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Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester

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Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Natalia Sylvester
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Disability Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): 7-12; Young Adult
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: Breathe and Count Back from Ten
Triggers: Medical trauma / Surgeries
Review By: Molly Clark

Publisher’s Summary:

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.

Review:

Readers of all kinds will be able to relate to Veronica in this book that can serve as a mirror, window, or sliding glass door. While Vero is an immigrant who has hip dysplasia, she is a typical 17-year-old girl on the inside. Sometimes books featuring characters with disabilities focus more on the the condition. Not this one. The hip dysplasia is a part of the story, but Veronica is more concerned with how to convince her parents to support her dream of becoming a mermaid and her growing feelings for the new neighbor. What teenager doesn’t struggle with parents who don’t understand?

Part of Vero’s struggles involve the guilt she feels for disappointing her parents who sacrificed a lot to bring the family to the United States so she could receive the best treatment. She doesn’t want to let them down. Again, most teens can relate to the anxiety of living up their parents expectations. Vero has an enviable group of supportive friends who help her prepare for the audition and help keep her secret. I found this book very enjoyable, aside from being distracted by wondering HOW the mermaid show works. I mean, how do they breathe? I’ve added a visit to Weeki Wachee Springs, the theme park that was the inspiration for Mermaid Cove, to my bucket list.

The author herself is an immigrant with hip dysplasia, which is probably why she is able to create such a well rounded character for whom the disability just a part of the picture. Teens who enjoy realistic fiction without heavy drama will enjoy this book.

Classroom & Curricular Connections:

  • Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Highly relevant for discussions surrounding body image, managing family pressure and expectations, the weight of generational sacrifice, and navigating complex emotions like guilt and anxiety.
  • English Language Arts (ELA): Perfect for studying contemporary realistic fiction, character development, and evaluating text connections via the framework of “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.”
  • Extension Activity / Library Application:
    • Author Interview & Media Study: Pair a reading of the book with Natalia Sylvester’s actual interview regarding her scars and book cover choices to open a dialogue about visual representation, disability visibility, and public perception vs. personal identity.
    • “Mirrors & Windows” Reflection Journaling: Invite students or book club members to track how Verónica’s journey serves as a mirror (reflecting their own teenage experiences with parental boundaries or self-doubt) or a window (offering a look into living with chronic medical conditions or navigating life as an immigrant).
  • Diversity & Representation:
    • Written as an ownvoices story, the novel provides phenomenal disability and cultural representation. It successfully highlights a well-rounded Peruvian immigrant protagonist whose physical disability—hip dysplasia—is treated as an integral aspect of her physical existence without reducing her entire character identity or teenage ambitions down to a medical condition.

Readalikes:

  • The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
  • You Don’t Have a Clue: Latino Mystery Stories for Teens (for Latinx coming-of-age themes)
  • The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus

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