leduc, author of The Centaur's Wife and Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space

School Library Journal

09/02/2022

Gr 9 Up—A disability should never be a stigma or a barrier and in this book, main character Verónica refuses to let hers stop her from achieving her dreams. The Peruvian American teen has hip dysplasia, for which she has had multiple surgeries and does rehabilitation. One of her types of rehab is swimming. Her dream is to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park the summer before her senior year, but her parents do not agree with this. However, Verónica refuses to give up her wishes, as she faces her fears of disappointing her strict Latinx family and possibly rejection from her dream job at Mermaid Cove. Readers will relate with Verónica's struggles as a teen and root for her, especially when she battles a crush on a cute guy who her parents would never let her be with, and finds the strength to determine her own path. As the book twists and turns, drama further ensues when she realizes her parents might be hiding something from her about her disability. VERDICT Teens will be unable to put down this book filled with drama, hope, and family conflict, including great Latinx representation.—Aurora Dominguez

JULY 2022 - AudioFile

Seasoned narrator Frankie Corzo delivers another satisfying and beautiful performance with her heartfelt and nimble narration. Peruvian-American teenager Veronica has hip dysplasia; being in the water is the only way she feels relief. Suddenly, she discovers the opportunity to become a mermaid performer when auditions open at Mermaid Cove, an aquatic tourist destination. Veronica’s parents don’t approve of this at all; they worry about the physical demands on her. Her parents worry about everything: boys, jobs, college, school—and the list goes on. Corzo successfully delivers the voices of characters with various accents and timbres, who deal with varying degrees of complicated feelings. Spanish words and phrases are narrated smoothly. The captivating story coupled with Corzo’s narration results in a satisfying audiobook. A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2022 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178533567
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/10/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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